Investigators say Braylon Diaz handed over a necklace before he was shot.

TACOMA, Wash. — A woman accused of driving the car used in the fatal robbery of 17-year-old Braylon Daniel Diaz has been charged with murder as Pierce County detectives continue searching for the man they say fired the shot.

Alyssa Marie Vaught-Barr, 26, pleaded not guilty in Pierce County Superior Court after prosecutors charged her in connection with Diaz’s May 24 killing in Parkland. Authorities say Diaz was walking with his girlfriend when a red sedan pulled near them, someone demanded his necklace and a passenger shot him. A second man arrested with Vaught-Barr has been charged as a fugitive in an Oregon case, while the alleged shooter remains wanted.

The shooting was reported at 7:13 p.m. in the 10200 block of Sheridan Avenue South, a residential stretch near 102nd Street South. Deputies arrived after callers said a teen was lying in the road with a gunshot wound. Medical crews tried CPR, but Diaz died at the scene. Pierce County sheriff’s spokesperson Carly Cappetto said early in the investigation that Diaz appeared to be “a true victim,” and deputies later said the robbery seemed random. Investigators said Diaz and his girlfriend, Katelyn Zuniga, had been walking from his father’s home toward her home when the sedan approached. Court documents say the car passed them, turned around near a mechanic shop lot and came back before the robbery.

Charging papers describe a brief encounter that turned deadly after the person in the rear passenger seat called Diaz closer. Zuniga told investigators Diaz first refused. The passenger then told the driver to back up so the car could get closer, according to the documents. Prosecutors say the passenger demanded Diaz’s gold necklace, and Diaz told Zuniga to stay back as he handed it over. The passenger then shot Diaz in the abdomen, and the vehicle fled south on Sheridan Avenue South as Zuniga called 911. Investigators later said the chain was not real. The killing left a public memorial along the street and brought classmates, relatives and neighbors to a vigil for the Washington High School junior.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspected shooter as 21-year-old Brandon Torres-Mesa. Detectives say he was in the rear seat and fired the fatal shot. Prosecutors charged Torres-Mesa with aggravated first-degree murder, first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Authorities have said he remained at large and may be armed. The case against Vaught-Barr focuses on her alleged role as the driver, the movements of the red Toyota Corolla and what investigators say happened after the shooting. Court records say detectives used surveillance video, cellphone location data, witness accounts and documents found inside the suspected vehicle to build the case.

Deputies released surveillance images of a red four-door car after the killing and asked the public for help identifying it. The car was found abandoned in Federal Way on May 27, three days after the shooting. Investigators said finding the vehicle helped them identify persons of interest. Court documents say papers bearing Vaught-Barr’s name and her boyfriend’s name were found inside the car. Detectives also said surveillance footage showed people trying to wipe down the car. A relative of one of the people tied to the vehicle recognized it from released video and told detectives Vaught-Barr had been driving at the time of the shooting, according to charging papers.

Vaught-Barr contacted law enforcement on May 27 and said she had been driving when Diaz was shot, according to court documents. She identified Torres-Mesa as the shooter but said she did not know he planned to shoot anyone. She also told investigators she tried to get out and help Diaz but was pulled back into the car and struck with a gun, then forced to drive to Federal Way. Prosecutors challenged that account in court, saying Vaught-Barr was not truthful and had delayed the investigation. Her attorney told the court she understood the seriousness of the allegations and could not post any amount of bail. A court commissioner set her bail at $1 million.

The man arrested with Vaught-Barr, identified in court records as Alejandro Lorenzo Diaz, 25, is not related to Braylon Diaz. Prosecutors said he had not been charged in the killing, but investigators were still reviewing evidence. Court records say he was wanted in Multnomah County, Oregon, on allegations of first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree burglary and first-degree aggravated theft. A judge set his bail at $250,000 on the fugitive matter. Investigators allege he was inside the red car at the time of the shooting, though both he and Vaught-Barr claimed he was not. Detectives cited video and cellphone data that they say contradicted parts of those statements.

The arrests came June 1 after separate law enforcement contacts north of Seattle. Deputies said the male suspect was arrested during a Snohomish County traffic stop on an unrelated felony warrant. Later that night, Tulalip police detained Vaught-Barr at a Walmart in a separate incident. Pierce County detectives then arranged to take custody of both. In the vehicle connected to the arrests, investigators said they found a handwritten note that appeared to contain plans for the future, including references to saving money, finding a lawyer and putting an apartment in someone else’s name. Detectives also recovered a 9mm handgun and clothing they believed matched outfits seen in surveillance footage.

Diaz’s family described him as protective, kind and unlikely to seek conflict. Zuniga said he protected her in his final seconds and had always cared for people around him. His stepmother, Chelsea Diaz, said he would not have approached the car unless he believed he was keeping his girlfriend safe. Family members identified Diaz as a Washington High School junior who played soccer and football. His father, Brock Diaz, visited the growing memorial after the killing and said no parent should have to lose a child that way. Friends and classmates later gathered to remember him as respectful and well liked.

The case now stands in two tracks: a murder prosecution against Vaught-Barr and a search for Torres-Mesa. Prosecutors have not said when additional charges may be filed against others. Court records show investigators still believe more people may have been involved in the robbery and shooting.

Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.