The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of two suspects linked to the murder of Braylon Daniel Diaz, a 17-year-old boy who died after being the victim of an alleged armed robbery in Parkland, Washington.
Those arrested are a 26-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, whose names have not been released because they have not yet been formally charged in court, Fox 13 reported.
According to the authorities, both remain in custody as the investigation continues.
The crime occurred when he was accompanying his girlfriend
According to the police reconstruction, Braylon was walking with his girlfriend during the night of May 24 when a person from a vehicle asked him to come closer.
Investigators believe that once next to the car, the suspects stripped him of his jewelry before shooting him.
After the attack, The occupants of the vehicle fled the scene and left the teenager seriously injured.
The young man’s death has caused deep shock among family and friends.
His girlfriend, Katelyn Zuniga, recalled that Braylon tried to protect her in the moments before the attack.
“He protected me in his last seconds. He was always a protector. He always cared about me and took care of those around him,” he told local media.
Relatives of the teenager agree that his reaction was motivated by the desire to protect his girlfriend.
His family assures that he was not a conflictive person.
Chelsea Diaz, the victim’s stepmother, stated that Braylon avoided conflict and that he probably approached the vehicle only to ensure the safety of the young woman who accompanied him.
“He would never have confronted anyone. The only reason he would go near that car was to protect his girlfriend,” he said.
The teenager’s loved ones also launched a fundraising campaign to cover funeral expenses and asked anyone with information to collaborate with authorities.
One of the key developments in the case occurred on May 27, when authorities located the car that was allegedly used during the crime.
It is a red sedan that investigators consider an important piece of evidence.
Subsequently, the police began tracking down the people who would have been aboard the vehicle on the night of the homicide.
The arrests occurred in different counties
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, The suspect was detained by Tulalip Police Department officers at a Walmart store.
Authorities indicated that the woman was traveling with the other suspect at the time of the murder.
For his part, the man was arrested by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office due to arrest warrants for serious crimes unrelated to this case.
Both were later transported to the Pierce County Jail.
The investigation remains open and detectives continue to gather evidence and testimony.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Carly Capppetto confirmed that there are other persons of interest whose possible involvement is still being analyzed.
For now, investigators are working to completely clarify the facts and determine the degree of responsibility of each of those involved.
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