Orlando

Emotional Vigil Held for Miya Marcano After Body Found Believed to Be Hers

A purse with her identification and belongings were found with the body, authorities said

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A final vigil for Miya Marcano was held just hours after the Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced they found a body they believed to be Miya’s. 

Marcano’s family says they’re finally able to have some closure after more than a week of searching.

“Wherever you are, remember that we always love you and we will never, ever forget you,” Miya’s grandmother, Violet Delville said.

It was an emotional vigil held outside Marcano’s Orlando apartment.

“Devastated. Broken,” Marcano’s cousin Caili Sue said. “I can’t even put into words how we’re feeling as a family. I feel defeated, I failed my cousin and I don’t know how we’re going to get through this.”

Investigators were led to the Timber Skan apartment complex in Orlando Saturday just before 11 a.m., where they discovered remains during their search behind the building.

A body sheriffs believe to be Miya Marcano's was found by the Timber Skan Apartment Complex in Orlando where, Armando Caballero, the main suspect who took his own life, used to live. NBC 6's Julie Leonardi reports.

Phone records show Armando Caballero was there around 8 p.m. last Friday, the day Miya went missing.

Marcano’s family was heading to New Smyrna to search when they found out.

“Today when we were just going on a big search when we were called back and gave us this devastating news,” Delville said.

The family is grieving after a week of pain and suffering. Miya’s parents were too upset to be at the final vigil.

“Her life was cut short. She was 19 years old. She had the whole rest of her life ahead of her,” Sue said.

Miya’s grandmother says this is closure, but certainly not the outcome they prayed for.

“Miya, we found you. It’s not what we really wanted but I want you to know that we will always love you and we will continue to keep you in our hearts and we’ll never forget what you meant to us,” Delville said.

It’s unclear when the family will return to South Florida. Miya’s cousin says his father won’t leave here without her.

At news conference Saturday, Sheriff John Mina said what they believe to be Marcano’s body was found in a wooded area in the area of Tymber Skan on the Lake Condominiums in Orlando at approximately 10:45 a.m.

A purse with her identification and belongings were found with the body, Mina said.

The man identified as the prime suspect, Armando Cabellero, 27, was found dead of an apparent suicide Monday.

Police said Cabellero had previously lived at the Tymber Skan apartments.

At a news conference earlier this week, the sheriff said that Marcano had repeatedly “rebuffed” romantic advances by Caballero. Detectives spoke to Caballero after Marcano was reported missing, but had no evidence to detain him at that time. They obtained a warrant for his arrest after learning that he had entered her apartment before she disappeared. His body was then found inside a garage.

Police are still searching for keys and cell phones as they continue to investigate this case.

Marcano, a Valencia College student, was last seen just before 5 p.m. September 24th; her family reported her missing after she missed a flight home to South Florida that evening.

A memorial service will be held Sunday in the British Virgin Islands where Marcano's mother is from.


If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. 

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