ORLANDO, Fla. — The search continues for Miya Marcano, a missing 19-year-old Orange County woman.
Here is a timeline of her disappearance:
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Sept. 24
Deputies said Marcano was last seen around 5 p.m. at the Arden Villas apartments on Arden Villas Boulevard, near the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Investigators said Marcano lives in the complex, and the apartment’s social media feed shows she also works at the leasing office.
Deputies said Marcano had a scheduled flight to Fort Lauderdale on Friday evening, but she never made it on the plane.
READ: Orange County deputies search wooded area for missing 19-year-old
Sept. 26
On Sunday, deputies began searching the wooded area behind Marcano’s apartment building.
Family and friends held a vigil for Marcano on Sunday night.
“All we ask is to help us bring Miya home. Bring her home safe,” one of Marcano’s relatives said.
Sept. 27
A man named a person of interest in Marcano’s disappearance was found dead in a Seminole County apartment on Monday, the Orange County sheriff said.
Sheriff John Mina said Armando Manuel Caballero, 27, appeared to have killed himself.
READ: Sheriff: Person of interest in 19-year-old’s disappearance found dead
Caballero was a maintenance worker at the apartment complex.
Investigators said Caballero accessed Marcano’s apartment using a maintenance key fob a half hour before she was last seen. Mina said an arrest warrant had been issued for Caballero for burglary, related to his entering her apartment without permission.
Caballero was a maintenance worker at the Arden Villas apartments, where Miya lives and works and was last seen on Friday (9/24).
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) September 27, 2021
Mina said Caballero had previously expressed romantic interest in Marcano, which the Valencia College student had rebuffed.
Seminole County deputies said Caballero was found dead inside a garage used for storage of paint at Camden Club Apartments in unincorporated Longwood around 10:30 a.m. Monday.
According to a report, maintenance employees told Seminole County deputies that the last time the garage was entered by any of their staff was Friday evening. Investigators said Caballero entered the garage at some point after the evening of Sept. 24, but before Sept. 27.
Sept. 28
On Tuesday morning, Marcano’s family began searching for her near the Arden Villas apartments in Orlando and the Camden Club Apartments in unincorporated Longwood.
READ: Search for missing 19-year-old Orange County woman to resume this morning
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at 407-836-HELP (4357).
More than 50 family members and friends of missing 19yo Miya Marcano continue searching for her in the woods behind the apartments on Sabal Lake Dr. The same apartments where person of interest in her disappearance Armando Manuel Caballero was found having committed suicide. pic.twitter.com/UEbM785mWo
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) September 28, 2021
On Tuesday, the apartment complex where Marcano lives and works released the following statement:
“After a thorough review of the ongoing reporting on the situation surrounding Ms. Marcano, we would like to provide the following factual updates. Regarding our hiring process, all potential employees are vetted through a national background check services provider. Concerning Mr. Caballero specifically, no records of either burglary or sexual assault were found, and rumors to the contrary appear to be based on online documents referencing someone else with the same name. As part of the onboarding process, all new employees undergo thorough sexual harassment deterrence training, covering aspects from recognizing what qualifies as inappropriate to how to report unwanted behavior. We take all accusations very seriously but received none from any parties involved directly or indirectly with the situation.
To ensure nothing like this happens again at Arden Villas, we are taking numerous, proactive steps to enhance our security protocols. We immediately repositioned a guard to the front gate to document all residents and guests entering and leaving the premises. Additionally, we have upgraded our maintenance procedures to allow for appointment only bookings. We are in the process of reviewing our entire security apparatus and will make changes or upgrades as warranted.”
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