On the evening of November 25, 2024, 18-year-old Carlos Manuel Fuentes was fatally shot at a basketball court on Fred Conner Street in Avon Park, Florida. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene around 6:18 p.m., where they found Fuentes lying on the ground. He was transported to a local hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Investigators determined that a vehicle had pulled up on the grass adjacent to the basketball court.
Fuentes approached the driver's side of the car and engaged in a brief conversation with someone inside. During this interaction, Eric Von Ferguson Jr., a 19-year-old passenger in the vehicle, shot Fuentes. After the shooting, Ferguson fled the scene and disposed of the firearm in a nearby lake.
Ferguson was apprehended at 1:17 a.m. on November 26, approximately seven hours after the incident. He was charged with second-degree murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and destroying evidence. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office credited the swift arrest to numerous anonymous tips received via their smartphone app, which significantly aided the investigation.
The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, with authorities continuing to interview witnesses to determine the circumstances leading up to the tragic event. The community has been urged to provide any additional information that could assist in understanding the reasons behind this senseless act of violence.
