In the spring of 2024, a tragedy unfolded in a quiet South Nashville park that cut short the life of Francisco Almazan-Rojas, a 36-year-old male. On the evening of April 28th, his body was discovered in William Pitts Park, located off Tusculum Road in Antioch, Tennessee. He had been fatally shot, a victim of gun violence that shattered the peace of the community recreational area.
The initial discovery launched a nearly year-long investigation as detectives worked to piece together the events that led to his untimely death.
The case saw a significant breakthrough in March of the following year. After months of dedicated police work, a suspect was identified and apprehended. On a Tuesday evening, law enforcement officers arrested 21-year-old Miguel Cruz-Lopez at an apartment complex on Paragon Mills Road. He was subsequently charged with criminal homicide and especially aggravated robbery in connection with Almazan-Rojas's death.
Following his arrest, Cruz-Lopez was interviewed by detectives at the police headquarters. During this interview, he admitted to his involvement in the crime. He confessed to shooting and killing Almazan-Rojas in the park. He further detailed how he had stolen the victim's pickup truck and cell phone from the scene. After taking the vehicle, he searched it for any other items of value before abandoning it in East Nashville. At the time of his arrest, Cruz-Lopez was found to be in possession of a nine-millimeter pistol. This was significant as a gun of the same caliber was determined to be the weapon used in the murder. The pistol was sent to the crime laboratory for ballistics testing to confirm if it was the same firearm. Following his confession and the evidence gathered, a judicial commissioner ordered that Cruz-Lopez be held without bond.
