22-year-old found dead holding bag of marijuana, Florida cops say. Two teens charged
Two high schoolers are facing murder charges in a drug deal gone wrong after Florida deputies said they found a 22-year-old man dead, clutching a bag of marijuana.
Both 15-year-old Tyjhae Allen and 16-year-old Charles Jackson III face murder charges, although Jackson is the one accused of pulling the trigger to end the life of 22-year-old Juan German-Garo Jr., the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news conference that German-Garo was selling weed on an app, and Jackson arranged to buy about $400 worth from him on Feb. 23.
German-Garo drove to meet the teens at the agreed location in Frostproof, and while he was in his vehicle talking with them, Jackson is accused of pulling a gun out of Allen’s backpack and shooting the 22-year-old three times, killing him, deputies said.
German-Garo’s car rolled back and stopped on the edge of the road as the teens ran away, Judd said. But Allen went back to the scene to get his backpack before fleeing again, according to the sheriff.
When first responders arrived, they said they found German-Garo holding a baggie of marijuana in his hand. Fire rescue pronounced him dead at the scene.
Judd described it as a robbery gone wrong.
“They clearly conspired, worked together in order to rob this guy,” the sheriff said. “They didn’t have $400 to buy $400 worth of marijuana. They intended all along to rob him when he got there, and that’s exactly what they did.”
Law enforcement said they found Allen based off witness descriptions, but Allen told them he wasn’t the shooter.
They went looking for Jackson and stopped by his family home on Monday, Feb. 24, while he was at school, but his dad told deputies he didn’t know where his son was, authorities said.
Meanwhile, the dad started texting his son to tell him the cops were looking for him, then he erased the messages, Judd said. The teen turned himself in later that day and was charged with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and tampering with evidence, according to deputies.
Allen is charged with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, tampering with evidence and giving false information to a law enforcement officer.
Jackson’s father is also facing charges of tampering with evidence and accessory to first-degree murder.
Judd explained why both teens were charged with murder, although only Jackson is believed to have fired the gun.
“They both were principles in this investigation,” Judd said. “(Allen) provided the book bag to hide the Draco. He was there with and conspired to buy the marijuana. So they both were there and approached the car, and the triggerman just happened to be the other guy.”
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is offering $5,000 for the recovery of the Draco gun, which looks like an AK-47, that deputies believe was used to kill German-Garo.
Frostproof is about a 75-mile drive southeast from Tampa.
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 12:03 PM with the headline "22-year-old found dead holding bag of marijuana, Florida cops say. Two teens charged."