The man accused of taking the 13-year-old died after deputies stopped his vehicle near Belleview, authorities said.
OCALA, Fla. — A 13-year-old girl reported abducted from her Ocala home was found safe Monday after an Amber Alert helped authorities locate the vehicle carrying her, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The recovery ended an urgent search for Juliet Louise Arioso but was followed by a fatal confrontation between deputies and the man accused of abducting her. Authorities identified the man as Jason Castillo, 45. He was shot as deputies attempted to take him into custody and died later at a hospital, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators said Juliet was taken from her home in the Shady Road Villas community, near Southwest 27th Avenue, sometime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday. Officials issued a statewide Amber Alert later that afternoon and released information about a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe believed to be connected to her disappearance.
Deputies located the vehicle at about 5:20 p.m. and attempted a traffic stop, according to the sheriff’s office. Castillo did not stop, and a pursuit followed through southern Marion County. Authorities used a pursuit intervention maneuver to disable the SUV near U.S. Highway 441 and County Road 25A in the Belleview area.
Shots were fired as deputies moved to arrest Castillo, the sheriff’s office said. Officials had not released a full account Tuesday of who fired, how many deputies were involved or what immediately led to the gunfire. No injuries to deputies were reported in the initial accounts.
Juliet was removed from the scene and taken to safety shortly before 6 p.m. Authorities did not report that she suffered serious physical injuries. Her name and photograph had been widely distributed during the Amber Alert, but additional information about her condition and reunion with relatives was not released.
The rapid recovery came only hours after investigators said the girl had been taken. Amber Alerts distribute identifying information through highway signs, news reports, mobile notifications and law enforcement networks when authorities believe a child has been abducted and faces a serious threat.
The alert named Castillo as the suspected abductor and provided the description and license plate of the Hyundai. Authorities have not publicly explained how Castillo knew the teenager or disclosed a possible motive. The sheriff’s office also has not released further details about the evidence that led investigators to classify the case as an abduction.
The pursuit and shooting brought a large law enforcement response to the U.S. 441 corridor. Southbound lanes were closed during the investigation, and drivers were directed away from the area while investigators processed the scene and removed the disabled vehicle.
The deputy-involved shooting remains under investigation. Authorities had not announced when body-camera footage, dispatch recordings or the names of the involved deputies might be released. The Amber Alert was canceled after Juliet was found safe.
Author note: Last updated July 28, 2026.