Two Arrested After Man Found Shot Dead in Car Trunk at Palmetto Nature Preserve: MCSO

Two suspects were taken into custody following the discovery of a deceased man at the Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve early Sunday morning, as reported by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives stated that Palmetto police officers, who were patrolling the preserve located at 101 U.S. 41 around 2 a.m., found the body of 32-year-old Manuel Escobar in the trunk of a car. Authorities confirmed that Escobar had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Further investigation revealed that Escobar was shot in the 2800 block of 5th Street East in Bradenton before his body was abandoned in a car at the nature preserve in Palmetto.

The sheriff’s office reported that detectives identified 25-year-old Freddy Sandoval as a suspect in the shooting and arrested him. A warrant for second-degree murder was issued for 20-year-old Idus Murkerson, who was apprehended by the Florida Highway Patrol in Santa Rosa County on Monday morning.

Authorities indicated that an argument over money between Escobar, Sandoval, and Murkerson on Saturday led to Murkerson shooting Escobar multiple times. The sheriff’s office believes this was an isolated incident.

“We know that there was a meeting involving all three individuals, related to a past transaction, and our victim went to meet with these two,” said Randy Warren, a spokesperson for the MCSO.