Sanford mother of 2, boyfriend fatally shot after disappearance, sheriff says

SANFORD, Fla. – Authorities have identified the body found Tuesday as that of Tiffany Church, a 35-year-old Sanford woman who was reported missing along with her boyfriend, according to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the sheriff’s office, both deputies and officers with the Sanford Police Department responded to the report of a body that had been found Tuesday afternoon near 25th Street and Sanford Avenue.

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On Wednesday, officials identified Church as the victim. Church and her boyfriend, 26-year-old Trodarius Rainey, were reported missing on Jan. 1. Rainy’s body was discovered in Lake Jesup Park Saturday. He was discovered by a person walking his dog, according to the sheriff.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Church and Rainey had not been seen since Dec. 30. Their car, a black Toyota Camry, was located in Sanford with a bullet hole in it on Dec. 31.

Sheriff Dennis Lemma said both victims were shot. Rainey was shot multiple times.

Based on the evidence, investigators believe that the people who did this to the victims knew them. The sheriff said detectives are honing in on persons of interest but not ready to name them yet.

Lemma said Church and Rainey were last seen Dec. 30 at a gas station then were unreachable by family and friends.

“They almost went off the radar and off the grid, maybe an hour or two just just after that their phones were no longer receiving telephone calls from family or friends,” Lemma said.

The sheriff said it’s unclear where both victims were killed but it appears Rainey was shot and his body was moved to where he was discovered.

Lemma said investigators are working to determine what happened leading up to the couple’s slaying.

Church was a mother of two.

“Nobody deserves to die and be found on the side of the road for anything,” Lemma said. “So what I want to do is to do all that I can and all our team can to compel people who know information about what happened here to report that.”

Anonymous tipsters can be eligible for up to $5,000 for help leading to an arrest by calling 800-423-TIPS or going online to Crimeline.org.