TITUSVILLE, Fla. – A man wanted in connection with a Daytona Beach homicide investigation was found dead Monday after fleeing Titusville police and driving his vehicle into a pond at Sand Point Park, authorities said.
The Titusville Police Department said officers were notified July 27 by law enforcement in Volusia County that 54-year-old Robert Reyes Jr. was believed to be in Titusville driving a gray Toyota four-door sedan. Reyes was wanted in connection with a homicide investigation in Daytona Beach.
Using the department’s network of Automatic License Plate Readers, officers tracked Reyes’ vehicle as it traveled from the north end of the city to the south before returning north.
Officers located the vehicle near the intersection of South Washington Avenue and Garden Street and attempted a traffic stop.
According to police, Reyes fled east on A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway before leaving the roadway and driving into a pond inside Sand Point Park.
Because Reyes was wanted in connection with a homicide investigation, officers from the Titusville Police Department, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene and attempted to communicate with him. Authorities said there was no response from anyone inside the vehicle.
Members of the Titusville Police Department SWAT team later approached the vehicle and found Reyes dead inside.
Police said no officers were injured during the incident, and no law enforcement officer discharged a weapon.
Titusville detectives are leading the death investigation in coordination with the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office.
According to investigators, preliminary evidence indicates Reyes died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A handgun was recovered from the vehicle. The Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death.
Interim Police Chief Wright said the case demonstrated the value of cooperation between agencies and the use of technology, noting that partnerships and automatic license plate reader technology enabled law enforcement to quickly locate the homicide suspect.