A Florida man who had been evading authorities for almost 40 years in connection with a 1984 murder has been apprehended in California and extradited back to Florida, as reported by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Florida man arrested
On Wednesday, June 7, Donald Michael Santini was arrested by authorities in San Diego, California in relation to the murder of Cynthia Ruth, according to Fox News.
Cynthia Ruth Wood was 33 years old when she was tragically strangled to death, and her body was found in a water-filled drainage ditch in June 1984. The arrest of the accused murderer finally occurred nearly 40 years later, with the suspect now in police custody, according to Law and Crime.
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Donald Michael Santini Arrested on West Coast as Florida Man in Connection with Unsolved Murder from 1984 (Source: NY Post).
Santini was the last known person seen with Wood before her body was discovered strangled and abandoned in a canal. Upon being identified as a suspect, Santini fled the county, according to the news release.
After nearly four decades on the run, Santini was located in San Diego earlier this month and subsequently captured under a false identity. The arrest brings closure to a longstanding cold case, providing justice for Cynthia Wood and her family, stated Sheriff Chad Chronister in the release. The sheriff also acknowledged the relentless efforts, resources, and expertise invested in pursuing justice for Cynthia Wood over the years, according to CNN News.
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