Lazaro Hernandez

Detectives made an arrest in the May 1 homicide in Lehigh Acres.

Lazaro Hernandez, 34, of 3905 S.W. 25th St., is charged with second-degree murder and aggravated battery after he shot one man dead and a second man in the leg.

The victim, Danny Jimenez, and an associate were at 1109 E. Corry St. awaiting Hernandez and a second man for a narcotics sale.

After the men arrived, the transaction continued in the kitchen area of the dwelling. At some point, Jimenez went up to the second story of the dwelling leaving the witness with the two men.

The victim and witness had left a .45 caliber pistol on the counter as they started to feel more comfortable with the transaction. After a brief conversation, Hernandez retrieved the pistol from the counter and fired several rounds at the witness stating “this is so you don’t come after me.”

Hernandez struck the witness in the leg before fleeing upstairs in an apparent attempt to attack Jimenez. Jimenez heard the gunfire and retrieved his own gun, firing several rounds down the stairwell.

As Jimenez reached the bottom of the stairwell, he sustained multiple gunshot wounds that proved to be fatal. During the commotion, the witness who had been shot in the leg was able to escape the dwelling and find help.

The witness positively identified Hernandez as the shooter and sole aggressor during the altercation.

The investigation confirmed that Jimenez was pressing criminal charges against the brother-in-law of Hernandez for a previous incident and that was a motive for Hernandez shooting Jimenez dead.

Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office