Natalia Harrell
A suspect shot and killed another woman early Saturday morning after partying, according to cops in Miami, Florida.
Natalia Harrell, 24, is locked up at a local jail for murder in the second degree with a weapon, records show. Her partially redacted arrest affidavit identifies the victim as Gladys Yvette Borcela, 28.
Officers did not initially describe what precipitated all of this, but it is clear that there was allegedly some sort of friction between the women.
“The particulars of the argument have not been released,” a Miami Police Department spokesperson told Law&Crime.
Going by witness statements and other evidence, police say that four men started partying Friday night at the Clevelander South Beach Hotel and Bar at approximately 8:30 p.m. While having drinks at the bar, one of them “made conversation” with Harrell (who identified herself as Taylor) and another woman. He introduced the women to the other men.
“At some point, the male witnesses asked [the other woman] if she had any friends that wanted to hang out with them,” police said. “At that time [the other woman] showed the male witnesses the social media account of her friend Victim Borcela.”
She reached out to Borcela, who later met her, Harrell, and the four men at a restaurant called The Urban.
“At approximately 1:00 a.m. on July 23rd, 2022, Victim Borcela arrived and greeted them at their table,” police said.
From the guys’ alleged point of view, everything seemed positive between the three women. They appeared to know each other and were friendly, the men said in the officers’ affidavit.
But according to the third woman, Harrell texted a complaint about Borcela.
“Victim Borcela began to drink and dance which according to [a witness], upset Suspect Harrell,” police said. “Suspect Harrell began to text [the other woman] telling her to ‘get her girl under control.'”
Everyone had a few drinks and partied together for about an hour, cops said. The group ordered an Uber — a 2020 black Cadillac Escalade — when the restaurant was closing. Whatever friction there was between Harrell and Borcela continued and got worse in the vehicle. They started arguing while they were in the third row of the Escalade, police said.
“Shortly after boarding, Victim Borcela and Suspect Harrell started bickering and calling each other names,” cops said.
Harrell ended up in the front of the Uber facing the other passengers. She allegedly shouted, “You don’t want this. You don’t want me to go in my purse.”
One of the witnesses said she took out a gun from that purse and fired a single shot at Borcela, striking her. Everyone except the victim got out of the vehicle after the driver stopped it on the median in front of 96 SE 1st Street. The passengers fled the scene, officers said. Cops said they were able to find the men later. The third woman contacted police through an attorney later Saturday, and she offered to speak.
Borcela, who was pronounced dead at Jackson Ryder Trauma Center, died of a single gunshot wound to the torso and left arm, officers said.
[Booking photo via Miami-Dade County Jail]
