Missing Florida Woman Found in a Septic Tank; Handyman Eyed as Suspect for Murder

The missing Florida woman, identified as 57-year-old Cynthia Cole, was found murdered with her body discovered in the septic tank of her own home.

Officials are eyeing Keoki Hilo Demich, who did handyman work for the killed Florida woman, according to Law and Crime report.

Detectives spent hours excavating Cole's backyard and located the body submerged in the contents of the septic tanks about four feet underground.

Demich was arrested and was charged with second-degree murder shortly after finding the body, according to an ABC News report. Cole was reportedly last seen at a community music and arts event known as the Jammin' Jensen in Downtown Jensen Beach on February 24.

The investigation is still ongoing. The medical examiner's office still needs to make a positive identification. However, the sheriff's office investigators said that they have every reason to believe that the body belongs to Cole.

Deputies did not release any information on the suspected cause of death. In addition, they also did not suggest a motive.

Officials noted that they will update the community with additional information once it becomes available.

Cole's case was posted on Facebook by Martin County Sheriff's Office.

Online court records including probable cause affidavit or attorney information are currently unavailable for Demich. The sheriff's office also posted on March 3 an attempt to locate a missing person notice.

Cole was identified on a Facebook post to be 5'5 and weighing 117 pounds, with red hair and light-colored eyes. She was also seen to be wearing an orange shirt. She was reported to drive a 2015 Gray Jeep Cherokee with Florida tag DNF89.

Missing Persons Rate in Florida

There were 661,000 missing person cases reported in 2012, with more than 659,000 of them were resolved in a year.

Researchers noted that the number of missing person cases has declined over the past decade due to better communication that has made it easier to keep in touch with and track persons.

More than 17,000 missing person cases and 13,000 unidentified body cases remain open in the U.S.

Florida is the second state with the largest number of missing person at 1,252. California was at the top of the list with 2,133, according to a World Population Review report.

However, California's rate of missing person is fairly average at 5.4 missing person per 100,000 people.

Hernando County Sheriff's Office stated in an email that the office does not prioritize missing person cases as every "missing person case is high priority."

Spokesperson Denise Moloney added that each one of the county's missing person cases is investigated diligently and thoroughly by one of their highly trained Major Case detectives.

Dr. Erin Kimmerle is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida said that most long-term missing person cases are not investigated properly.

Kimmerle also leads a Forensic Institute that helps law enforcement agencies around the country solve cold and missing person cases.

National and Florida Crime Information Center shared that there are more than 1,500 people currently missing. Some of those missing people have been missing since the 1960s.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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