Body found in trunk of car in park leads to 1 arrest, 1 still being sought

By Tim Kephart

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — One person has been arrested, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department is actively seeking another after a body was found in the trunk of a car early Sunday morning.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Palmetto Police officers were patrolling the Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve when they found the body of Manuel Escobar in the vehicle. Detectives said Escobar had multiple gunshot wounds to his body.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said homicide detectives determined Escobar was shot on the 2800 block of 5th Street East in Bradenton in an argument over money, and his body was later put in an abandoned car at the estuary park.

Detectives said they developed probable cause to arrest Freddy Sandoval, 25, in connection with the shooting. Detectives also obtained an arrest warrant for second-degree murder for Idus Murkenson, 20.

Murkenson’s whereabouts are unknown, but detectives said he was the gunman in the shooting death.

The sheriff’s office said Murkenson may be driving a gold VW Jetta with a Florida tag of 97EJTY. If you have any information on his whereabouts, you’re asked to call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 941-747-3011.

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