An 18-year-old who went missing from her Florida home two years ago has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 23-year-old man in North Carolina.
According to reports from local outlets The News & Observer and CBS 17, as well as an arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE, Gracie Elizabeth Faye Landa was taken into custody on Monday, Aug. 18, in relation to the killing of Christopher Piedrasanta-Perez on May 30.
The News & Observer reported that Piedrasanta-Perez was one of three people shot inside a vehicle on Rowemont Drive on Durham’s northern side at approximately 12:30 a.m. Two women were also injured, though authorities have not specified whether Landa was present in the car or her precise connection to Piedrasanta-Perez’s death.
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A report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, obtained by the News & Observer, states that Piedrasanta-Perez was sitting in the vehicle with two friends near a Durham park when two individuals approached and began firing shots into the car.
More than 40 shell casings, including some from a 9 mm handgun and a .223 rifle, were recovered at the scene, according to the News & Observer. Piedrasanta-Perez’s autopsy revealed he sustained a gunshot wound to the head.
In 911 calls obtained by the outlet, a caller reported being shot at least 10 times.
Landa was first reported missing at age 16 from her home in Tampa, Florida, on June 27, 2023, according to CBS 17. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children later indicated they believed she had traveled to Durham. Although authorities never formally confirmed she had been located, Landa is no longer listed on the center’s website.
Speaking with CBS 17, Piedrasanta-Perez’s mother, Amalia, said her son had parked near the park after completing deliveries for DoorDash.
A new warrant obtained by the News & Observer alleges that one of the 23-year-old’s friends intended to confront another individual at the park over a romantic dispute. The warrant does not detail Landa’s alleged involvement in the incident.
According to the warrant, security camera footage from a nearby building showed two individuals emerging from the woods and firing at the car before fleeing back into the trees.
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On a GoFundMe page established to assist with funeral expenses, Piedrasanta-Perez’s family remembered him as the first of 10 grandchildren and a brother of three, describing him as having a “kind soul” and being “respectful, funny, caring, loving, hardworking.”
“His presence brought light and comfort to the family, had a sense of humor like no other, and now his absence has left a hole in our hearts,” the page states. “Our family is devastated by this loss.”
Speaking to CBS 17, his mother referred to him as “my first baby.” She added, “He was just a fun brother, friend, grandson, and son to be around. Always with that big smile. Since everything happened, there’s not been a day where I don’t go see his grave. We’re always there. It’s just been so hard, we haven’t stopped going to see him.”
Court records indicate that Landa made her first appearance in Durham County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 20, where she was denied bond. She is scheduled to appear in court again on Sept. 11.
