GIBSONTON, Fla. – The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect connected to a recent homicide at a gas station in Gibsonton.
Deleno Spencer Madariaga, 18, is charged with first degree murder and robbery with a firearm.
At approximately 10:09 p.m. on Monday, November 30, HCSO received multiple 911 calls about a shooting at the Murphy USA gas station located at 9023 Gibsonton Drive. Once on scene, deputies located an adult male victim on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he died from his injuries.
Detectives conducted interviews with witnesses who described seeing the victim exit the driver’s seat of a black vehicle with a firearm in hand. Witnesses also described seeing a man, later identified as Madariaga, get out of the passenger’s side wearing an orange ski mask with a firearm in hand. After shooting the victim, Madariaga was seen on store surveillance cameras driving away in the victim’s vehicle.
The victim’s vehicle was later located in a grassy area near the Kings Lake Subdivision on Big Bend Road.
Through investigative means, detectives obtained phone records showing calls and messages organizing a drug transaction between the victim and Madariaga just prior to the shooting. Madariaga was located and arrested on Wednesday, December 2, during a traffic stop on N Falkenburg Road.
“This shooting occurred in a very public setting. We are thankful that no one else was hurt,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “With the help of witnesses, we were able to quickly identify the suspect responsible. Our investigation is ongoing as we work to learn what lead up to this senseless act of violence.”