2 people in custody in connection with murder of Parkland teen, others on the loose

Two people are in custody in connection with last week’s murder of 17-year-old Braylon Diaz in Parkland, but investigators said they are still searching for at least two others.

A 26-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man were arrested separately late Sunday night in Snohomish County with assistance from Tulalip Tribal Police and Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputies, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

“She was arrested at the Walmart in Tulalip. A male had been taken into custody earlier in the day during a traffic stop,” Pierce County Deputy Carly Cappetto said.

Detectives said they believe the pair was in the car when it pulled up, robbed Diaz of his jewelry, then shot him before driving away.

The shooting happened around 7:15 p.m. on May 24 in the 10200 block of Sheridan Avenue South in Parkland. Deputies responded to reports of a teenage boy lying in the roadway. They began life-saving efforts when they arrived, but Diaz died at the scene.

Parkland teen killed in random attack, investigators say

Investigators said Diaz was walking with his girlfriend when a vehicle approached, and someone inside called him over. Pierce County Sheriff’s Office investigators said the fatal attack was believed to have been random.

Last Tuesday, detectives released a picture of the suspect vehicle as they worked to identify and locate the suspects.

The sheriff’s office described it as a “very active investigation.”

“There are others outstanding, and we’re not going to stop until we have everybody that we believe was involved in this homicide,” Cappetto said.

Anyone who has surveillance footage from the area or information about outstanding suspects should contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office or 911.

The pair is expected in court sometime tomorrow or Wednesday.

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