CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – An 18-year-old has been arrested in the shooting death of a teenage boy in Orange Park, according to a report from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Christopher Walters is the third suspect arrested in connection to the death of Jandel Rodriguez, 17, whose death is being investigated as a murder. The shooting occurred back in early January.
Walters is the third suspect to be arrested. Andrew Neeper and Dejerrick Gillum both face a charge of murder, according to court records.
Back in January, investigators said, Rodriguez’s body was discovered in the area of Claremont Avenue South in Orange Park and surveillance video led to three potential suspects.
A third person who was identified was not charged. But amid the course of the investigation, detectives learned about Walters. According to the arrest report, Walters was seen on surveillance videos around Orange Park, hanging out with Neeper and Gillum prior to the deadly shooting.
The report states that Walters initially told detectives that he did not know what the other suspects were planning and that he had no knowledge a murder was going to happen.
According to the report, Walters later admitted he was asked to bring bullets to Neeper. The bullets were brought to a Bojangles restaurant where detectives say Neeper loaded a gun inside the restaurant bathroom.
Walters, investigators said, told detectives they all left Bojangles together, but the plan was for him to stay back and act as a lookout while Neeper killed someone.
According to the report, Walters later admitted that he knew the plan was to kill Rodriguez and said that after Rodriguez was shot, he and the other suspects returned to Bojangles and discussed where to ditch the murder weapon. The Sheriff’s Office said following that, Walters was arrested and charged with murder.
“You don’t really believe it until it’s done to you,” said Rodrigeuz’s sister, Bella. “You brush it off your shoulder or heard about it happening to another family, like, I wish that doesn’t happen to me. When it does happen, you can’t believe it. A month-and-a-half later and I still can’t believe it.”
Prior to Rodriguez’s death, plans were made for him to move out to California to live with his sister.