Two people were apprehended in connection with a homicide investigation that involved a fatal stabbing in Central Florida and the disposal of the body off the Gandy Bridge near Tampa.
Detectives with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office discovered that 42-year-old Arnaldo Cintron fatally stabbed Hiojaira Velez Bonilla during an altercation. Giselle Santiago Bonilla, 37, assisted Cintron in disposing of her body near the Weedon Island Preserve below the Gandy Bridge.
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A man stepped into the local district office, claiming to have observed a homicide at a home on Maybrook Avenue that extended into Pinellas County. Local investigators conducted an urgent investigation, called St. Petersburg Police, and discovered the body on the Weedon Island Preserve off the Gandy Bridge. Simultaneously, detectives responded to the Maybrook Avenue home, where they discovered evidence of a crime.
Law enforcement obtained a warrant for Cintron and Giselle Bonilla’s arrest, and both individuals were apprehended on the 10000 block of Parsons Street.
Arnaldo Cintron was charged with second-degree murder with a weapon, unlawfully holding or moving a dead human body under unapproved conditions, tampering with physical evidence, and tampering with a witness.
Giselle Santiago Bonilla faces charges of tampering with physical evidence, unlawfully holding or moving a dead human body in unapproved conditions, tampering with a witness, and being an accessory after the fact.
“This was a brutal act of violence followed by a callous attempt to cover it up,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “No life should ever be taken in such a senseless manner, and no attempt to conceal a crime will shield those responsible from justice. Our detectives were relentless, ensuring both individuals were held accountable, and they will now face the full weight of the law.”
Local law enforcement reports that this is an ongoing inquiry.
