Nardiel Ettienne Negron-Mojica, a 24-year-old man, was found dead on November 18, 2019, in a vacant lot off 26th Street West in Bradenton, Florida. The discovery was made shortly before 2 p.m. by the local fire department, who immediately noted that Negron-Mojica had suffered trauma to his upper body, indicating suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office quickly classified the case as a homicide and began an investigation to uncover the details of the incident.
Negron-Mojica, who was involved in criminal activities, had been working with Pedro Ruiz-Aguayo, a 47-year-old man, in stealing and reselling trailers and vehicles. Their partnership took a dark turn when Ruiz-Aguayo was arrested on multiple counts of grand theft in October 2019. Following his arrest, Ruiz-Aguayo expressed a desire to harm Negron-Mojica, which he communicated to several individuals. Detectives believe that Ruiz-Aguayo lured Negron-Mojica to the vacant lot where he ultimately shot him multiple times. Cellphone data corroborated Ruiz-Aguayo's presence at the scene during the time of the murder.
The investigation led to the arrest of Pedro Ruiz-Aguayo on charges of second-degree murder. He was taken into custody at his home and is currently held at the Manatee County Jail without bail. The case against Ruiz-Aguayo is built on substantial evidence, including his prior threats against Negron-Mojica and the cellphone data placing him at the crime scene. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office continues to follow leads and gather information to ensure justice for Nardiel Ettienne Negron-Mojica.
