ORLANDO, Fla. – A woman and a teen girl accused in the death of a man found shot in Orlando in October pursued the victim before beating, stabbing, shooting and robbing him, according to police.
Orlando police announced Thursday, Nov. 17, that Kelonshay Watson, 24, and Anaitasha Santana, 17, had been arrested in connection with the man’s death.
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According to a series of affidavits released Thursday, the pair’s actions were partly captured on area surveillance systems, footage which allegedly shows them following the victim — identified as Sean Ruben Acosta — despite no known connection to him, police said.
Officers initially found Acosta near 643 Lexington Ave., lying in the roadway with his head and shoulders underneath a car. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Orlando Fire Department personnel, police said.
At the scene, investigators noted blood smears on the roadway and a single shell casing near Acosta’s body. Acosta died due to a gunshot wound to his back, police said. Acosta also suffered a wound to the back of his head and a stab wound to his abdomen, as well as two more cuts to his back and thigh, respectively, police said.
Using surveillance footage from such sources as Orange County Public Schools, LYNX, a restaurant and an apartment complex, investigators said they were able to review the movements of two suspects who the department shared images of in an attempt to bring them in for questioning.
In total, the pursuit lasted 0.4 miles, police said. Watson and Santana, who the teen’s father told police were associated via a dating relationship, engaged in a verbal altercation with Acosta at the LYNX Bus Terminal before “willfully and decidedly” searching for, finding and chasing him to Lexington Avenue, according to an affidavit.
The two reached Acosta and closed in, pushing him against the car he would later be found underneath, police said. According to witness testimony, a gunshot was heard as Watson and Santana beat Acosta, after which the two ran from the scene with Acosta’s backpack.
Watson was booked Nov. 10, held on no bond as she faces charges of robbery and first-degree murder with a firearm, records show. Santana was officially booked in Orange County on Wednesday, facing a charge of second-degree murder with a weapon and also granted no bond.
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