Suspect In Custody With Possible Connection To Teen Murder
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A suspect is being questioned after an hours-long search for him and a caller tip. Now, police are seemingly one step closer to finding who killed an 18-year-old girl and dumped her body. It may be the break the cops and Tiffany Cabreja's family were hoping for.
For hours a Miami-Dade Police helicopter circled and hovered over an area in southwest Miami-Dade near southwest 134th avenue and 216th street. The property owner at the center of the action said the man shown in custody is the man police wanted. He also told CBS4 his nickname was 'happy.'
"I know that he lives here but, informally. A couple of months I know that he lives here. A friend brought him to live and I allow him," The property owner said.
Cabreja's body was found Saturday dumped at a construction site. Witnesses report seeing the body fall out of a landscaping truck. Her father said he hasn't been able to sleep.
Domingo Cabreja, the 18-year-old's father, said "I'm happy that something's going on now. They've been working hard and I appreciate that they working hard."
Detectives haven't called Tiffany's father about the latest developments. But Cabreja is hopeful. Investigators seem to think they are on the right track.
Miami-Dade Detective Roy Rutland, said "Often people think that the investigation ends today. They think it ends today when we are looking at a subject and looking at a vehicle. The investigation now really begins. There is nothing more important time than this investigation now in this point in time."
Police got a break earlier today when somebody tipped them off about a man they were looking for who apparently returned to this nursery to change clothes. That move sparked a massive search using k-9's and a special response team.
"We've been following many tips since this began so I think the community understood the sensitivity as well as we did. We've been following tips for days now. I think this is a combination of tips that came in and good old fashion police work," said Detective Rutland.
Investigators believe they also have the landscaping truck connected with the crime, they are now processing the evidence. When witnesses reported Tiffany's body being dumped, they also said they saw a baby in the truck. Police confirm that child was located safe and unharmed.
