Slain student Miya Marcano's death is ruled a 'homicide of undetermined means' because her body was too decomposed after one week to tell how she was murdered 'by handyman who broke into her apartment using a master key'
A Florida medical examiner has ruled that a college student who authorities say was killed by a handyman at an apartment complex where they both worked died by 'homicide of undetermined means.'
The report obtained Monday by Miami television station WPLG says Miya Marcano's body was found outside of her apartment complex in Orlando on October 2 - eight days after she was reported missing on September 24.
When authorities found the 19-year-old, her body was 'nearly completely skeletonized,' and black duct tape was found around her neck, wrists and ankles, the medical examiner's report says.
Orange-Osceola Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany said in his report that it's possible the duct tape around her neck may have been covering her nose and mouth. He noted, though, that an examination of her bones 'reveals no evidence of trauma.'
He said his examination of Marcano's body was hindered due to a lack of residual tissue, but a toxicology test conducted on October 4 shows she tested negative for all substances, including fentanyl and cocaine.
'In my opinion, the manner in which she was found, with multiple restraints and her disposition in an abandoned area of an apartment complex indicates some type of assault, but because of the lack of identifiable soft tissue injuries due to advanced decomposition, the cause of death is the result of homicide by undetermined means,' he wrote in his report.
Authorities say Marcano was killed by Armando Caballero, 27, who worked maintenance in her apartment complex and had made unwanted advances at her. He was found dead by suicide on September 27.
Miya Marcano, 19, left, died by 'homicide of undetermined means,' according to an autopsy report released on Monday. Armando Caballero, 27, right, is considered the main suspect in her death, with authorities claiming he used a master key to get into her apartment
Marcano was a Valencia College student who lived and worked at the Orlando apartment complex where Caballero was employed as a maintenance worker.
She was reported missing on September 24, after she was scheduled to catch a flight home to Fort Lauderdale after her shift ended at 5pm but never made it to the airport and stopped replying to friends and family.
Signs of a violent struggle, including bloodstains on a pillow, were eventually found in her room, and Caballero told police that he had last seen her at 3pm that day - but police later learned that his 'maintenance-issued master key fob' had been used to enter her apartment at 4:30pm.
Caballero was later found dead by suicide in a Seminole County garage on September 27. According to Law & Crime, court documents stated that his body could have been in the garage since the day Marcano vanished, based on its state of decomposition.
Marcano's family released a video showing a conversation they had with Caballero (left) outside her apartment building in the hours after the 19-year-old went missing
Caballero, 27, was found dead by suicide in a Seminole County garage on September 27
Marcano, right, was a student at Valencia College when she went missing on September 24
Several of Marcano's family members drove to her apartment in Orlando when they became concerned.
Cellphone video, shot by one the relatives and released by the Washington Law Firm, shows Marcano's family members interacting with Caballero and the Orange County Sheriff Department around 3:45 am on Saturday September 25, hours after she was last seen alive.
The family said Caballero arrived at Marcano's apartment and asked her aunt: 'Are you looking for Miya?'
He told police he had found out 'from a mutual friend that Miya is missing,' according to the police report.
In the video, Marcano's family was suspicious of Caballero's appearance and began confronting him about his alleged obsession with the young woman.
'You have sent obsessive texts to Miya,' one family member is heard saying in the video. 'We have all seen the texts. You talked about giving her your life savings. You Cash App'ed her money and you claim that you weren't in touch.'
To which Caballero replied: 'I never said that.'
The family member continued: 'There is evidence of obsession or something. You are fascinated with Miya,' she said.
'It's not only from my side,' Caballero then said. 'So, don't try to make this like I'm a stalker.'
The family then reported to a deputy, who witnessed the interaction, that a key fob had fallen out of Caballero's lap as he got out of his car and that they noticed he had Marcano's blanket.
When Marcano's body was eventually found, she was in jeans, a bra, and a robe with her mouth, arms and legs bound with duct tape, police reported.
Caballero, meanwhile, was found dead at a Seminole County apartment complex on September 27.
According to Law & Crime, court documents stated that his body could have been in the garage since the day Marcano vanished, based on its state of decomposition.
The family of Miya Marcano has now filed a lawsuit accusing Arden Villas and its operator, The Preiss Company, of negligence in connection to Marcano's death for employing Caballero
Marcano lived and worked at Arden Villas in Orlando (pictured) where she was found dead
Her body was found in a wooded area near her apartment complex on October 2 following a week-long search
Marcano's family is now suing the apartment complex, Arden Villas and its operator, The Preiss Company, of negligence in connection to Marcano's death for employing Caballero as a maintenance worker, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Marcano's family filed the suit in Orange County circuit court to 'hold those responsible for the disappearance and death of Miya fully responsible' and prevent other families from 'experiencing the pain and grief with which they are currently dealing,' Jodi Lewis, a spokesperson for the family's attorney Daryl K. Washington said in a statement.
'Arden Villas gave Armando Caballero the unfettered access he needed to kill Miya,' Washington said in a statement. 'They need to be held accountable for their negligence.'
The suit claims that Marcano was never made aware of her co-worker's criminal history or previous allegations of harassing women, nor did she know that he would have unsupervised access to her apartment with a master key.
Her family said that Marcano had been stalking the Valencia College student.
'Caballero, who was much older than Marcano, appeared to be interested in Marcano and this made her extremely uncomfortable,' according to the complaint.
'Marcano expressed her concerns to employees of the Arden Villas, as well as to her parents who were concerned that ... the manager of the Arden Villas was not taking the safety concerns of the employees and tenants very seriously. Management at the Arden Villas had a reputation for ignoring the complaints made by both tenants and employees,' the complaint alleges.
The lawsuit also claims that Arden Villas is required to provide a 'reasonably safe' environment and properly vet their employees to ensure 'only appropriate persons were hired' to take precautions 'foreseeable criminal attacks, especially by employees.'
The complaint also named Caballero's estate in seeking a jury trial and damages in excess of $30,000. Arden Villas and The Preiss Company did not immediately respond to requests from DailyMail.com.
Reviewed by Your Destination
on
December 28, 2021
Rating:
No comments