Who was Miya Marcano and how did she die? ID's On the Case with Paula Zahn explores disappearance and killing

ID's latest episode will focus on the tragic homicide of Miya Marcano (Image via Twitter/@complex)
ID's latest episode will focus on the tragic homicide of Miya Marcano (Image via Twitter/@complex)

Miya Marcano's mysterious disappearance from her home in Florida did not raise many eyebrows initially. It was considered to be just another random person missing. However, the event was thrown into question when Miya's body was discovered eight days after she mysteriously disappeared.

On The Case With Paula Zahn: Where Is Miya explores the horrific homicide in explicit detail and focuses on how investigators left no stone unturned in their investigation to find Miya. The true-crime episode will premiere on Investigation Discovery on May 15, 2022.

As per the official synopsis of the ID episode:

"A college student disappears, and her family launches a desperate investigation to find her; what they discover changes their lives forever."

All about Miya Marcano and her mysterious disappearance

Miya Marcano was 19 years old when she lived in an apartment complex in Orlando, Florida. Family and friends characterized Miya as a vivacious and kindhearted person who enjoyed life and befriended new people.

Being a student at Valencia College, she was highly appraised by her classmates for her academic pursuits. Yet everything changed on the day Miya Marcano was last seen on September 24, 2021, at her Orlando residence.

She was set to travel to Fort Lauderdale that evening to visit her family. However, she did not board the flight, and her friends became increasingly worried as they were unable to contact her via text or phone.

A handful of Miya's friends went inside her flat, fearing the worst, and were taken aback to find everything in chaos. The situation indicated that a struggle had occurred, and because Miya was nowhere to be seen, they promptly reported her missing to the police.

When detectives discovered Miya's mutilated body on October 2, 2021, they concentrated their search around the Tymber Skan apartment complex in Orlando. The police said they were led to the area after receiving a tip, around 17 to 18 kilometers from Miya's home.

Authorities noticed that the victim's wrists and feet were bound with duct tape when the body was recognized as Miya's, indicating an abduction. Even though her mouth was taped shut, detectives found no evidence of a sexual assault.

However, due to the level of decomposition that Mia's corpse had already gone through, an autopsy could not confirm the exact cause of death, therefore being ruled a homicide.

Police learned from numerous sources that Armando Manuel Caballero, a maintenance guy at Miya's flat, had exhibited a romantic interest in the victim. Miya, on the other hand, was uninterested and had previously rejected his approach, as reported by her friends.

Despite being severely interrogated, Armando remained adamant about his innocence, saying that he didn't know Mia closely or was related to her death. He even said that he last saw her at about 3 PM at her apartment complex when she mysteriously disappeared.

In a tragic change of events, Armando reportedly committed suicide on September 27, 2021, effectively ending the investigation. Armando remains the only suspect in the case, and authorities believe he is guilty of Miya's murder.

Miya's loved ones have moved past the tragic incident and kept her memory alive by establishing the Miya Marcano Foundation, which assists families of individuals who have gone missing.

Don't forget to watch On The Case With Paula Zahn: Where Is Miya on Investigation Discovery on May 15, 2022.

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Edited by Yasho Amonkar