MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Two people have been arrested in Manatee County after a body was found in the trunk of a car early Sunday morning.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Palmetto Police officers were patrolling the Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve when they found the body of Manuel Escobar in the vehicle. Detectives said Escobar had multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said homicide detectives determined Escobar was shot on the 2800 block of 5th Street East in Bradenton in an argument over money, and his body was later put in an abandoned car at the estuary park.
Detectives said they developed probable cause to arrest Freddy Sandoval, 25, in connection with the shooting. Detectives also obtained an arrest warrant for second-degree murder for Idus Murkensen, 20.
Murkensen was arrested late Monday morning and is believed to be the shooter.
A Hardee County grandmother is on trial this week for leaving her 7-month-old granddaughter in a hot car where the baby died —the second grandchild to die under Tracey Nix's care. ABC Action News I-Team Reporter Kylie McGivern sat down with Kaila Nix just days ahead of her mother's trial for aggravated manslaughter.
