SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Seminole County man is accused of killing his mother, and then fleeing to Maryland.
WFTV's Tim Barber is in Maryland, where Joshua Ortiz faced a judge.
Ortiz was arrested in Howard County on Tuesday.
He made his court appearance in Howard County, Maryland, on grand theft charges after he allegedly stole his mother’s Mustang, but those charges were dropped.
“Not surprised. This is Seminole County’s case. They have jurisdiction and right now they have bigger fish to fry and that’s a second-degree murder charge,” said legal analyst Bill Sheaffer.
Ortiz, 20, is also charged with second-degree murder in the death of his mother, Jackie Ortiz, at their Oviedo home.
"It's not a matter of if he's going to be returned to the state of Florida, it's just a matter of when he's going to be returned to the state of Florida," said Sheaffer.
STORY: Not the first time Ortiz accused of stealing mother's vehicle
The return schedule will be based on whether Ortiz fights extradition to Florida in a future court hearing. It could be a week or longer before he's brought back.
Maryland State Police spotted Ortiz driving his mother's stolen white Mustang, just south of Baltimore on Interstate 95.
"So, he wasn't speeding or pulling any U-turns or anything like that?" asked Barber.
"No, the information was clear to the system that the vehicle was stolen so we would be on the lookout for it. So, when he came across our radar, he saw it, we made the stop," said Sgt. Marc Black of the Maryland State Police Department. "We are glad the trooper was doing his job. He saw it was the vehicle and he took precautions and made the stop and now we have a stolen vehicle off the street."
According to authorities, Jacqueline Ortiz, 45, was found dead Sunday afternoon by family members in her home on Woodley Park Place in Oviedo.
Police reports show Joshua Ortiz has been accused of battering his mother and on another occasion waving a sword at his father, who is a former Orange County deputy. He has an arrest record and has been charged in the past with burglary and theft, according to court records.
Jacqueline Ortiz's cause of death has not been released.
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