Local

Police: Man sought in connection with 2012 fatal shooting in downtown Orlando parking garage

ORLANDO, Fla. — A 31-year-old is being sought in connection with the 2012 fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man in a downtown parking garage, the Orlando Police Department said Wednesday.

Roman Batista, of Kissimmee, is wanted on two counts of solicitation/conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with witnesses, Orlando police Sgt. Wanda Miglio said.

His brother, Ronny Batista, was arrested in the Dominican Republic in 2015 and was convicted of manslaughter with a deadly weapon Friday in the shooting death of Pedro Gallardo.

Investigators said Gallardo and his friends were returning to a vehicle after visiting a nightclub on June 24, 2012, when they got into an argument with another group of men.

Police said Ronny Batista shot Gallardo in the head. He died after spending six days on life support.

Investigators said Ronny Batista used his brother to solicit someone to kill two witnesses to prevent them from testifying in his trial, according to an arrest report.

A confidential informant told police that he was with Roman Batista at a comedy show at the University of Central Florida on March 18 when Roman Batista told the informant that his brother had a cellphone in jail and wanted to have a witness killed, the report said.

Anyone who knows of Roman Batista’s whereabouts is asked to call police or Crimeline at 407-423-8477.