The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has charged Manuel Anthony Rodriguez (DOB 6/26/80) in the Thanksgiving night shooting death of Alejandro Sanchez.

On Thursday, November 26, 2009, deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Harlem Heights Community Park, located at 7336 Concourse Boulevard, Fort Myers in reference to two Hispanic males suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims, Alejandro Sanchez, was deceased upon arrival. The other victim, identified as Herman Rodriguez, was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Due to the nature of the incident, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit assumed the investigation. Detectives met with Rodriguez at the hospital and learned his cousin, identified as Manuel Anthony Rodriguez, shot both victims during a dispute at the Community Park.

On Monday, November 30, 2009, Manuel Rodriguez turned himself into the Lee County Jail on charges of Attempted Murder, relating to the shooting of Herman Rodriguez. While he was in custody at the jail, investigators had to wait for ballistics results before making the official determination that Rodriguez was also responsible for the death of Alejandro Sanchez. Once ballistics confirmed this, Rodriguez was served a warrant for one count of Second Degree Homicide on Tuesday, March 9, 2010.

Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Department