Five people were arrested by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday in connection with a violent home invasion that took place in October in St. Cloud where a man was shot and killed.
Alexis Vargas-Algarin was found dead in the area of 3785 Henry J Avenue in the “manor” of St. Cloud across the street from Velma’s Diner, on Oct. 11 Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez said in a news conference Wednesday.
Sheriff Lopez said, “When we got to the scene a woman told us that she came home and found her boyfriend in a pool of blood beside their home.”
Osceola deputies said they also found a sledgehammer that was used to force open the door of the victim’s mobile home, deputies reported.
According to investigators, Martinez drove the van, then Perez-Garcia used a sledgehammer to break down the door. Valle-Martinez and Lopez-Bayona went inside to rob the victim. Sheriff Lopez said that Chavarria most likely planned the robbery.
“This entire case was solved because of one fingerprint found,” Sheriff Lopez said. “Our forensic team located a fingerprint on the front passenger door of the victim’s car. We didn’t know it at the time, but the random fingerprint found on the first day of the investigation actually belonged to the killer.”
Lopez-Bayona later confessed to shooting Vargas-Algarin saying he was afraid that the victim was “ultimately going to kill him so he had to kill him first,” the sheriff said.
According to investigators, Martinez drove the van, then Perez-Garcia used a sledgehammer to break down the door. Valle-Martinez and Lopez-Bayona went inside to rob the victim. Sheriff Lopez said that Chavarria most likely planned the robbery.
“To the friends, loved ones and family members of the victim, Mr. Alexis Vargas-Algarin, we have some holiday justice,” Lopez said.
Chavarria, Martinez, Perez-Garcia and Valle-Martinez face charges for home invasion with a firearm and murder while engaged in a robbery. Lopez-Bayona faces charges for home invasion with a firearm and premediated murder.
