Emmanuel Castaneda was 17 when he left his family home in Lantana, Florida, on the evening of Saturday, December 17, 2022 to hang out with friends in Lake Worth. His mother, Elluvia Francisco, said they were very close and recalled his last words to her before he left. He missed a 12:30 a.m. curfew and could not be reached by phone; a missing persons report was filed the next day.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 21, Emmanuel’s body was found near 120th Avenue and 75th Lane North in Loxahatchee. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide by a gunshot wound. Detectives used interviews, search warrants and forensic data to develop probable cause and identify a suspect.

On Saturday morning, December 24, 2022, police arrested a 17-year-old juvenile and charged that person with first-degree murder with a firearm and armed carjacking; the juvenile was taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing. Emmanuel’s family established a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses.

Did anyone in the Lake Worth or Loxahatchee area see Emmanuel the night of December 17 or have information about his movements that evening?