A Lakeland gang member was arrested on Sunday and charged with the double shooting that resulted in the murder of a 19-year-old teenager and attempted murder of a child, Polk County Sheriff’s deputies said (photo below).
Alejandro Baez-Gardia, an Hispanic male, 19 years, of 1935 Oakhill Street, Lakeland, has been charged with first degree murder of Juan Castillo, 19 years and attempted murder of Juan’s brother, Jake Castillo, 11 years.
On Saturday, January 8, 2011, suspect, Baez-Garcia and 4 other gang members were riding a GMC van when he said, “Let’s go find some northsiders”, deputies said. The driver drove east on West Parker Street when they encountered a bicyclist, Johnathan Rondon, who was wearing the rival gang colors. Rondon was on his way to visit Juan Castillo and his family. Deputies say that Alejandro told the driver to make a u-turn. When the driver approached Juan and Jake’s home on West Parker Street, Baez-Gardia opened fire targeting Juan Castillo because of the rival gang colors he was wearing.
Juan Castillo was hit several times and died on the spot. His younger brother, Jake, was also shot and remains in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital.The GMC van with Alejandro and the 4 other occupants fled the scene.
Alejandro Baez-Garcia confessed to the shooting after questioning, deputies said. He has been charged with first degree murder.
Polk County Sheriff Judd said, “this arrest, like many, occurred rapidly, in part, because a witness called law enforcement upon seeing the suspect information on a television news report. Once again a murderer was rapidly taken off our streets by Sheriff’s homicide detectives because of teamwork with the Polk
County community.”
