Police said Desiree Gonzalez was not the intended target when gunfire erupted outside a neighborhood mini market in December.
MIAMI, FL — Several young suspects were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 39-year-old woman who was struck by gunfire as she left a Little Havana food store, according to Miami police and arrest records.
Desiree Gonzalez died after the Dec. 27, 2025, shooting outside the Habibi Mini Market at 1810 SW Third St. Police said she was not the intended target. Investigators allege the shooting followed a confrontation involving two groups outside the store shortly before midnight. Gonzalez walked outside as shots were fired and was struck during the exchange.
Miami police identified Jeferzon Mendoza and Cristian Reyes, both 18 at the time of their arrests, as defendants facing first-degree murder charges in connection with Gonzalez’s death. Mauricio Baquedano, 18, and Abraham Estrada Solano, 19, were accused of accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence. Police also announced the arrest of a juvenile whose identity was not released because of his age. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in court.
Officers were called to the area at about 11:56 p.m. after reports of a woman being shot in front of the market, according to the Miami Police Department. First responders found Gonzalez wounded and Miami Fire Rescue took her to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where she was pronounced dead. Police later said surveillance video showed four people traveling on motorized bikes and exchanging words with two other men outside the store before gunfire began.
Investigators said the confrontation was preceded by an encounter involving Estrada Solano and Baquedano. Witnesses told detectives that two unknown men had displayed a gun while Estrada Solano and Baquedano were walking toward the store, according to Local 10, citing police records. Authorities allege the pair then alerted companions, who returned to the area on two motorized bikes. Police said Mendoza and Reyes subsequently opened fire during the confrontation.
Local 10 reported that investigators said 17 rounds were fired. Gonzalez was struck as she walked out of the market. The people involved in the confrontation fled before first responders arrived, police said. Several nearby vehicles were also damaged by gunfire, according to CBS News Miami. Police have not said Gonzalez had any connection to the dispute, and investigators have consistently described her as an unintended victim.
Detectives used surveillance footage, interviews and cellphone evidence to identify people they believed were involved, according to police reports cited by local news organizations. Authorities said surveillance video helped them identify Baquedano after he was recorded making a purchase inside the store earlier that night. Investigators later obtained information from his phone and other records as they worked to identify additional suspects.
Police said cellphone data also became part of the case against Mendoza. An arrest report cited by NBC 6 stated that historical data from Mendoza’s phone placed the device in the area and was corroborated by surveillance video, statements from co-defendants and records associated with other devices. Authorities also said cellphone information helped connect Estrada Solano to the investigation.
The arrests came as detectives investigated a separate Jan. 22 shooting in Miami’s Little River neighborhood that police said involved some of the same people. In that case, officers responded to reports of gunfire near Northwest Second Avenue and 75th Street after a confrontation involving several young men. Police said Mendoza also faced an attempted murder charge stemming from that investigation. The two cases remain separate criminal matters despite the alleged overlap among some suspects.
Friends and people familiar with Gonzalez told local reporters that she was experiencing homelessness and frequently spent time near the Little Havana market. After her death, a memorial was placed in the neighborhood. Friends described her to CBS News Miami as someone who regularly spoke with people in the area and said they had seen her only hours before the shooting.
Publicly available reports reviewed for this story did not establish a later court resolution in the homicide case. The arrests announced in late January marked a major step in the investigation, but the criminal charges remain subject to court proceedings and proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Author note: Last updated September 16, 2026.