Left: Gracie Landa (Durham County Jail). Right: Christopher Piedrasanta-Perez (GoFundMe).
An 18-year-old woman who was reported missing from her Tampa, Florida, home more than two years ago finds herself behind bars and charged with the murder of a 23-year-old man in North Carolina.
According to a warrant, Gracie Elizabeth Faye Landa stands accused of murder in the May 30 death of Christopher Piedrasanta-Perez in Durham.
Landa was reported missing in June 2023 from Tampa and was featured by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. About a year after her disappearance, officials said they believed she was in the Durham area.
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Fast forward to around 12:30 a.m. on May 30 of this year. The Raleigh News & Observer reported that Piedrasanta-Perez and two women were sitting in a car near a local park when two or three people walked up to them and started shooting. Piedrasanta-Perez was struck in the head by the gunfire and died.
Investigators reportedly later recovered some 40 casings from two different caliber weapons. Police arrested Landa on Monday. They have not said how they connected Landa to the killing, nor have they announced any other arrests in the case or a motive for the shooting.
A GoFundMe account described Piedrasanta-Perez as a “kind soul, respectful, funny, caring, loving, hardworking.”
“His presence brought light and comfort to the family, had a sense of humor like no other, and now his absence has left a hole in our hearts,” the post said. “Our family is devastated by this loss. As we grieve, we are doing our best to come together to honor his memory and support one another through this difficult time. Nobody is truly ever prepared for an unexpected loss.”
Landa remains in the Durham County Jail without bond. She has a court date scheduled for Sept. 11.
