Murder charge for man arrested in death investigation

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A man arrested on Monday, in the investigation into the murder of an Orlando woman, faces new charges related to her death.  

Rafael Gonzalez, 46, was taken into custody early Monday afternoon on a charge of destruction of evidence and was named a person of interest in the murder of Olivia Renee Diggs, 32.  Additional charges have been brought against Gonzalez, including first-degree murder and abuse of a dead human body 

Orlando police officers on Friday raided a home where Gonzalez lives.  The home, at 512 Dorado Ave., is about a mile east of Lake Underhill, where the dismembered body of Diggs was discovered on August 22.

The victim's phone records led detectives to Gonzalez, authorities said during a news conference on Monday.  

"The evidence was, at this point, insurmountable as to leading to his involvement in the case," said OPD Det. Pete Cadiz, during a news conference on Monday. "The room that he was living in led us to quite a bit of evidence connecting him to Olivia."

Det. Cadiz said some of the evidence collected appeared to be blood from the victim.  That was sent to to crime labs at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which investigators said confirmed a DNA match to Diggs.

The relationship between Diggs and Gonzalez was described as "casual."  Investigators said the two had recently met on a Lynx bus and exchanged phone numbers.  

Billy Diggs says he wants justice for his sister, adding that it's hard not to feel anger towards her accused killer.

"I feel nothing but hatred right now for him, because I lost a best friend, I lost my sister," he said.  "You took someone from me that was really close.  You're gonna meet your maker one day."   He added that his sister struggled to fight a drug addiction and other issues.  "She was manic depressive, so a lot of times, she would snap at people mainly guys."

"I'm disgusted by it.   I can't imagine what she went though that night, how bad it was for her. It must have been so horrible. I can't stand to think about it." said friend to Olivia Diggs, Susan Friel.  "She was a wonderful person. Very loving and caring.  She loved God and did everything for her children."

p"They loved their mom and she loved her kids," Billy Diggs said of his sister's three surving children.  

Investigators said there are no other individuals being sought in the this case.    A fund has been set up to raise money for Olivia's funeral and to help her children.  Click here for more information.