VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Nine months after his arrest, prosecutors have officially charged a Deltona teenager with his father’s murder.
Jonny Santiago, now 19, was arrested in July after deputies said he shot and killed his father, Juan Santiago, in the family’s driveway.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The shooting kicked off a multi-day search for the elder Santiago, whose body was discovered by family members in rural Orange County.
The teenager was captured after a high-speed chase, crash and shootout with police and deputies in Mount Dora.
Read: Seminole County deputy suffers medical episode prior to fiery crash, deputies say
Since then, Santiago has lived at the Lake County jail while facing charges for crimes committed there, but charges in Volusia County remained under seal.
The case was updated to include his name and second-degree murder charges, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Read: Drugs, alcohol could be a factor in deadly Brevard County high-speed head-on crash, police say
In a phone call Sunday, Santiago’s attorney, Brian Pakett, said the case has a mental health component to it and Santiago would undergo an evaluation on Tuesday.
Santiago’s next hearing is scheduled for Friday. It’s not clear if he will attend.
Read: SUV driver dies in wrong way crash with RV, FHP troopers say
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
