SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A 50-year-old man was arrested on Thursday after a woman was found strangled with a zip tie in July at her Sanford home, according to the police department.
Police announced that Joel Bauza had been arrested in Joysee Cartagena’s death. Bauza was the victim’s live-in boyfriend, according to investigators.
Police said they were called to a home along Saltmarsh Loop on July 17 after receiving calls about an unconscious woman.
According to first responders, the 49-year-old was found dead with a zip tie around her neck. Life-saving measures were attempted, but Cartagena ultimately died.
In a release, police said the autopsy ruled Cartagena’s cause of death as manual strangulation, with the manner of death being a homicide.
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Chief Cecil Smith added that Bauza had tried to make her death look like a suicide.
“It was clear Joysee didn’t take her own life. She was a radiant woman who made a positive impact on so many lives in this community,” Smith said in a statement. “We are saddened that Bauza’s actions took her from loved ones so prematurely. We hope he will now receive the justice he deserves.”
Earlier this month, Seminole County Public Schools told News 6 that Cartagena was an employee at the district from 2015 to 2022, including working as a secretary at
Bauza faces a charge of first-degree homicide in Cartagena’s death.
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477. Crimeline tips remain anonymous, and any tips that lead to solving homicides are eligible for cash rewards of up to $5,000.
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