In Summary
According to the medical examiner's report, the college student's body was found partially in skeleton form and with duct tape wrapped around parts of her body.WARNING – This story contains graphic details some may find distressing.
A Florida medical examiner has determined the cause of death for 19-year-old Miya Marcano.
According to CNN, the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office report revealed Marcano’s death as “homicide by undetermined means.”
PREVIOUS: Body Found in Florida Confirmed as Miya Marcano
The college student was last seen at the Arden Villas Luxury Apartments in Orlando, Florida, where she both lived and worked, on Sep. 24, 2021. Armando Caballero, a 27-year-old maintenance worker for the facility, was identified as the main suspect in Marcano’s disappearance.
Police later found his body in his apartment where he died by suicide, BNC previously reported. Days later, Marcano’s body was found in a wooded area near the apartment on Oct. 2, 2021.
The medical examiner’s report said there was “no identifiable evidence of trauma” and that she was found near-complete skeletonization in her upper body from the face and neck to the torso and upper arms. Additionally, duct tape was found around her neck and on her wrists, which were bound behind her back, and on both ankles.
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Joshua D. Stephany, the chief medical examiner for Orange County, said the way she was found suggests it was an act to get rid of Marcano’s body. “The decedent was found in an abandoned section of an apartment complex suggesting intentional disposal of her body,” Stephany said. “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.”
Police are not looking for any additional suspects in the case because Caballero was the main suspect. In October, Marcano’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the apartment complex and the company that owns it.
RELATED: Family of Miya Marcano Files Lawsuit Against Her Apartment Complex
The lawsuit asserts Caballero, who was believed to be interested in the 19-year-old, made Marcano uncomfortable. It says, “Marcano expressed her concerns to employees of the Arden Villas as well as to her parents who were concerned that… the manager of Arden Villas was not taking the safety concerns of the employees and tenants, very seriously.”
If you or someone you know is struggling from trauma triggered by this story, resources are available here.