ORLANDO, Fla. — A college student who authorities say was killed by a handyman at an apartment complex where they both worked died by “homicide of undetermined means."
An autopsy report obtained Monday by Miami television station WPLG says 19-year-old Miya Marcano’s body was found in October bound with duct tape near a dilapidated apartment complex following a massive week-long search.
The body was “nearly completely skeletonized” when found, according to the report, and black duct tape was found around her neck, wrists and ankles.
Orange-Osceola Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany said he was unable to examine Marcano’s body for particular injuries because she was in an advanced state of decomposition.
WPLG reports Orange County Sheriff John Mina said detectives identified Armando Caballero, a maintenance worker at the apartment complex where Marcano lived, as her killer. He is believed to have dumped her body in the outdoor area of another apartment complex.
However, detectives never got the chance to interrogate Caballero. He died by suicide on Sept. 27 in Seminole County, authorities say.
WPLG says Stephany reported Marcano had been subjected to "some type of assault" and the duct tape found around her neck could possibly have been covering her nose or mouth.
In November, Florida Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) filed a bill called "Miya's Law," in honor of the slain college student. The bill plans to improve tenant safety in apartment buildings.
If passed, the bill will require landlords to perform background screenings for all apartment complex employees. The background check would include "a national screening of criminal history records and sexual predator and sexual offender registries," along with specifically including "criminal offenses involving violence or a disregard for the safety of others."
Marcano's family has also launched the Miya Marcano Foundation which says its mission is "to support, educate and provide resources to families of missing persons while advocating for the protection of students and our most vulnerable population."
10 Tampa Bay's Claire Farrow contributed to this report.