MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Detectives arrested two teenage brothers as suspects in the murder of a mother and her son, the Miami-Dade Police Department announced on Wednesday night.
Officers arrested Dajuan Patterson, 17, and Demetrisse K. Patterson, 18, in the murders of Diana Ceballos, 47, and her 21-year-old son, Alexander Garrido.
Relatives said Ceballos was working as a nail tech at a client’s home on Feb. 16. Garrido was driving and showed up to pick up Ceballos. Detectives believe Garrido, who was also with his girlfriend, met with the suspects to sell them marijuana, according to the arrest report.
The alleged meeting was near the intersection of Northeast 13th Avenue and 118th Street, in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, just east of Biscayne Park and south of North Miami. Detectives believe the Patterson brothers and two others planned to rob Garrido.
Garrido had stepped out of the car and turned over the marijuana when the Patterson brothers and two men pointed guns at him, police said. Garrido grabbed a gun and shot at them, police said. He was shot and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue declared him dead just after midnight.
Detectives believe Dajuan Patterson stood in front of Garrido’s car and shot and killed Ceballos who was in the front passenger seat.
“It was unexpected. We’re so in shock, you know?” said Valerie, who is Garrido’s sister and Ceballos’ daughter. “I never would’ve thought my mom would pass this way, my brother would pass this way. That’s why I wanna know who did it.”
On Wednesday, officers arrested the brothers at an apartment in Biscayne Park, near the crime scene. Both of them were at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Dajuan Patterson and Demetrisse Patterson, 18, are each facing two counts of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.
Despite the two arrests, police are still searching for the other involved in the incident.
“I know someone knows,” Valerie said. “I know there’s something out there to catch them all.”
Detectives are asking anyone with information about the murders to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.