Miya Marcano: One year since Orlando college student's murder
Miya Marcano: One year since Orlando college student's murder
Friday marks one year since 19-year-old Miya Marcano was killed after disappearing from her Central Florida apartment complex. Since then, a foundation has been created in her name and legislation has passed to hopefully prevent this from ever happening again.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Friday marks one year since 19-year-old Miya Marcano was killed after disappearing from her Central Florida apartment complex. Since then, a foundation has been created in her name and legislation has passed to hopefully prevent this from ever happening again.
To keep Miya's memory alive, her family is inviting the public to light a candle and say a few words about the impact that Miya had on their lives during a day of remembrance. Her family says they made a vow to ensure that Miya’s legacy lives on through her foundation.
The 19-year-old college student disappeared from her Orlando apartment last September. She was found dead one week later.
The man accused in her disappearance and death was a maintenance worker at her complex who deputies say used a master key to enter Marcano's apartment the day she disappeared. 'Miya's Law' now restricts who can have those master keys and requires tenants be given 24-hours notice before a worker enters their apartment.
A foundation started in honor of Marcano also launched an apartment accreditation program to highlight complexes with safe practices in place.
"What happened to Miya was one of the worst tragedies ever and with this program, I somehow find peace or comfort knowing that we’ll be able to save another family, another person from what we are going through," her mother said.
Miya Marcano, 19, was reported missing after she did not board a scheduled flight from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021.
Marcano’s accused killer was found dead of an apparent suicide days before Miya’s body was found. Her family told investigators he made their daughter uncomfortable with messages and unwanted gifts.
The family of Miya is suing the apartment complex where she lived and worked for negligence. A review also found that two Orange County deputies on the investigation did not follow proper procedures in her disappearance.
The Miya Marcano remembrance event begins Friday night at 6 p.m. at the Arden Villas apartment complex.