Juan Santiago, aged 52, was found dead on July 11, 2022, in Deltona, FL. His death was the result of a tragic and violent incident involving his son, Johnny Santiago. The sequence of events began when Juan Santiago traveled from New York to Deltona due to concerns about his son's lifestyle. On the night of July 10, 2022, an argument erupted between Juan and Johnny over the keys to a family truck.
This argument escalated, and Juan's wife, Lisa Santiago, who was on the phone with him at the time, heard gunshots before the call abruptly ended.
Following the gunshots, Juan Santiago was reported missing. Law enforcement officers were dispatched to the Santiago residence, but Juan was not found at the scene. The investigation took a critical turn when Johnny Santiago fled from deputies in a Ford F-150, leading them on a high-speed chase through multiple counties. During this pursuit, Johnny fired shots at law enforcement officers and eventually crashed into a synagogue in Mount Dora. He was subsequently apprehended and charged with multiple offenses, including the attempted murder of law enforcement officers.
The search for Juan Santiago continued, and his body was eventually discovered in a remote area near Lake Avalon in Orange County. The discovery was made possible through the use of a tracking app on Lisa Santiago's phone, which traced the movements of the Ford F-150 driven by Johnny. Authorities found Juan's body concealed in bushes, and it was confirmed that he had been shot multiple times. The medical examiner's report later corroborated that Juan Santiago's death was due to gunshot wounds.
Johnny Santiago was charged with the murder of his father. The case garnered significant media attention due to the violent nature of the crime and the subsequent police chase. The legal proceedings against Johnny Santiago included charges of murder, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and firing a weapon from a vehicle. The investigation revealed that the argument over the truck keys was the catalyst for the tragic events that unfolded, leading to Juan Santiago's untimely death.
