After Bradenton man was charged with grand theft, detectives believe he killed his partner
When Pedro Ruiz-Aguyo was arrested and charged with grand theft in 2019, detectives believe he turned on his business partner. A month after being released from jail on bond, he lured the other man into a wooded area in the 5400 block of 26th Street West and shot him dead.
Two days later, just before 2 p.m. on Nov. 19, 2019, Nardiel Ettienne Negron-Mojica’s body was found in the woods.
The victim and Ruiz-Aguyo stole trailers and vehicles and then sold them, the sheriff’s office detailed in a news release on Tuesday announcing the arrest. Detectives say Ruiz-Aguyo’s cellphone data placed him near where Negron-Mojica was killed.
Multiple witnesses have also told detectives that Ruiz-Aguyo made known his intentions to hurt Negron-Mojica.
On Monday, Ruiz-Aguayo was arrested at his home and charged with second-degree murder. He is currently being held at the Manatee County Jail.
Ruiz-Aguayo made his first appearance in court on Wednesday. Manatee County Judge Jacqueline B. Steele did not grant Ruiz-Aguayo bond, choosing instead to allow the presiding judge in the case to take up the issue of bond at a later hearing.
Meanwhile, Ruiz-Aguayo is scheduled to stand trial in July for three counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle and one count of grand theft between 5,000 and 10,000.
“Pedro claimed that he was a handyman, and would restore and fix various trailers and vehicles that people brought him,” detectives noted in one of the arrest warrant affidavits in that case. “Unknown people would randomly drop items off for him to paint and fix. He claimed to have no knowledge that any items on his property were stolen.”
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 12:09 PM.
