TAMPA, Fla. — A month-long hunt for two murder suspects is over. Tampa Police announced on Friday that they have arrested two men connected to a shooting that left one teenager dead and another injured last December.
The suspects, Patrick Latson, 24, and Jordanis Castillo Durand, 22, are now facing charges, including First Degree Murder.
The violence took place late at night on December 19, 2025. Just before midnight, police rushed to E. 114th Avenue after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found a tragic scene involving two 17-year-old boys.
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One victim, Adrian Aguila, had been shot and died at the scene despite officers trying to save him. The second teenager survived a gunshot wound to the leg and a head injury from being beaten. He was treated at a hospital and has since gone home.
According to detectives, the shooting wasn’t random. Police believe the teens were lured to the spot for a drug deal. But once they arrived in their Honda Civic, things took a violent turn. The suspects allegedly tried to rob the teens, leading to the gunfire.
Detectives found shell casings and an AK-style rifle magazine under the victims’ car. They also found drugs inside the vehicle. But the biggest break in the case came from spotting a getaway car.
Witnesses saw a black Hyundai sedan speeding away right after the shots were fired. Police tracked that car to a nearby neighborhood, Pelican Sun Estates. That clue helped them identify Latson and Castillo Durand as the suspects.
Police didn’t find the men right away. It took weeks of work and help from the US Marshals to track them down.
- Patrick Latson: Police caught up with him on January 13 in Tampa. Detectives were watching a house on E. 29th Avenue when they saw him in the front yard. When officers moved in, Latson tried to run but was caught after a short foot chase.
- Jordanis Castillo Durand: He made it much farther. Police discovered he had fled all the way to Houston, Texas. On January 22, authorities in Texas found him hiding in a vacant apartment and took him into custody.
“By following every lead from Tampa to Houston, we have ensured these individuals will answer for their actions,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said. “It is our hope that these arrests will allow the healing process to move forward.”
Both men are now behind bars. Latson is in the Orient Road Jail in Tampa, while Castillo Durand is waiting in a Texas jail to be brought back to Florida.
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