Police say the two men knew each other before a late-night dispute turned fatal.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A 43-year-old man was ordered held without bond Wednesday after Orlando police said a verbal and physical confrontation on Bethune Drive ended in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Edwin Collazo late Sunday night.
The case moved quickly from a neighborhood shooting call to a first court appearance, placing the focus on both a homicide investigation and the loss described by friends of the victim. Investigators say the men knew each other before the confrontation. The suspect, Dancing Days Pacheco Santana, now faces first-degree murder with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while police say the investigation remains active.
Officers were sent to the 1000 block of Bethune Drive at about 10:37 p.m. on April 5 after reports of a shooting. When they arrived, police found Collazo suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Orlando police said detectives determined the shooting happened after an argument escalated into a physical altercation. Authorities later identified Santana as the suspect and said he left the area after the shooting. Tactical officers later arrested him. By Wednesday, he was in court for his first appearance, where a judge said he would be held without bond as the felony case moves forward.
Police have said only that the two men knew each other and that the encounter began as a verbal dispute before turning physical. Investigators have not publicly laid out what started the argument, how long the confrontation lasted, or whether other people were nearby when shots were fired. They also have not publicly described the exact sequence of events in the moments before Collazo was struck. What is clear from the charging decision is the seriousness of the allegations. Prosecutors are pursuing a first-degree murder charge with a firearm, along with a charge accusing Santana of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. In court, the judge also ordered Santana not to contact the victim’s family and not to return to the scene, adding immediate restrictions as the criminal case begins.
The shooting has also left a second story unfolding outside the courtroom, centered on how Collazo is being remembered. Friends described him as a father of four whose personality drew people in. Jefferyy Louis, speaking about the loss, said Collazo was “a goofball” and someone who stood apart because “he was his own person.” Louis said the death has been hard for friends to process, describing a sense of disbelief that has spread beyond Collazo’s immediate family. In interviews after the court hearing, friends said Collazo was known for helping others and working with his hands. Louis said Collazo taught him how to work on cars, a detail friends used to explain both his practical skills and the way he spent time with people around him.
That public mourning adds weight to a case that, for now, is still defined by unanswered investigative questions. Police have not said whether surveillance video exists, whether witnesses gave accounts that shaped the arrest, or whether detectives recovered the weapon they believe was used. They also have not said whether additional evidence will be presented in future court filings. In homicide cases, first appearances often establish conditions of detention while investigators continue building the record for prosecutors. Wednesday’s hearing did that much: Santana remained jailed, bond was denied, and the case was pushed into the next stage of Florida’s felony process. Any later hearings, charging documents, or court dates are expected to provide a fuller picture of the state’s evidence and the defense response.
On Bethune Drive, the facts released so far describe a short burst of violence with lasting consequences. A late-night call brought officers to the block, a wounded man was rushed to the hospital, and by the time friends began speaking publicly, they were talking about a life they said had shaped a wide circle of relatives, children and neighbors. Louis said the loss is now “all we think about,” a remark that captured the shock still hanging over people who knew Collazo well. Even with an arrest made, the emotional center of the case remains the same: a man is dead, his children have lost their father, and those closest to him are trying to understand how a dispute ended in a killing.
The case remains under investigation. The next major milestone is expected to come through additional court proceedings and any new records or statements released by Orlando police and prosecutors.
Author note: Last updated April 9, 2026.