Suspect in Palmetto Trunk Murder Extradited to Manatee County

A 20-year-old man accused in the death of Manuel Escobar, whose body was discovered in the trunk of a car at the Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve, has been extradited to Manatee County. Idus Murkerson was arrested last week in Santa Rosa County and is one of the suspects connected to Escobar’s murder.

The tragic discovery unfolded on Sunday, August 25, when Palmetto Police officers on patrol came across a vehicle with Escobar's lifeless body inside the trunk. Escobar, 32, had been fatally shot multiple times.

Further investigation revealed that Escobar was shot at a different location, in the 2800 block of 5th Street, and his body was later transported and dumped at the nature preserve where it was found.

Through diligent work, detectives identified 25-year-old Freddy Sandoval as a key suspect in the case. Court documents detail the sequence of events leading up to Escobar’s death, with video evidence reportedly showing two men assisting the shooter in placing Escobar’s body into the trunk of a car.

The affidavit mentions that Sandoval owed Escobar $2,000, a fact made apparent through a series of messages exchanged between the two men. The messages suggest that Sandoval arranged a drug deal between Escobar and another individual, which ultimately led to the fatal shooting.

According to the affidavit, Sandoval lured Escobar to his residence under the pretense that his mother had fallen asleep and that he lacked access to his vehicle. Upon arriving at the house, Escobar was ambushed and shot multiple times. Video footage purportedly shows the aftermath, with two additional men assisting in hiding Escobar’s body in the car trunk. Sandoval reportedly admitted to helping under the direction of the shooter.

Investigators discovered Escobar’s car key in Sandoval’s backyard during a search, further implicating him in the crime. Despite the evidence, Sandoval has entered a written plea of not guilty. The investigation continues as authorities piece together the details of the brutal killing.

Murkerson’s extradition marks another significant development in the case, as law enforcement works to bring all those involved to justice.