Cause of Death Identified in 2 Investigations

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has identified in separate locations near Fletcher Avenue earlier this week.

The first man, who was found dead behind the BP Gas Station at 2230 E. Fletcher Ave. around 11 p.m. Monday, has been identified as Huayvez Gomez-Mejia, 25, of Tampa, the sheriff’s office said. He was the victim of a robbery and murder.

The sheriff’s office said detectives have arrested Brandon Dewayne Jones, 27, of Tampa. He has been charged with first-degree murder and robbery.

According to the sheriff’s office, Jones and Gomez-Mejia were at the gas station Monday at approximately 10:15 p.m. when Jones confronted Gomez-Mejia and punched him in the side of the head with his fist. Gomez-Mejia fell to the ground and Jones took $8 and a cell phone from his pockets.

The sheriff’s office said the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and classified Gomez-Mejia’s death as a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head.

Jones is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail with no bond.

The second man, who was found dead just before 7 a.m. Tuesday at 13605 42nd St. between a basketball court and a high-rise apartment building that is vacant and closed for renovation, has been identified as Noah Kushner, 16, of New Tampa, the sheriff’s office said.

Kushner’s parents filed a missing persons report with the Tampa Police Department on Monday, the sheriff’s office said. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled his death a suicide.

According to the sheriff’s office, after Kushner was reported missing, he went to a vacant 13-story residential tower formerly known as Fontana Hall and jumped from an unknown floor.