FBI is reaching out to law enforcement on Miya Marcano’s disappearance, Florida Rep. says
Miya Marcano, 19, was reported missing after she did not board a scheduled flight from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The FBI has reached out to law enforcement in Central Florida in regards to the disappearance of Miya Marcano, a Florida Representative confirmed on Thursday.
Law enforcement said that the last time 19-year-old Miya Marcano was seen was Friday, September 24th, at the Arden Villas apartments in Orlando. The person of interest in her disappearance, 27-year-old Armando Manuel Caballero, was found dead from an apparent suicide on Monday.
Florida Representative Darren Soto spoke out on Miya’s disappearance on Thursday, stating that "The Marcano Family is right. The FBI should assist in the search for Miya Marcano. She could have been brought across state lines, so it’s key to have their support in the investigation. We will make a request this morning."
He later confirmed that the FBI reached out to him and said that they are "reaching out to our local field office regarding the Miya Marcano case today."
Orange County Sheriff John Mina also gave an update on Thursday, discussing their efforts to find Miya.
RELATED: Miya Marcano: Timeline of her disappearance as search expands
He explained that law enforcement is working around the clock. 60 detectives are working exclusively on this case alone. 30 searches over three different counties have been completed since Miya was reported missing.
"I want to assure everyone that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is deploying all possible resources to find Miya," Sheriff Mina said. "We are going to find Miya."
The Sheriff said that he believes that Caballero is responsible for her disappearance but that law enforcement does not know the circumstances involved. They do not believe there is another person involved.
Miya’s family spoke shortly after Sheriff Mina as well.
RELATED: Miya Marcano: Person of interest's cell phone pinged in New Smyrna, family says
FOX 35 learned on Thursday that the cell phone of Caballero pinged in New Smyrna following Miya’s disappearance. Some of the other locations searched include Arden Villas, Blanchard Park, and the Sabal Club apartments.
While exhausted, Miya’s family is not going up hope that they will find her. Search efforts from law enforcement on Thursday are moving from the woods in Orange County to the waters of Seminole County.
Caballero was a maintenance person at the Arden Villas Apartments, where he had worked since June, according to investigators. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Marcano lives and works at the apartment complex too. He explained that it appears that Caballero might have developed a romantic interest in Marcano but she wasn't interested in that way.
"He had demonstrated a romantic interest in Miya. This was repeatedly rebuffed by Miya," the Sheriff said.
On the day she was last seen, Sheriff Mina said that someone entered Miya’s room about 30 monies before her shift ended using a master key, which Caballero was known to have. On Tuesday, her cousin described a necklace that Miya always wears that was found broken on the ground in her bedroom.
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Miya had reportedly told friends that Caballero had been texting her excessively and she asked him to stop. After stopping, he apparently started back up again.
"She did tell them that he made her feel uncomfortable," her cousin previously explained.
Miya was supposed to fly to Fort Lauderdale from Orlando but never boarded the plane.
Deputies spent all weekend trying to track down Caballero. Seminole County deputies eventually found him dead at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning outside some apartments on Sabal Lake Drive in Longwood.
RELATED: Miya Marcano case: New video shows what appears to be man carrying Miya’s blanket
A new video surfaced on Wednesday showing a man who appears to match the description of the person of interest in the disappearance of Miya Marcano carrying some of her belongings, her family said. The people who recorded the video said the man is believed to be Caballero and he is seen getting out of his car carrying a blanket and bag.
Search for Miya Marcano: New video surfaces in missing woman's case
The family of Miya Marcano is holding out hope that the missing Orlando teenager will be found alive. As the search for the 19-year-old continued on Wednesday, a new video surfaced which could be of the person of interest in her disappearance, Armando Caballero.
Miya's family said the video was shot the same morning her aunt had a chilling encounter with Caballero.
"He said ‘are you looking for Miya?’ I said ‘who are you?’ He said ‘I’m the maintenance guy. I hear you’re looking for me,’" she said.
Commenting on the video, the aunt said "If you saw that video, you saw Miya’s blanket, how would you react?"
Law enforcement and Miya’s family continue to search for Miya with hopes of bringing her home.
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