A boyfriend has been arrested in connection with the death of his girlfriend, whose body was run over by multiple vehicles after she allegedly exited their vehicle on Interstate 4 in Orlando.
On Wednesday, April 5, Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 33-year-old Albert Berry Ayala. He was transported to the Orlando Police Department, where he confessed to driving a vehicle that was found on January 26 on I-4 a short distance away from the body of his girlfriend, 39-year-old Teqilla L. Shepherd.
Shepherd was found on eastbound I-4 after the Orlando Police Department received several calls regarding a body that had been struck by multiple vehicles. When officers arrived, Shepherd’s body was found a short distance from her vehicle, which had crashed at the off-ramp from I-4 onto Orange Blossom Trail.
In the weeks since, homicide detectives determined that Shepherd was traveling in her vehicle as a passenger while Ayala drove. Detectives established probable cause to arrest Ayala after determining that he was in control of the vehicle when it crashed on the off-ramp.
During an interview with police, Ayala told authorities that he had picked up Shepherd from her workplace that evening and the two engaged in a verbal argument.
The argument began escalating when Shepherd spontaneously jumped from the vehicle while it was traveling on eastbound I-4. A witness traveling behind the vehicle confirmed that they saw Shepherd jump from the vehicle.
Ayala said he then attempted to exit the interstate to turn around and get Shepherd, but lost control of the vehicle on the off-ramp and crashed. He fled the scene after crashing.
Ayala is currently being held at the Orange County Jail. He is charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, and driving with a suspended license.