Orange County deputies arrested a 20-year-old Apopka man Friday after The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) said he helped plan a home invasion that left his accomplice dead after a fight with one of the residents.
Xavier Radhames Delacruz
Xavier Radhames Delacruz faces a charge of second-degree felony murder and other criminal counts in the February 19th attempted robbery and his failed attempts to cover up the crime, according to the HCSO. Although Delacruz did not fire the fatal shot, he was still charged with 2nd degree murder because he was part of the home invasion.
According to HCSO reports, Terrance Roach Jr., 27, (also from Apopka) forced his way into an apartment in Tampa on February 19th. As the female resident returned to her third-floor apartment, Roach came up behind her and put his arm around her neck. He held a gun to her head and forced her inside, however a male resident was inside the unit.
That man tackled Roach, and the gun fell to the ground. The man tried to pick up the gun, but it went off and the bullet struck Roach in the head during the fight.
When investigators got to the scene, they found Roach's cell phone. On it were text messages from Delacruz outlining the plot.
"Jus run in, lay everybody down," Delacruz wrote in text.
There may have been another accomplice, according to the report. A third man who was not identified by deputies was supposed to be in on the robbery, but fell asleep. After Roach's death, Delacruz called him, crying, and said it "all went wrong," according to the report.
The next morning deputies in Orange County were investigating a burning vehicle. It was Roach's car, according to the report. The HCSO said it was left burning not far from Delacruz's last known address in Apopka.
Delacruz confessed to a friend he fled after Roach was killed and burned his accomplice's car in an attempt to destroy evidence, the report said.
The man and the woman who lived in the targeted apartment also panicked, deputies said. The two drove to a nearby causeway and threw the two guns Roach had with him (including the one that killed him) into Tampa Bay.
After speaking to a lawyer, they returned to the apartment and called the HCSO. Deputies were unable to recover the weapons.
Delacruz also faces charges of armed robbery of a dwelling and aggravated assault with a weapon. He is being held without bail in the Orange County Jail. He will be returned to Hillsborough County to stand trial on the second degree murder charges. Delacruz also has outstanding warrants for False Imprisonment, Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a minor and Sexual Battery not likely to cause injury in Orange County according to the Orange County Jail’s Website.
