By james art HIALEAH GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) – The FBI has arrested a Miami man in connection with the 2016 disappearance of a Doral mother and her young daughter, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Gustavo Alfonso Castano Restrepo, 55, appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon on charges of kidnapping resulting in death.
According to an unsealed indictment, Restrepo allegedly kidnapped Liliana Moreno and her 9-year-old daughter, Daniela, on May 30, 2016, in Miami-Dade County.
The case, which gained national attention, began when Moreno and her daughter were last seen near the Home Depot in Hialeah Gardens. Authorities said Restrepo’s alleged actions ultimately led to the deaths of Moreno and her daughter.
In the years since their disappearance, Moreno’s family has repeatedly pleaded for answers and urged the public to come forward with any information.
Restrepo, who was initially listed as a person of interest, reportedly told family members he had gotten into an argument with Moreno and her daughter before kicking them out of his car on the Okeechobee Road freeway.
Police later suspected foul play and named Restrepo as a person of interest after he was found stabbing himself in a Hialeah Gardens parking lot. During the clash, he lost his eye after being hit by police officers.
Investigators collected evidence from a warehouse used by Restrepo days after the couple disappeared, but no charges were filed until this recent arrest.
If convicted, Restrepo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison and could face the death penalty.
A preliminary arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 1 in Miami.
A reward of up to $25,000 remains available for information leading to the whereabouts of Moreno and her daughter.
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