Orlando

New Details, Images in Final Report of College Student Miya Marcano's Murder

The Orange County Sheriff's Office released the final investigative report of the murder of Miya Marcano

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A lengthy investigative report reveals new details in the murder of college student Miya Marcano, including images of the 19-year-old from the day of her disappearance.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office released the 135-page final report on Tuesday. Investigators had released heavily redacted reports in the months after Marcano's body was discovered.

Here are some of the highlights of the report.

One picture shows surveillance footage of Marcano leaving the Arden Villas in Orlando on Sept. 24. Marcano was a Valencia College student and lived and worked at the apartment complex.

Marcano was supposed to leave for Fort Lauderdale that night, but she never made the flight, which concerned her family and alerted them to contact law enforcement.

Orange County Sherif''s Office
Miya Marcano leaving the Arden Villas on Sept. 24, 2021.

Another photo showed a small bookcase propped up against Marcano's bedroom doorknob, which "appeared to be placed there to prevent anyone from entering the room from the outside," the report said.

Investigators also noted other things that were unusual for Marcano to leave behind in her apartment, such as jewelry on the floor, a bag that appeared to be the luggage she was going to use for her Fort Lauderdale trip, and her teddy bear that she never goes anywhere without.

Detectives also found a pillow next to Marcano's bed with a small patch of a dried red substance that appeared to be blood.

Orange County Sheriff's Office
Bookcase in Miya Marcano's bedroom

Key fob data documented in the report shows her suspected killer, Armando Caballero, accessed Marcano's apartment using a master key shortly before she came home from work.

Surveillance video showed Caballero driving a golf cart around the complex near Marcano's, coinciding with the times the key fob showed it was used on her front door.

Orange County Sheriff's Office
Armando Caballero driving a golf cart at the Arden Villas

Investigators said Marcano was likely killed in her apartment, then Caballero took her body to a wooded area of the Tymberskan Apartments in Orlando.

Marcano's body, which was found on Oct. 2, was "mostly skeletonized," investigators said. She was found with her red purse and wallet, the same jeans she was wearing on the day of her disappearance, and a necklace with a charm containing her name "Miya." Black duct tape was wrapped around her head and/or neck area as well as her wrists and ankles.

Caballero hung himself and was found dead in Seminole County, days after Marcano was reported missing.

Marcano had repeatedly “rebuffed” romantic advances by Caballero, authorities said. He bought her food, sent her money — which she refused and tried to refund — and asked her out on dates.

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