The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two suspects in connection with the death of Hiojaira Velez Bonilla, whose body was discovered in the Weedon Island Nature Preserve.
According to deputies, 42-year-old Arnaldo Cintron stabbed Bonilla during a dispute at a home on Maybrook Avenue in Riverview. Giselle Bonilla, 37, assisted Cintron in disposing of the victim’s body in the nature preserve, authorities said.
Both suspects were taken into custody Monday at the 10000 block of Parsons Street. The investigation began last Friday evening after a man reported to deputies that he knew the location of a body in Pinellas County and that evidence related to the case had been spread across various sites in Hillsborough County.
Sheriff Chad Chronister called the case “a brutal act of violence followed by a callous attempt to cover it up,” stressing that those responsible will face the full extent of the law.
Cintron and Giselle Bonilla appeared in court Tuesday. Cintron was denied bond and will have a pre-trial detention hearing Monday at 10 a.m. Giselle Bonilla’s defense requested a reduced bond citing her strong community ties and employment, but the judge set her bail at $200,000 due to concerns over community risk and case circumstances. She was also ordered to have no contact with the Riverview residence or witnesses.
Cintron faces charges including second-degree murder with a weapon, unlawful handling of a dead body, tampering with physical evidence, and tampering with a witness. Giselle Bonilla is charged with tampering with physical evidence, unlawful handling of a dead body, tampering with a witness, and accessory after the fact.
The investigation remains active as authorities continue gathering evidence.
