Posted on 06/10/2023 1:25:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A man wanted in the 1984 killing of a Florida woman has been arrested in California nearly four decades later, authorities said Thursday.
Detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office were traveling to San Diego County to interview Donald Michael Santini, who was being held in jail following his arrest Wednesday, the sheriff's office said in a statement.
crop-wood.jpg Cynthia Ruth Wood HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Santini had been on the run since June 1984, when Florida authorities obtained an arrest warrant linking him to the strangling death of 33-year-old Cynthia Ruth Wood of Bradenton, located south of Tampa.
Wood's body was found in a drainage ditch about five days after she went missing on June 6 of that year, according to the sheriff's office.
The arrest warrant said a medical examiner determined she had been strangled and Santini's fingerprints were found on her body, WFTS-TV reported. Authorities previously said Santini may have been living in Texas using an unknown identity.
A tip from the Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force led U.S. Marshals to Campo, in San Diego County, where they arrested Santini, KGTV reported.
"We are aware of this arrest and have sent detectives to interview Santini, while we await extradition," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "This arrest allows us to reexamine evidence collected in 1984 using the technology of today, as the case is now considered open once again."
Online jail records said Santini, 65, was arrested as a fugitive. He was scheduled to appear in court in San Diego County on Friday. Records had no listing of an attorney for Santini who could speak on his behalf.
Did Florida have a death penalty in 1984? It must be unusual for someone to be on the lam for 39 years and never be fingerprinted. I hope he was miserable and fearful all 39 years.
There is another long unsolved rape/murder of 14 year old Rachel Hurley in Jupiter. Her body was found in Carlin Park in 1990.
I don’t know what forensics are available from that case, but an arrest would be wonderful.
Yes, and they still do.
They may have even still been using “Old Sparky” back then.
I absolutely love the cold-case types of shows. So much work by such dedicated people to bring the perps to justice.
Glad her family can have some closure.
Ted Bundy got the chair, January 24, 1989.
I love these cold case guys who never give up!!! We’ve got so many criminals in this country these days catching them is like shootin’ ducks off a pond. The far-left has made my home a lawless country. Damn them all!
Gavin Newsom has release a press release that this proves people leave Florida for California.
Year I moved to Florida. Eileen Warnos female serial killer was around that same time. Biker friend of mine met her a few times
“This arrest allows us to reexamine evidence collected in 1984 using the technology of today, as the case is now considered open once again.”
The killer’s DNA was identified somewhere and tied him to this killing.
They cast Charlize Theron, a beautiful woman, to play Warmos. They used a lot of make-up to uglify Theron for the role.
I always wondered how many wanna be ugly dyke type actress were upset about that casting and said: HEY!!! I’m perfect for that part! and you will save a ton of money on make-up!!
. Theron though did do a great job. Scary movie.
We need more bounty hunters. Can’t count on government cops.
NOW - at arrest...
well if she was so ugly how did she make a living as a prostitute?.....
Last Execution was May 3, 2023. Between 1979 and 1999 45 prisoners were executed by electrocution. Between 2000 and last May, another 57 met delayed justice by lethal injection.
he's probably has a family, children, drawing social security perhaps.....he's been able to drink and eat and party.....
meanwhile, a family's precious daughter has been in the ground all this time...
no solace...
Recovering fingerprints from a body is rare.
My CSI mentor, Eddie Stone, developed the first successful technique in the mid 1970s. The perp outlived Eddie, but both died of suicide.
The killer’s DNA was identified somewhere and tied him to this killing.
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Article says the killer’s finger prints were on the body, lifting prints from human skin is relatively new. They only recently matched the prints.
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