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Lake Wales Arson-Robbery Victim Succumbs To Injuries

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By BILLY TOWNSEND | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

Updated: 12/19/2007 09:14 am

LAKE WALES - One of the two women set on fire last week during a Lake Wales robbery attempt week has died.

   Yvonne Bustamante

Yvonne Bustamante, 26, died about 10 p.m. Tuesday night at Orlando Regional Medical Center, said her mother-in-law, Eva Stines. She leaves behind a husband and two children, ages 8 and 4.

Funeral services have not yet been set.

Bustamante's death is the fourth being attributed to Leon Davis Jr., who police say went on a murderous crime spree in Polk County during the past two weeks.

Davis was arrested after the robbery attempt Thursday. Police say he walked into the Headley Nationwide Insurance office, held Bustamante and Juanita Luciano at gunpoint and then set them and the building on fire with gasoline. Both women were flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition.

   Juanita Luciano

Davis shot a man who tried to help the women, police said. Brandon Greisman had a non-life-threatening wound to the nose.

Luciano, 23, who is married to Yvonne Bustamante's brother, was about six months' pregnant. Michael Bustamante Jr. was delivered via Caesarean section. He died Sunday.

The Lake Wales attack came less than a week after the slaying of Pravinkumar and Dasharathbhai Patel during a thwarted robbery at a BP gas station at Interstate 4 and County Road 557.

Polk County sheriff's detectives on Saturday said that ballistics analysis of bullets used at both crime scenes match and that they plan to charge Davis in the slaying of the Patels.

A decision on formal charges will be made this week in consultation with the state attorney's office, according to the sheriff's office.

Davis is being held without bail in Polk County Jail.

According to Yvonne Bustamante's My Space Web site, she was born in Corrizo Springs, Texas, and came to Lake Wales about 15 years ago. She and James Lugo have been together for 10 years. The site's headline is "Taken and happy."

"I have two gorgeous, mean boys," she writes, and describes herself as a "proud parent."

Bustamante enjoyed listening to rap and rhythm-and-blues and watching Spanish-language "novellas" in the evenings.

A trust fund for the families of Bustamante and Luciano has been set up at Wachovia Bank. Contributions can be made at any branch.

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