Man Charged in Murder of Holiday Teen

An arrest has been made in the murder of a Holiday teen.

Cedric D. Saunders, 18, was found dead Dec. 9 just before 10 a.m. in a car parked near the intersection of Merrilon and Wellington drives in Holiday Lake Estates.

Saunders was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the driver's seat of a 2001 Kia Rio, according to a Pasco County complaint affadavit. A witness who spoke by phone to Saunders at about 2:55 a.m. Dec. 9 reported hearing the sounds of a struggle just before the call was disconnected.

Reports from another witness led deputies to James Fitzgerald Barron, 21, who is reported to have shared details of the murder in conversations the witness, according to the affadavit. The witness reported that Barron admitted to shooting Saunders and robbing him of 2 ounces of cocaine, the complaint stated.

Phone records show that Barron called Saunders three times within 30 minutes of his death, the compliant stated.

A search of Barron's home was executed by the Pasco Sheriff's Vice and Narcotics Unit on Dec. 15. Barron was arrested on drug charges at that time. Deputies found a key chain containing a Kia ignition key, the report stated.

An investigation found that the key belonged to the Kia that Saunders' body was found in, the report stated.

Barron has been charged with first-degree murder. He is being held in the Land O' Lakes jail without bond.