Arrest Made In 2019 Bradenton Murder: Sheriff

BRADENTON, FL — A 47-year-old man has been arrested in the 2019 murder of Nardiel Negron-Mojica, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Pedro Ruiz-Aguayo was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for second-degree murder, deputies said. He’s currently in Manatee County Jail.

Ruiz-Aguayo and Negron-Mojica worked together, stealing trailers and vehicles, and selling them for profit, detectives said.

When Ruiz-Aguayo was arrested on multiple counts of grand theft, he turned on his partner and told multiple people that he wanted to harm Negron-Mojica, the sheriff’s office said.

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Based on evidence collected during the investigation, detectives believe that Ruiz-Aguayo lured Negron-Mojica to a vacant lot at 5400 26th Street West in Bradenton on Nov. 17, 2019 and shot him multiple times. Cell phone data places Ruiz-Aguayo at the scene around the time Negron-Mojica is believed to have been killed, the sheriff’s office said.

Ruiz-Aguayo is currently in Manatee County Jail.