A man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s were killed at an east Orange County apartment complex, investigators said.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County deputies arrested 47-year-old Christian Vargas Pagan on Friday in connection with a Thanksgiving Day shooting that left two people dead at an apartment complex off Rouse Road. The shooting was reported around 4:20 p.m. Thursday on the 600 block of Cedar Bend Circle, deputies said.
Officials said the victims—an adult man in his 30s and an adult woman in her 40s—were found with gunshot wounds when deputies arrived. The man died at the scene; the woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. Detectives obtained a warrant for first-degree murder and booked Vargas Pagan into the Orange County Jail on Friday. Investigators have not publicly identified the victims and have not released a motive, saying the inquiry remains active following the holiday shooting.
Residents at the Academy at Waterford Lakes apartments said the complex quickly filled with patrol cruisers and crime-scene tape as families returned from Thanksgiving gatherings. A resident who gave her name as Latoya said she came home to see the area sealed off and realized “it had to be something really bad” as deputies canvassed door to door. Armando Garcia, who said he had been visiting someone at the complex for much of the day, called the timing “devastating” for neighbors and relatives. Deputies said evidence technicians worked through the evening, setting markers in the parking areas and collecting items near building entrances as detectives interviewed witnesses.
According to the sheriff’s office, the first 911 calls came in shortly after 4:20 p.m. Thursday from the complex near the border of the Alafaya and Union Park communities. Responding units found both victims with gunshot wounds in the 600 block of Cedar Bend Circle. The male victim, described only as being in his 30s, was pronounced dead where he was found. The female victim, in her 40s, was taken by ambulance and later died at a hospital. Homicide detectives secured a search area spanning several buildings while additional units diverted traffic around the entrances on Cedar Bend Circle and nearby Rouse Road. Authorities said the suspect was located and taken into custody by Friday morning.
Vargas Pagan was arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder and transported to the Orange County Jail, where he is awaiting his initial appearance before a judge. Deputies have not said whether he knew the victims or what led up to the gunfire. The sheriff’s office said the medical examiner will determine the official causes of death, and next-of-kin notifications are still underway. The apartment complex, which sits east of Orlando near Waterford Lakes, saw a visible law enforcement presence into the night with roughly a dozen sheriff’s office cruisers and a crime-scene investigation van parked near taped-off walkways.
Holiday gatherings across Central Florida kept roads busy Thursday, and neighbors said the complex was active with visitors on Thanksgiving afternoon. Several residents described hearing sirens and then seeing deputies restrict access to parking lots while they documented the scene. The sheriff’s office did not say whether a weapon was recovered or if shots were fired inside or outside a unit. Deputies also did not provide details about the victims beyond their approximate ages or identify the hospital where the woman died. Investigators said they are reviewing statements from witnesses and any available security video from the property.
The complex, built along Cedar Bend Circle near Rouse Road, is a short drive from the Waterford Lakes Town Center and the University of Central Florida area. While deputies did not provide statistics for the property, residents said serious crime is uncommon and that they were surprised to return from family dinners to find the courtyard closed with yellow tape. Law enforcement vehicles remained on site for hours after sunset, and technicians used flashlights to search shrub lines, stairwells and vehicles as part of the evidence collection. Children and parents watched from breezeways as investigators moved between buildings, residents said.
Detectives said the investigation remains active. Jail records for Vargas Pagan’s initial appearance were expected Friday in Orange County court. If prosecutors file a formal information or seek a grand jury indictment for first-degree murder, the case would move into arraignment in the coming weeks. The sheriff’s office said additional details—including the victims’ names and any potential relationship to the suspect—will be released after notifications and as investigators confirm facts. Authorities did not announce any ongoing threat to the community after the arrest.
On Friday morning, patrols continued around the complex as property managers worked with deputies to allow residents to reach their units. A maintenance worker rolled a cart of caution cones past a breezeway where a forensic team had photographed tire tracks the night before. “People were out walking dogs and bringing leftovers to neighbors when the sirens started,” Garcia said. “Now everyone’s just quiet, waiting to hear who it was and why.” Latoya said she is planning to check on older neighbors she knows in the building next door. Several residents placed small candles along a stairwell landing Thursday night, neighbors said.
As of Friday afternoon, investigators had not released the victims’ identities, a suspected motive or the type of firearm used. Deputies said updates will come as the case moves forward and next-of-kin notifications are complete. Vargas Pagan remained in the Orange County Jail pending his first appearance and the filing of formal charging documents. The sheriff’s office said more information will be provided after the medical examiner’s findings and additional witness interviews. The next expected milestone is the initial appearance hearing on Friday, Nov. 28.
Author note: Last updated November 28, 2025.