Florida Teen Found Dead in Wooded Area Hours After Being Reported Missing; 19-Year-Old Boyfriend Arrested

The search for a missing 16-year-old Florida girl ended in tragedy after authorities discovered her body in a wooded area in Spring Hill. Her 19-year-old boyfriend has since been arrested and is accused of shooting her during an argument before leaving her body near a roadway.

Victoria Perez was reported missing by her family at around 7 a.m. on Sunday, November 8, 2026. She had last been seen the previous evening in the Spring Hill area of Pasco County, north of Tampa. Just hours after the missing-person report was filed, deputies responded to a call about a deceased person near Crela Drive. The body was found approximately 15 feet from the road and was later identified as Perez.

Investigators soon focused on Robert Timmons, Perez’s 19-year-old boyfriend. According to Pasco County Sheriff Jeff Harrington, family members and friends described the couple’s relationship as troubled. Detectives also reviewed surveillance footage showing Perez getting into a vehicle associated with Timmons at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Sunday.

Authorities allege that the couple got into an argument inside the vehicle, which escalated into a shooting. During questioning, Timmons initially denied knowing much about Perez’s whereabouts, but investigators say he later acknowledged picking her up from her family’s apartment complex. Sheriff Harrington said Timmons admitted having a firearm in his lap during the argument and pulling it out before shooting Perez.

Investigators further allege that Timmons drove to a nearby location and left Perez’s body in the wooded area before disposing of the firearm in a body of water. The sheriff’s office’s dive and underwater recovery team has been searching for the weapon, while detectives continue processing evidence from the vehicle and other locations connected to the investigation.

Timmons was arrested on November 9 and booked into the Pasco County Jail on a first-degree premeditated murder charge. Authorities have not publicly established what triggered the argument. Sheriff Harrington described the case as a devastating loss, emphasizing that Perez was only 16 years old. The investigation remains ongoing as her family and community grapple with the heartbreaking outcome.

Source: PEOPLE