Florida Man Releases Hostage After Pizza Delivery at Osceola County Hotel

Update 8:50 PM:

On Monday, October 13, 2025, at approximately 5:45 PM, Mark Anthony Vazquez, 49, surrendered to Osceola County Sheriff’s deputies at the Heritage Park Inn after his demands were met, including the delivery of a pizza. Vazquez was arrested on charges of aggravated battery and failure to register as a sex offender in the county, with additional charges pending investigation. In addition to requesting a pizza, Vazquez asked for a wheelchair for his 74-year-old hostage.

The incident began when a 52-year-old victim, reported that Vazquez restrained him by binding his hands and feet to a chair on Saturday, and assaulted him with a knife. A friend who refers to Vazquez as his “brother” but is not biologically related, convinced Vazquez to release him on Sunday. He fled the room, called 911 from the hotel lobby, and was treated and released from Osceola Regional Hospital with visible injuries.

Vazquez then barricaded himself in a room with a family friend, aged 74, refusing to let her leave. Hostage negotiators, supported by Osceola and Orange County SWAT teams, worked for over five hours to de-escalate the situation. Vazquez requested a pizza and a wheelchair for his 74-year-old hostage, both of which were delivered to the front of the room. A long-range acoustic device was used to urge Vazquez to surrender. After several minutes, Vazquez opened the door, allowing the woman to be assisted into the wheelchair. He then surrendered without incident.

Vazquez was booked into the Osceola County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.

Source: Osceola County Sheriff’s Office

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Update 6:15 PM: Suspect in custody, hostage is safe. We’ll have an update shortly.

— Initial Report —

At approximately 11:50 a.m., the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a domestic disturbance at The Heritage Park Inn, located at 2050 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. According to authorities, two men were involved in a physical altercation inside a room at the motel. The suspect threatened to harm the other man, who then fled the scene. The suspect is now holding a female subject hostage inside the room.

The relationship between the suspect and the female hostage is currently unknown. Osceola County deputies and SWAT team members have established a perimeter around the motel. Hostage negotiators from the Sheriff’s Office are actively communicating with the suspect.

Our news team is on the scene, monitoring the ongoing situation. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Source: Osceola County Sheriff Office