Suspect from Clermont named in slaying

More than two weeks after 21-year-old Jose Santos’ body was found buried in a shallow grave near a Davenport citrus grove, deputies have a suspect in custody. Alex Baez, a 21-year-old Clermont man, was identified as the suspected shooter Tuesday. Baez was already an inmate in the Polk County Jail when he was linked to the killing. Hewas arrested Nov. 19 on an unrelated charge of driving with a suspended or revoked license and violating probation on prior burglary and grand-theft charges. Santos had been missing for about four days before deputies found his body in the orange grove in Polk County on Nov. 11. Based on information collected form Santos’ family and others, detectives determined that “Baez was the suspect responsible for Santos’ murder,” deputies said Tuesday. Baez now faces first-degree-murder charges.