Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Apprehends Man Two Years After Fatal Shooting of Leon Michael Washington

TAMPA, Fla. – The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a second suspect in the 2023 murder of Leon Michael Washington, bringing a significant new development to a case that has remained active for over two years. Jaylen Whittaker, 24, was taken into custody on August 11, 2025, and is facing charges of Premeditated First-Degree Murder with a Firearm.

The arrest follows a diligent and prolonged investigation into the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Washington, who was found with a fatal gunshot wound on May 29, 2023, on the 6800 block of North 50th Street in Tampa. The initial incident, a drive-by shooting, took place around 2:15 p.m., in front of the Del

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