Murder Of New Tampa Father Met With Grief, Bewilderment

NEW TAMPA, FL -- As the New Tampa community grapples to make sense of why a man would intentionally run down a father and his two sons riding their bikes, friends and strangers alike have come forward to help the now-fatherless children.

Pedro Aguerreberry, 42, was taking a leisurely bike ride with his sons, Lucas, 8, and Bennett, 3, down New Tampa Boulevard just before noon on Sunday, June 24, when a car driven by Mikese Morse, 30, veered off the road and struck the family.

Pedro Aguerreberry took the brunt of the impact and died at the hospital. Bennett Aguerreberry was taken to the hospital with a leg fracture while his older brother was treated for minor injuries.

Now, friends and neighbors are coming together to help the devastated family in whatever way they can.

In two days, more than 1,000 people have donated more than $62,000 to a GoFundMe page to assist Meghan Aguerreberry and her two sons with funeral, medical and basic living expenses.

The fundraiser was organized by Tam Ho who worked with Aguerreberry, a senior compliance analyst at Citi financial services.

"The world lost a bright light when our friend, co-worker, and family member, Pedro Aguerreberry was tragically killed," said Ho. "Pedro was a gentle, caring, beautiful human being who always had kind words to say, and actually took the time to say them. He often went out of his way to help others and to bring smiles to our faces. Pedro did these things, for no other reason than to make us feel better about who we are as individuals… and to know what we (in that moment) meant to him."

Neighbors described Aguerreberry as fiercely devoted to his family. He was often seen around his home in New Tampa with his sons, washing the car or playing catch. It wasn't unusual for the three of them to take bike rides together.

Born and raised in Argentina, Aguerreberry was equally devoted to providing for his family. He began his career as a junior officer at CitiGold International in Argentina in 1999 and then came to Tampa Bay in 2002 as a manager of operations. In his spare time, he went back to school to obtain his master's in business administration from the University of Tampa.

Loyless Funeral Home in Land O' Lakes said funeral services have not yet been announced. Aguerreberry has family who must travel from Argentina and Bennett is still in the hospital. The public is invited to post their sympathies on the Loyless Tribute Wall for the Aguerreberry family.

"We are truly grateful for the tremendous support and sympathy we have received from the community at this very difficult time," said Meghan Aguerreberry.

Meghan Aguerreberry has declined to give any interviews and has asked that the public respect her privacy at this "time of mourning and healing for my family."

For Ho and other co-workers, grief at the loss of Aguerreberry's life is mixed with bewilderment about how such a tragedy could happen.

"Almost as tragic and shocking is that this incident does not appear to be an accident, but an intentional action of a complete stranger," said Ho.

Tampa Police have charged Morse with premeditated first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. (See related story).

Witnesses said Morse drove past the father and sons on their bikes and then made a U-turn on New Tampa Boulevard in his 2008 Dodge Avenger. He then intentionally increased his speed and drove over the grassy median between the bike path and the road directly toward the family. Morse then fled the scene.

Residents were shocked to learn that Morse had a history of mental illness and had been committed four times under the state's Baker Act allowing a person to be detained at a mental health facility on an emergency basis.

As recently as June 12, Morse had walked into the lobby of the Tampa Police Station on 30th Street and told Officer Garrett Bricha that he did something "really bad."

Morse didn't elaborate but Bricha said he showed signs of paranoia and spoke about being attacked by "energy projections" and rambling on about "conspiracies and religion."

In an interview, Morse' parents, Khadeeja and Michael Morse, said they had repeatedly tried to get help for their son who struggled with mental problems for more than 10 years.

"What happened to Pedro should never have happened," said Michael Morse, noting that the last time his son was institutionalized under the Baker Act, the facility only kept him for a week. "If he had stayed two weeks and gotten stabilized, this would never have happened."

"How is it that all of these professional people let him out of that facility when they knew it wasn’t right?" asked Khadeeja Morse. "For over a decade we tried to get help for our son." Each time, she said, the system failed her son.

The Morses live in the New Tampa community of Pebble Creek, just four miles from the Aguerreberry home.

The Morses said they first noticed their son's mental problems during his freshman year at the University of South Florida. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Mental health professionals say the age of 18 to 24 years old is also when symptoms of schizophrenia usually emerge.

Schizophrenia is characterized by significant changes in a person’s perceptions, thoughts, beliefs and behaviors. They have frightening hallucinations and delusions and experience changes in their thought processes, mood and sleep patterns.

Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depression, is also characterized by mood changes. People with bipolar disorder may have energetic, active periods followed by periods of depression and low energy, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. However, people with bipolar disorder may also exhibit the type of psychosis common in those with schizophrenia, which makes a definitive diagnosis difficult.

Once diagnosed with bipolar disorder and placed on medication, the Morses said their son seemed better. He went on to the University of Miami where he qualified as an All-American long jumper finalist for the U.S. Olympic Trials in track and field in 2008 and 2016, nearly earning a spot on Team USA for the Beijing Games.

But, in the past two years, the Morses said their son's mental state began to deteriorate again. While they said he was never violent, his hallucinations grew more frequent.

Although he eventually graduated from USF with a degree in marketing, he was working as a driver for Uber Eats and having an increasingly difficult time distinguishing between delusions and reality, they said.

When he showed up at the police station two weeks ago, he told Bricha not to let him leave the police station or he might hurt someone. Bricha took him at his word and evoked the Baker Act. He was taken to the Gracepoint mental health facility at 5707 N. 22nd St., Tampa, for assessment. A week later, on June 19, Morse was back on the streets. Five days later, he intentionally drove into Aguerreberry and his sons.

The Morses said their son's degrading mental state is obvious in an Instagram video he posted shortly before the crash. He ranted about the devil having power over him.

"It’s the devil’s fault. It’s all the devil’s fault," Morse said in one Instagram video, which has since been taken down.

Following her son's arrest, Khadeeja Morse posted a photo of she and her son during healthier times on her Facebook page.

"See this pic? This is my son, Mikese," she said. "You will see other pics of him but this is the one I want you to remember. This is the face of the failure of our mental health system."

She said she hopes their story will lead to changes in the mental health system.

"We have to do something," she said. "The only thing I know to do is to share our story."

Morse is scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing on Friday, July 6.

Photos via Tam Ho and Khadeeja Morse