UPDATE: Suspect identified, connected to missing teen, fatally shot in Florida,

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE)– The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office has identified the suspect, shot and killed in a confrontation with authorities in Florida, who had been sought for his connection to a missing teen girl.

According to a statement from Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, 37-year-old Florida resident Luis Zaragoza, also known as Luis Barbosa, was shot and killed in Florida Thursday morning.

Zaragoza was believed to have been in the company of Jalajhia Finklea, an 18-year-old Mashpee girl missing since October 20.

According to the statement released today, Finklea was last seen in New Bedford, getting into a car that had been rented in Boston by Zaragoza.

Her cellphone was later recovered on Route 140 in New Bedford, Quinn said.

Finklea has still not been located.

During their investigation, New Bedford police had placed Zaragoza as traveling through the eastern seaboard states to Florida, before heading to Texas.

At some point before last week, Zaragoza had returned to Florida.

U.S Marshals, assisting the investigation, had Zaragoza under surveillance as of Wednesday night, Quinn said.

New Bedford police had obtained an arrest warrant and were en route to Florida when a confrontation between Zaragoza and arresting officers began in a McDonald’s parking lot in the town of Crestview.

A press release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department provided more detail, although it had not identified the suspect.

According to a statement, a deputy with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office was assisting the U.S. Marshals Service Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force when the suspect fired upon them.

Officers returned fire and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

“We will continue to vigorously investigate this case and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies to pursue all information,” Lt. Scott Carola, information officer for the New Bedford Police Department, said in an email statement.

The shooting continues to be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

New Bedford police have asked anyone with information on the location of Finklea to call 508-991-6360.

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