SANFORD, Fla. — Investigators with the Sanford Police Department are asking for help solving a murder.
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Officers responded to reports of a shooting just before 4 a.m. Thursday at 1502 Southwest Rd.
They arrived to find a man later identified as Joshua Alegarbes on the ground with a single gunshot wound to the chest area.
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Alegarbes was taken to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital and died there less than an hour later.
According to an incident report, a witness told police he and Alegarbes were hanging out with friends until it became late and Alegarbes walked the witness home in the area of Pear Ave. and 16th Street.
See a map of the area below:
The witness told police that he went into his home, but heard a loud noise a short time later and looked outside to see his car door was open. He said he saw two men running towards 16th Street then noticed Alegarbes on the ground struggling to breath.
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According to the report, the witness was only able to describe one of the suspects as having long dreadlocks. He said the second suspect had short hair, but couldn’t provide any additional information that might help identify them.
Police noted the witness had a “strong belief” the suspects lived in the area because Alegarbes was “known to never venture further than that.”
Sanford police say they still have very little information on what led up to the shooting.
They’re asking anyone who was in the area at the time or anyone with information that may help the investigation to contact them at (407) 688-5070.
Tips can also be submitted through Central Florida Crimeline here or by calling 1-800-423-8477. Crimeline callers are able to remain anonymous and could become eligible for a reward if the information they provide leads directly to an arrest.
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