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Miya Marcano's Family Releases Video Of Suspect Hours After Her Disappearance And Criticizes Investigation

ORLANDO (CBSMiami) – The law firm working with the family of Miya Marcano released video on Wednesday showing an encounter with Armando Caballero, the man who investigators believe is responsible for the 19-year-old South Florida woman's death in Orlando.

In addition, the Orange County medical examiner released its report on Tuesday. While it doesn't say how Marcano died, the family attorney revealed her mouth, wrists and ankles were taped when her body was found.

The cellphone video, shot by one Marcano's relatives, was released by the Washington Law Firm which shows her family members interacting with Caballero and the Orange County Sheriff Department around 3:45 a.m. Saturday Sept. 25, one day after the South Florida native was last seen alive.

The family said Caballero arrived in front of Marcano's apartment and asked Marcano's aunt, "Are you looking for Miya?"

The video shows Caballero, who was a maintenance worker at Arden Villas where Marcano lived and worked, talking to an Orange County deputy while standing next to his car.

During the conversation with the deputy, Caballero says he came to the complex after learning of her disappearance from a co-worker.

The family thought it was suspicious he was there and said he was obsessed with Miya.

WATCH: Miya Marcano's Family Releases Video Of Interaction With Suspect Armando Caballero

 

"You have sent obsessive texts to Miya," one family member says in the video. "We have all seen the texts. You talked about giving her your life savings. You Cash App'ed her money and you claim that you weren't in touch."

He replied defensively, "I never said that."

The family member countered, "There is evidence of obsession or something.  You are fascinated with Miya," she said.

"It's not only from my side," Caballero said. "So, don't try to make this like I'm a stalker."

The family fired back, "Nobody's beating you up."

"If I'm guilty, why would I come here?" Caballero asked.

"You put yourself in the middle right here. You brought yourself over here," responded an off-camera family member.

Caballero responded, "Because we're concerned."

"Why weren't you concerned hours ago?" the family member asked.

"I just found out," Caballero responded.

The video ends with Caballero getting back into his car.

The family then reported to the deputy, who was at the scene the entire time and witnessed the entire interaction, that a key fob had dropped out of Caballero's lap as he got out of the car, that he had Marcano's blanket and a black backpack in his car, and that the family had caught him in several lies regarding his encounters with Marcano.

Caballero was named a person of interest in the case and shortly thereafter, deputies said he committed suicide by hanging himself on September 27.

Miya Marcano
Miya Marcano (Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office)

Deputies said Caballero accessed her apartment using a master key and repeatedly made romantic advances towards her, which she turned down.

According to a statement from Jodi Lewis, a spokesperson for the family attorney Daryl Washington, her family asked for a welfare check when Marcano missed her flight home to Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 24.

During that welfare check, the deputy discovered Miya's door had a mini dresser that prevented access from the front of her bedroom door. The deputy had her roommate enter the room through her back window, according to the statement, which also said the deputy noticed the window had been tampered with.

The statement also said, "The deputy assisted the roommate with climbing through the back window into what was a crime scene without any gloves or protective gear. The deputy waited for the roommate to open the front door and found immediate signs of a struggle but did not consider it to be a crime scene. The deputy communicated to Miya's mother that based on the condition of the room, it appeared something happened, however the deputy left, and the family didn't hear back with any information about what the deputy intended to do."

The statement also claims the family got help from a security guard at Arden Villas when they arrived at 3:00 a.m. Sept. 25. That security guard, the statement said, attempted to give fingerprints lifted from Miya's window to an Orange County deputy but was told to keep them as he chuckled and said, "this isn't a high priority case."

The family also said they asked the apartment complex and the Orange County Sheriff's Office the following morning to review the Arden Villas security camera footage and key fob access, but the office manager refused and said police would need to request the footage and key fob information, which they hadn't yet done.

"What's more disappointing is that the deputy told the family that if they had not heard from their daughter by Tuesday, they would come out and view the cameras and read the key fob," the statement said.

In addition, it was discovered office management didn't know how to properly read the key fob and the family didn't know that Caballero had entered their daughter's apartment until that Sunday, according to the statement. That's the same day Caballero became a person of interest, and he was found dead the next day.

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