A murder suspect who evaded capture for nearly seven years has been arrested in Mexico and returned to Manatee County to face charges in the 2019 shooting death of an 18-year-old.
Irving Zuniga was booked into the Manatee County Jail on Saturday, Jan. 10, following a joint operation by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. He is being held without bond on a charge of second-degree murder.
Zuniga is accused of killing Jesus Molina on June 29, 2019.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the shooting occurred after a late-night argument outside a home at 1230 Martin Luther King Place in Palmetto. Witnesses told detectives that Zuniga and Molina had been arguing just after midnight, but appeared to resolve the dispute, with both claiming “everything was ok.”
The situation turned fatal moments later.
Image: Google Street View of the alleged murder location
Investigators say Molina walked to a truck to take a “bump of cocaine.” As he did so, Zuniga reportedly approached him from behind and pointed a gun at the left side of his head.
According to witness accounts detailed in the affidavit, Zuniga pulled the trigger, but the gun only made a clicking sound, causing Molina to flinch. Zuniga then racked a round into the chamber and fired again, striking Molina in the head.
Detectives said Zuniga transported Molina’s body in a pickup truck and dumped it in a grassy area in the 1200 block of 61st Street East.
Image: Google Street View of where Molina’s body was discovered
A passerby discovered the body at just after 7 a.m. that morning. Deputies noted bloody drag marks on the pavement and small puddles of blood in the eastbound lane, indicating the body had been dragged from a vehicle.
While investigators quickly identified Zuniga as the suspect and obtained a warrant, he could not be located at known residences. Detectives later learned he had fled to Mexico.
History of Gun Violence and Legal Trouble
Court records show Zuniga had a history of weapons charges and legal trouble in Manatee and Hillsborough counties dating back more than a decade before the shooting.
In July 2008, at age 17, Zuniga was arrested for aggravated assault. According to police reports, he pointed a semi-automatic handgun at neighbors while flashing “West Side Locos” gang signs and smiling. He pleaded no contest to the charge in 2010 and was sentenced to 11 months in county jail.
Over the next several years, Zuniga faced five more arrests in Manatee and Hillsborough counties, including charges of obstructing an officer, grand theft of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. All of these charges were ultimately dismissed or dropped by prosecutors.
The murder case went cold until the summer of 2025, when an undercover detective began coordinating with the FBI to track Zuniga. Last week, investigators received information placing him in Mexico City.
Mexican authorities, assisted by FBI agents, took Zuniga into custody on Saturday. He was deported to Miami and subsequently transported to Manatee County where he remains in custody.
As with all criminal cases, Zuniga is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Irving Zuniga arrested
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