Murder charge in case of long-missing Fla. woman

DORAL, Fla. -- A South Florida man has reportedly been arrested and charged with murdering his one-time romantic partner, Larisa Macriello, though her body has never been found, reports CBS Miami. She vanished more than a year ago.

Miami-Dade police arrested John Paul Garcia, 45, on Thursday afternoon on a charge of first degree murder in the death of the 44-year-old Macriello, reports CBS Miami.

Garcia was denied bond Friday. Investigators pointed to suspicious transfers of thousands in cash from the missing woman into Garcia's account.

Macriello was reported missing June 18, 2013, by her brother, Roderick Mokillo. Mokillo said he hadn't heard from her since June 3 of last year, which he told police was uncharacteristic of his sister. She was last seen in Miami, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

According to an arrest warrant, Mokillo said he had noticed some suspicious activity on his sister's bank account.

"On June 5, 2013, there was an online transfer in the amount of $20,000 from the victim's savings account to her checking account. On that same date, there was a check written in the amount of $20,000 from the victim's checking account to the defendant," the warrant states.

Five days later, another $20,000 check was deposited into Garcia's account from Macriello's, reports the station. The warrant alleges Garcia was caught by a surveillance camera on June 12, 2013, withdrawing $500 out of an ATM from Macriello's account and driving her car.

Cell phone tower records showed Macriello's phone near Garcia's phone in the days after she vanished, reports CBS Miami. The woman's landlord told police Macriello's car was not in the driveway when she last saw her June 3, 2013, but that she noticed it parked there again two weeks later - washed and detailed.

Garcia was arrested Thursday after he reported to police voluntarily and gave several conflicting statements, reports the station.

Investigators said Macriello is presumed dead, though her body hasn't been found. Garcia's attorney Scott Saul said there's no evidence to prove her death.

"There is no proof first of all that she is deceased, and there's certainly no indication there of how she died or that he committed any violent offense," Saul said.