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Background: The home in Riverview, Fla., where Hiojaira Mercedes Velez-Bonilla was allegedly murdered (WTVT). Insets (left to right): Andre Gerhardt and Giselle Santiago-Bonilla (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department).
Authorities have apprehended a third individual in connection with the 2025 murder of a Florida woman, following a recent plea by another suspect involved in the case.
In February, Giselle Santiago-Bonilla, aged 38, admitted guilt to charges including being an accessory after the fact, tampering with evidence and a witness, and illegally relocating a deceased body. These charges relate to the fatal stabbing of her cousin, 41-year-old Hiojaira Mercedes Velez-Bonilla. Reports from Law&Crime indicate that Velez-Bonilla was allegedly killed by Santiago-Bonilla’s partner, 43-year-old Arnaldo Cintron, during a dispute over financial responsibilities and domestic chores.
According to police statements, Velez-Bonilla’s partner, 30-year-old Elga Davis II, attempted to escape the scene, but Santiago-Bonilla allegedly prevented his departure. After Velez-Bonilla’s death, Davis was reportedly coerced by the couple into donning her wig and dress to help dispose of her body.
On February 26, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office revealed the arrest of a third suspect, 33-year-old Andre Gerhardt, linked to the crime. Gerhardt, previously identified only by the alias “Tarzan,” is accused of assisting Cintron and Santiago-Bonilla with disposing of Velez-Bonilla’s body. He faces charges of unlawfully moving a body, possessing a concealed weapon as a felon, being an accessory after the fact, and burglary.
In previous coverage by Law&Crime, Davis provided testimony at a pretrial hearing for Cintron, who is charged with first-degree murder, unlawful body movement, witness tampering, and evidence tampering. Davis recounted in court that Cintron and Santiago-Bonilla had warned him that he would be the next target if he refused to help clean up the crime scene.
After the three of them spent around four hours cleaning up the scene, Velez-Bonilla’s body was stuffed into a cardboard box that was wrapped in black mesh. Davis testified that he “just did as [he] was told” when he forced his girlfriend’s body to fit into the box.
Fearing for his life, he then complied with the demand by Cintron and Santiago-Bonilla to wear one of his dead girlfriend’s wigs and one of her long dresses while he drove them all and the body to the apartment of a man known as “Tarzan.”
Before formalizing her plea deal, Santiago-Bonilla identified Gerhardt as “Tarzan” and confirmed that he assisted in disposing of Velez-Bonilla’s body, according to court documents. Gerhardt told police after he was arrested on Feb. 24 that he assisted in helping Cintron, Santiago-Bonilla, and Davis remove the box containing the body from the car and drag it out into the mangroves. Police said he knew what was inside the box, and he admitted that he never contacted law enforcement.
Cintron remains in custody at the Falkenburg Road Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 18, the same day Gerhardt is scheduled to appear in court.
Santiago-Bonilla is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29.