Raidel Armas Gonzalez, aged 50, was found dead on December 18, 2019, in Winter Haven, Florida. His body was discovered in the yard of a residence at 441 Fernandez Street in Wahneta, a neighborhood in Winter Haven. The Polk County Sheriff's Office reported that Gonzalez died from an apparent gunshot wound. The investigation into his death revealed that the residence where his body was found was being used as an illegal marijuana grow house. The homeowner, Marcos Gutierrez, was inside the house when the shooting occurred and later charged with multiple violations related to the illegal marijuana operation.
The investigation into Gonzalez's death led to significant developments. Surveillance video and cellphone technology played crucial roles in identifying suspects. Julio Ramirez-Peraza, 47, of Lakeland, and Lazaro Perez-Toledo, 39, of West Palm Beach, were indicted by a Polk County grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and attempted robbery with a firearm. The indictment stemmed from the shooting death of Gonzalez, who was gunned down in the yard of the grow house. The suspects were seen on surveillance video parking a van near the crime scene and walking towards the house before the shooting occurred. The video also captured a muzzle flash and the suspects leaving the scene.
Further investigation revealed that Gonzalez's death was connected to the illegal marijuana operation at the residence. Deputies recovered 162 pounds of marijuana from the home, and several individuals were arrested in connection with the grow house. Marcos Gutierrez and Rolando Zamora-Menendez were charged with cultivation of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, and maintaining a structure for the manufacture or sale of a controlled substance. Gutierrez also faced charges of trafficking in cannabis. Additional arrests included Juan Carlos Garcia, Yurien Escalona Diaz, and Zamora-Menendez, who were charged with accessory after the fact to a capital felony. Diaz also faced a charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
The case highlighted the dangers associated with illegal marijuana cultivation, as noted by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The investigation into Gonzalez's death and the illegal grow house operation underscored the violent nature of such activities and the extensive efforts by law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice. The suspects involved in the murder and the illegal operation faced serious charges, and the investigation continued to seek additional leads and information from the public.
