Slain college student Miya Marcano was remembered as fun, loving, and as someone who had a bright future as hundreds attended her wake Wednesday in South Florida.
Marcano's wake took place at the Cooper City Church of God. A memorial service at the same location is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday.
MIYA MARCANO CASE
On Thursday, the funeral procession is expected to leave the Church of God and travel to Bailey Memorial Gardens in North Lauderdale.
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Before Wednesday's wake, flowers and photos of Marcano adorned the inside of the church.
"She loved blue butterflies so it was just important that we made this.. this is not supposed to be a sad moment. Miya’s mom wants this to be a celebration," family spokesperson Jodi Lewis said. "You’re going to learn a lot about who she was as a person, as a young woman, the things she wanted to do with her future."
The body of the 19-year-old was found earlier this month in Orlando following a week-long search.
Authorities said Marcano vanished on the same day a maintenance man improperly used a master key fob to enter her apartment. Her family reported her missing after she missed a flight home to South Florida on Sept. 24.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina previously said Armando Caballero, a maintenance worker at the apartment complex where Marcano lived and worked, is considered the "prime suspect." Caballero, 27, apparently killed himself; his body was found three days after Marcano was last seen.
Marcano had repeatedly "rebuffed" romantic advances by Caballero. Detectives spoke to Caballero after the Valencia College student was reported missing, but had no evidence to detain him at that time. They obtained a warrant for his arrest after learning he had entered her apartment before she disappeared. His body was then found inside a garage.
Marcano graduated from Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines last year, and was attending Valencia College.
