WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — Only Channel 9 spoke with the family of the man who police say was shot and killed by his one of his close friends. 32-year-old Carlos Perez died last Friday after being shot on Azalea Avenue in Winter Garden.
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“He was my one and only brother, my younger brother. He was very caring, very loving, very respectful,” said Carlos’ sister, Daliana Perez.
Perez said her brother and Lambert grew close after he hired Lambert at Subway – and went to work on his off day to help Lambert out just hours before he allegedly killed him.
“It wasn’t like he was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Perez’s brother-in-law, Edwin Ortiz. “He just met the wrong people.”
Investigators said the two were with a group of people celebrating a birthday into the early hours of May third. They ended up drinking in a car in Lambert’s girlfriend’s neighborhood when they believe that Lambert pulled a gun out of the glove compartment, started playing with it and shot Carlos in the neck. Witnesses said he then ran inside to his girlfriend’s home and tried to wash the blood off.
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“He (was) dying and (he was) more worried about taking a shower, hiding the evidence...all while this is happening my brother is just lying there.” said Daliana Perez, Carlos’ sister.
Law enforcement showed up and caught him in the shower. The arrest affidavit showed Lambert lied to them multiple times – first claiming “he heard someone was shot and had nothing to do with it.” Then, when confronted that they had witnesses and video, Lambert told them “he didn’t want to say what happened because it would be considered snitching.” Finally, he tried saying he was helping another person in the car with the gun when that person shot Carlos. But after finding the gun, Lambert’s bloody clothing, and speaking with witnesses -- he was arrested. Lambert faces charges of manslaughter and destroying evidence.
It’s not Lambert’s first time behind bars – and a reason why Carlos’ family believes his death could’ve been prevented.
“The justice system failed us,” said Carlos’ brother-in-law, Edwin Ortiz.
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Lambert was arrested for carjacking with a deadly weapon in 2021. He ultimately avoided any major jailtime and was issued probation instead. County clerk’s documents show the court did not find proof evident at the time and believed the presumption to be too great.
In 2022, Lambert was also arrested for shooting at a home. It was also decided that case was quote not suitable for prosecution.
“He took someone’s life. He took someone’s son. He took someone’s father, someone’s friend,” said Ortiz. “It’s unfortunate.”
Monique Worrell was the state attorney at the time of the 2021 case. Channel 9 reached out to a representative for Worrell for comment on the case, but they do not have the records immediately available. Our team also requested them from the current state attorney, Andrew Bain’s office. Lambert’s arrest last week violated his probation. Bain has since reopened the carjacking case.
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