Authorities have arrested the man they believe carried out a deadly robbery and shooting that killed a teenager in Parkland. Brandon Torres Mesa is believed to have been involved in the robbery and shooting of a 17-year-old, and investigators say he was the gunman in the case. His arrest marks a major development in an investigation that had been ongoing since the spring.
The capture came after a search that reached across the border. According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, detectives working alongside the FBI and law enforcement in Mexico found Torres Mesa in that country and brought him back to the United States. The cooperation between local, federal and Mexican authorities was central to tracking him down.
With Torres Mesa now back on US soil, his case is moving into the court process. He is in custody and will eventually be brought back to Washington, where the crime took place. His return sets the stage for him to face the charges connected to the deadly robbery in Pierce County.
The case dates back to late spring. The victim, Braylon Diaz, was killed on May 24. At the time, Diaz was walking with his girlfriend in a Parkland neighborhood when the two of them were approached by a car, an encounter that quickly turned violent.
According to investigators, the confrontation began as a robbery. The people inside the car demanded that Diaz give them his jewelry. After he handed it over, they shot him, and he died at the scene. The killing of the 17-year-old shook the Parkland community and set off the search for those responsible.
Torres Mesa is not the first person taken into custody in connection with the killing. Two arrests had already been made in the case for other suspects before he was located. Investigators say Torres Mesa was the gunman, making his arrest a key step as the case against those accused in the deadly robbery moves forward.