Case overview
Miya Marcano, a 19-year-old college student living at the Arden Villas apartments in Orlando, Florida, was reported missing on September 24, 2021, after she failed to board a flight to Fort Lauderdale and missed scheduled work shifts. Her body was discovered six days later near the Tymber Skan apartments in Orange County, bound with duct tape. Armando Manuel Caballero, a maintenance worker at Arden Villas who had repeatedly expressed unwanted romantic interest in Marcano, was found dead from an apparent suicide before investigators could question him.
The last known movements
Marcano was last seen on the afternoon of September 24, 2021, finishing a shift at the Arden Villas leasing office where she worked. She had planned to fly to Fort Lauderdale that evening to visit family. When she did not arrive at the airport and failed to respond to calls or messages, her family contacted law enforcement.
Investigators identified inconsistencies early. Marcano’s apartment showed no signs of forced entry, but her personal belongings, including her phone and purse, were left behind. Surveillance footage and key-card access logs became central to the timeline.
The maintenance access
Armando Caballero, 27, worked as a maintenance technician at Arden Villas and had access to master keys for resident units. According to investigators, Caballero had expressed unwanted romantic interest in Marcano on multiple occasions. She had rebuffed his advances, and colleagues reported that she complained about his behavior in the weeks before her disappearance.
Records showed that Caballero used a master key to enter Marcano’s apartment at approximately 4:30 p.m. on September 24, roughly 30 minutes before she was believed to have finished her shift. Investigators stated that this entry was unauthorized and unrelated to any maintenance request. Caballero’s vehicle was later observed on surveillance cameras leaving the apartment complex shortly after the time Marcano was expected to return home.
The search and discovery
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office launched an immediate search, issuing public alerts and deploying air and ground units. Caballero was named a person of interest within 24 hours. On September 27, three days after Marcano was reported missing, Caballero was found dead in his apartment at the Sabal Club Apartments in Seminole County. His death was ruled a suicide.
On September 30, Marcano’s body was located near the Tymber Skan apartments, another property where Caballero had previously worked. Her hands and feet were bound with duct tape. The medical examiner later ruled her death a homicide, though the specific cause of death was not publicly detailed in initial reports.
What investigators emphasized
Law enforcement focused on Caballero’s pattern of behavior and access. Sheriff John Mina stated that investigators believed Caballero acted alone and that Marcano had been targeted. The use of a master key to enter her apartment without authorization became a focal point in discussions about security protocols at residential complexes where maintenance staff hold broad access privileges.
Detectives examined Caballero’s work history, communications, and movements in the hours following Marcano’s disappearance. Evidence indicated he had researched methods of restraint and disposal in the days leading up to September 24. His phone records and vehicle GPS data placed him in the area where Marcano’s body was later found.
The civil litigation
In the months following Marcano’s death, her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the companies managing Arden Villas and Tymber Skan, as well as the entities responsible for hiring and supervising Caballero. The complaint alleged negligence in employee screening, failure to act on complaints about Caballero’s conduct, and inadequate security measures that allowed unauthorized apartment access.
The lawsuit highlighted prior complaints about Caballero from other residents and employees, asserting that management had been made aware of troubling behavior but took no formal disciplinary or investigative action. The case raised broader questions about liability when employees with building access commit violent crimes against residents.
A settlement was reached in 2023. Terms were not disclosed, but the agreement included changes to access protocols and employee monitoring practices at properties managed by the defendants.
The legislative response
Marcano’s death prompted legislative attention in Florida. In 2022, lawmakers introduced measures designed to increase protections for apartment residents, particularly regarding maintenance access. Proposals included mandatory background checks for employees with master key access, stricter logging and auditing of apartment entries, and requirements that property managers respond to harassment complaints within defined timeframes.
Miya’s Law, named in her memory, was signed into law in 2023. The statute requires Florida residential properties to implement enhanced access controls, conduct routine audits of key use, and establish formal procedures for residents to report unwanted contact or concerning behavior by staff members. Violations carry penalties for property management companies and can result in regulatory action by the state.
The unresolved question
While investigators concluded that Caballero was responsible for Marcano’s death, his suicide closed the possibility of a criminal trial and left portions of the timeline undocumented. The exact sequence of events inside the apartment, the duration of the encounter, and whether Marcano was taken elsewhere before being transported to the disposal site remain matters of interpretation based on forensic evidence and digital records.
No additional suspects have been identified. The case is considered closed by law enforcement, though the family has continued to advocate for systemic changes in residential housing management and employee oversight.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “The Miya Marcano Story” (Investigation Discovery)
- Podcast: “Crime Junkie” (Audiochuck)
- Podcast: “True Crime Garage”
