Video above: Homicide investigation underway after 14-year-old with ‘upper body trauma’ dies in Plant City

PLANT CITY, Fla. (WFLA) — Two additional suspects were charged with murdering a 14-year-old boy during an attempted robbery in Plant City last year.

Miguel Angel Romo, Jr., 20, and Gustavo Ramirez, 24, were arrested last month and charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery, Plant City police announced Thursday.

The initial suspect, Abraham Melendez, 24, was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

Police said the 14-year-old victim was one of several males who drove to the area of West House Street and Lakewood Avenue on Feb. 29, 2024 to rob someone they knew. The robbery stemmed from an argument over $50.

The 14-year-old and an 18-year-old were shot, and they were taken to the hospital by Melendez. The teenager died from his injuries.

“These cases are extremely challenging and demand extensive collaboration, persistence and resources,” Plant City Police Chief Richard Mills, Jr. said in a statement. “The men and women of the Plant City Police Department remain committed to using every tool, technology and partnership available in our pursuit of justice for victims’ families and in our responsibility to keep the community safe.”

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and State Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.