Leonidas Duran, a 69-year-old resident of Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, passed away on July 7, 2023, in Orlando, Florida. Her death was the result of a violent incident involving a machete and gunshot wounds.
On the evening of July 7, 2023, Esteban De Jesus Jr., 56, attacked Leonidas Duran and her husband with a machete and then shot them. The incident occurred at their apartment complex in Orlando. Leonidas Duran was found dead on the grass outside the complex, while her husband was found wounded in the apartment's doorway and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Following the attack, warrants were issued for De Jesus's arrest on charges of murder and attempted murder. The U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force quickly located De Jesus on Jefferson Avenue in the Heights section of Jersey City, New Jersey, around 11 p.m. on Saturday.
During the arrest, De Jesus was wounded and transported to Jersey City Medical Center.
He ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 11:44 p.m. The death of De Jesus marked the end of the manhunt, and the Orlando police noted that the homicide case had been cleared.
The incident involving De Jesus's death during the arrest is subject to an investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) to ensure it was conducted in a full, impartial, and transparent manner. The investigation will determine whether the use of deadly force was justified, based on New Jersey law which allows officers to use deadly force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to protect themselves or others from imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm.
