ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — New details were released Friday in the death of a 17-year-old Freedom High School student.
Justin Machado was found shot to death Jan. 9 at his Lynchburg Court home near South John Young Parkway and Deerfield Boulevard, deputies said.
Mandy Machado, 17, and Joswanny Cepeda, 17, were arrested in May.
Mandy Machado is the victim’s uncle.
Cepeda was the victim’s best friend, according to an arrest affidavit.
The teens spoke to investigators a combined seven times before they were arrested, the affidavit said.
They told deputies they did not know how Justin Machado was killed or who would want to hurt him, investigators said.
The teens told investigators that they all skipped school the day Justin Machado died, went to a Wawa gas station and then hung out at Justin Machado’s home until he kicked them out to hang out with a girl.
In later conversations, the teens said Justin Machado was affiliated with a gang, deputies said.
Cepeda also said he heard a girl "lured him" and an "unknown male killed him,” the affidavit said.
Mandy Machado sent a text message to deputies in April that said he would talk about Justin Machado's arrest, but those details were redacted in the affidavit.
Deputies determined all the stories the teens told them were lies, investigators said.
Mandy Machado faces charges of manslaughter with a firearm, obstruction or false information to a law enforcement officer and destruction of evidence.
Cepeda faces charges of destruction of evidence and obstruction or false information to a law enforcement officer and destruction of evidence.
Cox Media Group
