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LEESBURG, Fla. - Two men have been charged in connection with a deadly shooting of an 18-year-old man in December that authorities say stemmed from an arranged gun sale, according to affidavits filed by the Leesburg Police Department.
D’yuntre Jeraun Wright, 17, is charged with second-degree murder, while James Albert Fenderson IV, 19, faces charges including principal to third-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon or delinquent in the death of Juan Alberto Gomez Jr.
The backstory:
Officers responded to Berry Park around 1 p.m. on Dec. 14, 2025, after multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting. They found Gomez slumped over in the driver’s seat of a black Mazda sedan with at least one gunshot wound.
Investigators recovered a .45-caliber spent casing and a projectile from inside the vehicle. Witnesses reported seeing three people flee after a gunshot.
Detectives collected red slide-style shoes and a cellphone from the parking lot. Around the same time, a nearby homeowner reported a burglary and identified Wright and Fenderson as the individuals involved. According to investigators, the two were captured on surveillance video footage.
The Leesburg Police Department responds to a man found injured from a shooting in his car on Dec. 14, 2025. He later died.
Detectives later determined Fenderson — who was on probation and wearing a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor — removed the device after the shooting.
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City surveillance video showed four men entering the park about 30 minutes before the shooting and lingering near the bathrooms. Gomez arrived shortly before 12:50 p.m., and three individuals approached his vehicle and got inside.
Minutes later, two people were seen running from the car, followed by Fenderson, who fled with a backpack, according to investigators. A witness told police the group met Gomez to "smoke" marijuana and said Wright, seated in the front passenger seat, argued with Gomez before firing a shot.
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Detectives reviewed text and Instagram messages that allegedly show Fenderson negotiating to sell Gomez a .45-caliber handgun for $175 and marijuana edibles, arranging to meet at the park.
The Leesburg Police Department responds to a man found injured from a shooting in his car on Dec. 14, 2025. He later died.
A Jan. 7, 2026, report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) confirmed the recovered bullet was .45 caliber.
Fenderson, arrested Feb. 5, admitted being present but denied arranging the gun deal. Wright was arrested Feb. 19 and invoked his right to counsel.
Investigators allege the two acted together in setting up the meeting that ended in Gomez’s death.
Fenderson and Wright are both being held without bond.
What you can do:
Anyone with further information is urged to contact the Leesburg Police Department or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Leesburg Police Department, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, and documents filed in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.