A suspect wanted in connection with a fatal weekend altercation in New Port Richey was taken into custody Monday morning in Columbia County following a multi-agency investigation.
The incident began around 9:17 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2026, when New Port Richey police officers were dispatched to a reported disturbance on Hillside Drive. Authorities said the confrontation turned physical, leaving 39-year-old Odisnel Santana Pena with life-threatening injuries. Emergency personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but Pena died at the scene.
According to investigators, the suspect, identified as 44-year-old Ivan Aguilera Torres, fled the Hillside Drive area immediately after the incident.
Detectives tracking Torres received a lead from the Tampa Police Department regarding a residence in Tampa where Torres was suspected to have stayed. Tampa detectives spoke with an individual at the home who told them he had driven Torres to Gainesville earlier that morning.
Investigators confirmed the account by reviewing security video and license plate reader data from FLOCK cameras, which showed the driver leaving the area with Torres and returning alone.
Using those leads, authorities tracked Torres north to Lake City, Florida, where officers with the Lake City Police Department located and arrested him on the morning of Monday, August 17.
The New Port Richey Police Department credited the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Lake City Police Department for assisting with the investigation and apprehension.
Police stated that the investigation remains active and ongoing, adding that further details will be shared as they become available.
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