Third Arrest Made in Deltona Christmas 2025 Shooting

A third suspect has been arrested in connection to a Deltona shooting on Christmas Day 2025. 18-year-old Ty Iaquinto has been charged with third degree felony murder for the killing of a 17-year-old. Iaquinto was initially charged with violation of probation, violation of curfew, and possession of a firearm. He’s now also been charged with second-degree felony murder. The other suspects in the shooting are 20-year-old Brian Reardon and 15-year-old Kobe James Bedat of Riverview, Florida.They were taken into custody by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in April 2026. According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, Bedat and Reardon drove from Tampa to Deltona to trade an AR-style rifle with 17-year-old Brenden Watkins, who they knew from online gaming. Upon arrival, Watkins was said to have attempted to rob Bedat and Reardon. Iaquinto was reportedly “present for the attempted robbery” and “actively participated in it”. The ensuing conflict led to the shooting death of Watkins. Iaquinto is said to have been seen on video with two rifles. One of these he allegedly hid in a neighbor’s bushes. Iaquinto’s identity was not initially disclosed when the VSO announced the first two arrests, but his role in the incident was described. Law enforcement responded to the shooting at the 2000 block of El Campo Avenue at around 8:49 p.m. on December 25, 2025. Watkins was said to have sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Reardon and Bedat have both pleaded no contest to their charges since their arrests earlier this year. When they were taken into custody, the VSO said Bedat would be charged as an adult.