3 arrested in August homicide of teen in Lehigh Acres

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested three people in connection with a homicide in August.

Alize Fonseca, 16, is the third and final suspect arrested, accused of second-degree murder, attempted robbery with a firearm, and conspiracy to commit robbery in the shooting death of 18-year-old CJ Wallace on Aug. 14.

Fonseca was arrested Wednesday night, according to a news release by the sheriff’s office.

Detectives say they discovered the death of Wallace was a planned narcotics transaction that turned violent.

According to an arrest warrant, Fonseca and two others, Christian Couto, 19, and Austin Moore, 20, were together the night of Wallace’s death.

The warrant states Fonseca wanted to steal drugs from someone so he could resell them to make money. According to investigators, Fonseca was identified as a member of a gang named 23 Mafia.

Moore told authorities that on the night of the shooting he picked up Fonseca at his home to go to Couto’s house. On the way there, Fonseca shot at a cat. During that time, Moore used his Snapchat to arrange a purchase of marijuana worth about $700.

Moore said he was never going to pay for the marijuana, but planned to get Wallace out of the vehicle in order to run away with the marijuana.

Moore and Fonseca made it to Couto’s home where they told him they needed a driver. Couto went with them but stayed with the vehicle.

Moore told deputies he told Fonseca “not to shoot anyone because he did not want to lose his freedom over a bit of marijuana.”

Fonseca, Couto and Moore drove to the 3100 block of 56th Street West in Lehigh Acres to meet with Wallace.

Authorities said Moore approached Wallace and told him to get out of the car to weigh the marijuana, but Wallace instead kept reaching for something which led them to believe he had a gun.

Fonseca then approached the car demanding the marijuana while Wallace attempted to drive away. Fonseca fired and struck Wallace, the warrant states.

After the shooting, Fonseca and Moore ran back to the vehicle where they met Couto who then drove them away.

Moore and Couto were arrested in September.

All three face charges for second-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Moore and Couto both remain in Lee County Jail and are being held without bond. Fonseca is in custody at the Juvenile Detention Center.

“These three suspects are now being held accountable for their violent actions in my county, and I’m extremely proud of the thorough investigation conducted by the Major Crimes Unit,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.