An 18-year-old Florida woman who vanished from her home two years ago has been arrested in North Carolina in connection with the murder of a 23-year-old man during a late-night shooting.
According to reports from The News & Observer, CBS 17, and an arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE, Gracie Elizabeth Faye Landa was taken into custody on Monday, Aug. 18, for her alleged role in the killing of Christopher Piedrasanta-Perez on May 30.
The deadly shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. on Rowemont Drive in northern Durham. Investigators say Piedrasanta-Perez was sitting inside a parked vehicle near a local park with two friends when two people suddenly emerged from nearby woods and opened fire on the car. More than 40 shell casings, including rounds from both a 9 mm handgun and a .223 rifle, were recovered from the scene.
Piedrasanta-Perez was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. Two women inside the vehicle were also injured, but police have not clarified if Landa was present at the time of the shooting or exactly how she’s connected to the attack.
Authorities believe the gunfire erupted over a personal dispute. A new warrant alleges that one of Piedrasanta-Perez’s friends planned to confront another person at the park over a conflict tied to a romantic relationship, but Landa’s exact role remains unclear.
Landa first made headlines back in June 2023 when she was reported missing at just 16 years old from her Tampa, Florida, home. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children later stated they believed she had traveled to Durham, but authorities never officially announced when she was located.
Speaking to CBS 17, Piedrasanta-Perez’s mother, Amalia, described her son as a hardworking young man who had just finished delivering DoorDash orders before he was killed.
“He was my first baby,” she said tearfully. “Always with that big smile. Since everything happened, there hasn’t been a single day we don’t go visit his grave.”
Piedrasanta-Perez’s family also shared a heartfelt tribute on a GoFundMe page, remembering him as “the first of 10 grandchildren,” a “kind soul,” and someone whose “presence brought light and comfort” to everyone around him.
Landa appeared in Durham County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 20, and was denied bond. Her next court date is scheduled for Sept. 11.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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