Death of man found in car was drug-related, cops say

An arrest has been made in the slaying of 20-year-old Cory Iwanski, which the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said was drug-related.

Jacob Brian Harris, 20, was arrested by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office detectives Monday and faces one count of murder. Iwanski was found dead behind a strip mall last week.

Iwanski’s mother reported him missing the afternoon of Aug. 28 after she hadn’t heard from him in two days. He said he was going to go to a friend’s house that Saturday night, the Bradenton Herald reported.

His body was found in a car behind the plaza at 3126 53rd Ave. E. the day after he was reported missing. Sheriff’s office spokesman Dave Bristow said Iwanski was shot, and there was “upper body trauma.”

Tips received after releasing photos of three cars of interest Friday led detectives to connecting a red SUV to Harris, Bristow said. The other two vehicles are not believed to be connected to the crime.

This story was originally published September 4, 2017 at 7:57 PM with the headline "Death of man found in car was drug-related, cops say."