A Florida man has been arrested in connection to the 2016 cold-case disappearance of his secret ex-girlfriend and their 8-year-old love child.
Gustavo Castaño Restrepo, the prime suspect in the case, was charged with two counts of kidnapping resulting in the deaths of Liliana Moreno, 43, and their daughter, Daniela Moreno. Local 10 News reported.
Liliana’s brother, Eduardo, expressed shock at the arrest after eight years of not hearing anything from them.
According to the indictment, obtained by WSVN, Restrepo allegedly abducted the mother and daughter on May 30, 2016, concealing the fact that he was the girl’s father from his wife and family.
The disappearance of Moreno and her daughter near a Home Depot in Hialeah Gardens made national headlines.
Restrepo claimed he had a fight with Moreno and her daughter, kicking them out of his car along the turnpike.
Police suspected foul play and identified Restrepo as a person of interest after he was found stabbing himself in a parking lot. He lost an eye after being tased by officers during the incident.
Investigators gathered evidence from a warehouse used by Restrepo in the days following the disappearance, leading to his arrest.
If convicted, Restrepo could face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.
A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for Nov. 1 in Miami.
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to the discovery of Moreno and her daughter’s whereabouts.
