WINTER PARK, Fla. – Three arrests have been made after an autopsy determined a teen found dead near Park Avenue died of blunt-force trauma, according to the Winter Park Police Department.
Jesse Sutherland, 15, and Simeon Hall, 15, are charged with manslaughter. A 14-year-old boy is charged with tampering with a witness.
Sutherland was arrested in Virginia and the other two teens were arrested in Orange County, police said.
Roger Trindade was found unconscious on the night of Oct. 15 in the popular Winter Park shopping and dining area. He died after he was taken off life support.
Almost two months after his death, Trindade’s family and friends were calling for justice through silent protests in Winter Park.
Police said they were waiting on autopsy results from the medical examiner before making any arrests.
The teen’s death has received widespread attention on social media and in his home country, Brazil.
Wednesday night, from Brazil, Trindade's mother posted her account of what happened to her son on Facebook and tagged News 6.
"Roger at 8:40 p.m. was happy to tell me that he would come back with his friends father. He said, 'I love you mother.' It was the last time I heard my son's voice," she wrote. "Today, I suffer with the pain that tears my chest. Everyday, I suffer from a lack of that boy that illuminated my life. My son was murdered by these boys. I'm going to pay a very high price every day of my life for not having my son with me. My penalty cannot be bigger than theirs."
Students have gathered at the memorial tree in Winter Park since Trindade’s death to leave notes, candles and flowers in his memory.
Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary issued a statement late Wednesday, saying, "Hopefully the family and community can find solace in knowing that although the process seemed lengthy, it was necessary so as to provide the State Attorney's Office with sufficient information to proceed."
All three teenagers are expected to appear before a judge at the Orange County Juvenile Justice Center Thursday afternoon.
