2nd Arrest Made In Fatal Shooting Of Seffner Woman In Her Car

SEFFNER, FL — A second man was arrested Monday in connection with a homicide in Seffner on July 20.

With the assistance of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, the Hillsborough sheriff's office arrested Phillip Stapleton, 32, on charges of principal to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

On July 20 at 1:15 a.m., the communications center received a call from a person who did not or was not able to speak to the dispatcher. When deputies arrived at a home in the 4000 block of Orange Street in Seffner, they found a woman inside a car dead from a gunshot wound to the upper body.

The same day just after 8:30 p.m., about a mile from the victim's home, detectives arrested Aurelio Diaz, 32, and charged him with premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm. Detectives said the woman was shot through her car window as she arrived home around 1 a.m. on July 20.

With Monday's second arrest, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said detectives believe they have everyone in custody who took part in the woman's death.

"This arrest is another example of the tenacity with which our detectives continue to pursue leads to crimes here in Hillsborough County," said Chronister. "Our team works each tip relentlessly to remove any danger they can to the community that we serve. We hope this helps bring some closure to the victim’s family as they start the road to seeing justice for their loved one.”