HAINES CITY, Fla. — A man was arrested after law enforcement said he fatally shot his estranged girlfriend near a Mexican restaurant in Polk County on Sunday.
The Haines City Police Department said officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting the shooting, which occurred in the parking lot of La Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant on Maxcy Plaza Circle around 10:55 a.m.
Police said the 29-year-old victim also called 911, telling officers that the suspect, Rolando Guevara Zarate, was the father of her children and had been her boyfriend for at least seven years.
When officers arrived, they found the victim, who had been shot multiple times. Witnesses in the area provided a description of the suspect's vehicle, which they said was a burgundy Ford Mustang.
Police then issued a BOLO (Be on the Lookout) to surrounding agencies while treating the victim.
Around 11:18 a.m., officials said an officer from the Winter Haven Police Department saw a vehicle matching the description and stopped it, but Zarate fled on foot. He was then apprehended by officers, and his vehicle was seized, where they saw a rifle inside.
Despite life-saving measures from law enforcement and hospital staff, the victim was pronounced dead around 12:03 p.m.
Police said detectives are still processing multiple scenes and notifying the victim's family, but Zarate confessed to the crime, stating "he was concerned the victim was going to take their children from him."
According to HCPD, Zarate also confessed to disposing of the gun he used while driving away from the scene, and a weapon matching his description has since been recovered.
Zarate is facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated stalking, and violation of an injunction for protection against domestic violence.
HCPD added that Zarate has a past allegation of domestic battery with the victim along with possession of cocaine, DUI, possession of methamphetamine and more.
If you have information about this investigation, contact the Haines City Police Department at (863) 421-3636. If you want to remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at (888) 400-8477.
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