Pierce County deputies arrest 2 suspected of robbing, killing Parkland teen

Pierce County sheriff's deputies on Monday arrested two people suspected in the death of a 17-year-old boy, whom they allegedly robbed and then fatally shot last month in Parkland.

Investigators have been searching for suspects since May 24, when deputies found Braylon Daniel Diaz wounded on the roadway of a residential area of Parkland, a suburb just south of Tacoma. The Pierce County medical examiner's office determined Diaz died from a gunshot wound to his abdomen and ruled his death a homicide.

On Sunday, the Tulalip Police Department notified the Pierce County sheriff's office that they had arrested one of the suspects, a 26-year-old woman, about 11:30 p.m. on unrelated charges.

The Pierce County department had also determined Snohomish County sheriff's office deputies had arrested another suspect, a 25-year-old man, earlier that day on an unrelated warrant, Deputy Carly Cappetto said in a phone call Monday.

Both suspects were transferred and booked into Pierce County Jail early Monday, where they are being held without bail on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and drive-by shooting, jail records show.

The Seattle Times is not identifying the suspects because they have not been formally charged with a crime.

Investigators are still looking for additional suspects, Cappetto said.

The two were allegedly inside a car shortly after 7 p.m. on May 24 when they approached Diaz, who was walking north on Ainsworth Avenue South at the time with his girlfriend, according to the sheriff's office.

Investigators believe someone in the car called Diaz over. The suspects then allegedly robbed Diaz of some jewelry, fired at him and drove off, sheriff's officials said.

Pierce County deputies found the car abandoned on Wednesday in the Federal Way area.

Cappetto said there was no additional information to provide Monday, except that the shooting was a completely unprovoked attack."

"The 17-year-old has no connection or affiliation with these people," she said. "It was just very unprovoked, and very awful."

The death of the "bright, loving" boy has left Diaz's family "devastated and searching for answers," according to the fundraiser, which had raised more than $31,000 by Monday.

In a statement Wednesday, Franklin Pierce School District Superintendent Lance Goodpaster said Diaz was a "beloved" junior at Washington High School, where he played football and soccer. The district is providing students and staff at the school with extra counseling and mental health support resources through the rest of the school year, according to the statement.

Goodpaster asked families in the district to surround Diaz's family and friends "with compassion and support as they navigate this profound loss.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 4:53 PM.