Orange County

Sheriff: Person of interest in 19-year-old’s disappearance found dead

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The man named a person of interested in the disappearance of 19-year-old Miya Marcano was found dead in a Seminole County apartment on Monday, the Orange County sheriff said.

Sheriff John Mina said Armando Manuel Caballero, 27, appears to have killed himself. Marcano remains missing.

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Marcano was last seen around 5 p.m. Friday at the Arden Villas apartments on Arden Villas Boulevard, near the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where she both lived and worked.

Mina said Caballero, who was a maintenance worker at the complex, accessed Marcano’s apartment using a maintence key fob a half-hour before she was last seen. Mina said an arrest warrant had been issued for Caballero for burglary related to him entering her apartment without permission.

Mina said Caballero had previously expressed romantic interest in Marcano, which the Valencia College student had rebuffed.

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Marcano’s aunt, Pia Scarbriel Henry, used Monday’s news conference as an opportunity to speak directly to her niece.

“I know you’re alive, I know you’re out there,” Henry said. “We love you. You know our family is strong. You know our family is big. You know we will never sleep one night until we get you home.”

Seminole County deputies said Caballero was found dead inside a unit at Camden Club Apartments in unincorporated Longwood around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

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Investigators are looking for anyone who saw Caballero’s car in recent days. It is a silver Ford Fusion with Florida tag PZU J17. Officials said it was found at the scene where Caballero was found dead and will be processed by deputies.

Deputies, including around 30 detectives, are still actively searching for Marcano.

“We are imploring anyone with any information on Miya’s whereabouts to come forward,” Mina said.

According to deputies, Marcano is 5 feet tall and about 130 pounds.

At Marcano’s apartment complex, people are scared and shocked.

“It makes me want to move out,” Emma Pace said.

READ: ‘Help us bring Miya home’: Investigators continue to search for missing 19-year-old in Orange County

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said they have more than 30 deputies on the case.

Though several days have passed since anyone has seen Marcano, her friends and family are doing everything they can to bring her home.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at 407-836-HELP (4357).

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.

Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.