Keoki Hilo Demich Florida handyman charged in murder of Cynthia Cole Jensen Beach missing woman after body found in septic tank.
A 34 year old Florida handyman has been charged with murder after the the body of a Jensen Beach woman was found inside her septic tank- a week after she was first reported missing.
Police began searching the tank for Cynthia Cole, 57, a few hours after arresting her handyman Keoki Hilo Demich on Friday night according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
After several hours of excavation, Cole’s body was discovered submerged in the cesspool, buried in her backyard in the 4500 block of NE Skyline Drive in Jensen Beach.
Cole, who went by Cyndi, had been last seen February 24 at a Jammin Jensen event according to WPBF News.
Demich had been hired by Cole to be her handyman for the last few years.
He was the only person investigators were suspicious of after she was reported missing.
‘He made several statements that we know are false so he was charged with second-degree murder,’ said Martin County Sheriff William Snyder during a press conference.
Snyder added that Ring cameras and security footage near Cole’s home show Demich exiting Cole’s car near Demich’s home in Stuart on the same night when Cole was last seen.
There were several other instances of cameras catching Demich near Cole’s vehicle, according to Snyder.
After several hours of digging, they eventually pulled Cole’s body out of the septic tank early Saturday morning.
‘I’ve been doing this 40 plus years. I’ve never seen anything like it,’ Snyder said.
Meanwhile, Snyder said detectives are still collecting evidence and added that Demich could face additional charges.
Evidence collected thus far suggests that Cole was likely murdered in her home before her body was placed in the septic tank.
The body has yet to be positively identified by the medical examiner’s office, however authorities say they have every reason to believe that they discovered Cole’s body.
Not immediately clear is why the worker killed his employer.
