Police try to find out where stray bullet came from that killed man at holiday party

Yemil Arguelles, 40, shot once in chest while sitting in backyard of home

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade police are working to determine from where a stray bullet came after it killed a man over the weekend while he attended a holiday party.

Police said Yemil Arguelles, 40, was shot once in the chest Saturday night, but he likely never even knew what happened to him, since the gunshot came from elsewhere.

"We're basically focusing on just one point. We're basically giving it a big angle. It could be a huge area that the shot could have come from," Detective Zubair Kahn said.  

The lead homicide detective on the case said Arguelles was sitting in the backyard of a home with loved ones near Southwest 71st Street and 159th Place when the shooting occurred. 

Party-goers noticed Arguelles was in distress but initially didn't know why.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials arrived at the home and determined Arguelles had been shot.

He was rushed to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where he died.

"He leaves behind young children, his wife, his family members, and at the time of this holiday season, they are all very upset and they are asking for the community's help to solve this case," Kahn said. 

Arguelles' loved ones have been grieving at his family home in west Kendall. 

He owned a glass repair company and his work van was still parked in the driveway Tuesday. 

Investigators have created a flyer to appeal for information from the public.

Arguelles' loved ones were scheduled to show up at a news conference Tuesday to do the same, but they were too overcome with grief.

The goal now is figuring out from where the single gunshot came.

"It's possible it came from beyond the buildings," Kahn said. "Maybe someone cleaning out a gun and it fired, or perhaps someone shooting it in the air. That's what we’re trying to figure out, or (if it was) just an overwhelming accident."

Anyone with further information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


About the Author:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.