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VIDEO: Florida woman robbed of $200 in lotto winnings in Orange County: Officials

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Published  January 15, 2025 6:24pm MST
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FOX 35 Orlando

Elderly woman violently robbed of lottery winnings: OCSO

The Orange County Sheriff's Office is looking for a man caught on surveillance video allegedly attacking an 83-year-old woman and robbing her of her Lotto winnings. Video via Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The Brief

    • Authorities are looking for a man accused of robbing an older woman in the parking lot of a convenience store.
    • The woman had collected some $200 in apparent lotto winnings prior to the attack, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
    • Surveillance captured the alleged attack. Another man, believed to be an employee, tried to help the woman, before the suspect ran away. 

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - An 83-year-old woman was dragged out of her vehicle and seemingly wrestled to the ground minutes after collecting her lottery winnings from a convenience store, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Officials are now looking for a man suspected of carrying out the attack.

What we know:

Orange County deputies said the attack happened shortly after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Buddy's Food and Lotto, off Curry Ford Road. A woman had collected some $200 in apparent lottery winnings, officials said.

Surveillance video near the entrance of the convenience store shows the woman walking out of the store and toward her vehicle. Not far away is a man, the alleged suspect, in what appears to be an orange jacket walking towards the entrance.

As the woman begins to open her door, the man in the orange jacket approaches her and appears to try and grab something from her, according to the video.

Source: Orange County Sheriff's Office

Seconds later, another person walked out of the convenience store, potentially an employee, holding some sort of item. The two appear to talk briefly, when the man in the orange jacket aggressively grabs the woman from behind, as the other person attempts to intervene.

Over the next 15–20 seconds, the older woman is pulled from her vehicle and falls to the ground. The suspect tussles with the other man before breaking free and runs away and out of frame.

Who is Diego Stalin Tavarez Fleury?

What we know:

OCSO identified the suspect as Diego Stalin Tavarez Fleury. He is known to frequent the area, officials said. An arrest warrant has been issued for him on charges of robbery, sudden snatching, and battery on a person 65 or older.

According to online court records, someone with the same name has previous convictions for grand theft, drug charges, and theft of a moped. 

What they're saying:

A store employee told a FOX 35 reporter that the suspect hangs around the front of the building and that they've had issues with him in the past. Someone who works nearby said the area has gotten worse over the years.

What you can do:

Deputies ask anyone who knows where Diego Stalin Tavarez Fleury is to contact 911 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477 (TIPS).

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