The family of Miya Marcano is still searching for answers after her autopsy determined she died of homicide “by undetermined means.”
The 19-year-old vanished on September 24th. Armando Caballero, a maintenance man who worked at the complex where Marcano lived, became the prime suspect in her disappearance. He had previously expressed interest in her, but Marcano shot down his advances. On the day she disappeared, investigators confirmed that he had taken a master key to her apartment and entered her home before she arrived. Sadly, her decomposed remains were located on October 2nd in the outdoor area of the Tymber Skan Apartments. Her autopsy was performed the following day by Dr. Joshua Stephany. Investigators believe Caballero killed Marcano and dumped her body there at some point before he was found dead by suicide on September 27th.
According to the final report by Orlando’s District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office, the college student was found “nearly skeletonized” and “in advanced putrefactive decomposition.” During this stage of decomposition, bones are exposed, and the body assumes a “caved in” appearance.
Black duct tape was found on Marcano’s neck, and both of her wrists were bound with it behind her back. Her ankles were also restrained with duct tape. Stephany concluded that Marcano was the victim of “some type of assault” and believes the tape on her neck could have been covering her mouth and nose when she was killed. The report also noted “very little residual soft tissue” was available on the body to examine for injuries. The bones displayed no sounds of trauma.
Ultimately, the coroner determined that Marcano was killed but had no way to say how it occurred, giving her family minimal answers in the mystery surrounding her murder.
A small amount of muscle tissue was recovered from the body and tested negative for all substances, including fentanyl and cocaine.
