3 suspects sought in slaying of Gulf Coast High student; Report says 1 shooter, 5 shots

Mug of Brandon Standifer

Photo by LEXEY SWALL

Michael Fleitas, 15, center, attends a candlelight vigil held in honor of Jake Couture at Max A. Hasse, Jr. Community Park on Sunday in the Golden Gate Estates. Couture, 17, died Friday night after being shot in North Naples. Fleitas also sustained injuries triple shooting that night along with a man named Brandon Standifer. A funeral for Couture has been scheduled for Jan. 5 at First Baptist Church of Naples. Lexey Swall/Staff

The shooting that left a Gulf Coast High School junior dead on Friday night started when the victim, 17-year-old Jake Couture, as well as 21-year-old Brandon Standifer, 15-year-old Michael Fleitas and another witness whose name was not released returned to a North Naples apartment and found three men standing outside their door wanting to come inside, according to a incident report released Monday by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

Another witness, whose name was not released, was already inside the apartment and was refusing to open the door for the three men. When Standifer told the men that they needed to get away from the door, a shouting match ensued, reports said.

During the argument, reports say Standifer pushed one of the men, at which point the man reached into his waist band, pulled out a gun and started shooting. Five spent casings were found at the scene.

Witnesses told deputies the suspects left in a white pickup truck, with gold trim and tinted windows.

A funeral service for Couture has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church of Naples, 3000 Orange Blossom Drive. There will be a viewing from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the church, with the funeral immediately following.