SANFORD, Fla. – Friday, a judge denied bond for a man arrested in Seminole County who is accused of murdering his girlfriend.
Joel Bauza, 50, faced a judge at the jail the day after he was booked on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Joysee Cartagena.
Police said they were called to the couple’s home along Saltmarsh Loop on July 17 where Cartagena was found dead with a zip tie around her neck.
An arrest affidavit for Bauza reveals he was the one who called 911 and told investigators that he returned from work to find her on the bedroom floor.
Sanford Police say their detectives spent weeks on their investigation to solve this case after Bauza pushed investigators to believe Cartagena’s death was a suicide.
“Our investigators did put in a lot of work, around the clock, and also with the medical examiner, to get justice for this case,” said Tammy Townsend, a spokesperson with the Sanford Police Department.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Police said the autopsy ruled Cartagena’s cause of death as manual strangulation, with the manner of death being a homicide.
Court documents released after Bauza’s arrest reveal a possible motive for the murder. Friends and family told investigators the relationship between Bauza and Cartagena was failing over financial issues and infidelity, and they did not believe she would take her own life.
Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith released a statement about the case:
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. We are saddened that Bauza’s actions took her from loved ones so prematurely. We hope he will now receive the justice he deserves.
Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith
Bauza faces a charge of first-degree murder and is being held without bond at the jail in Seminole County. His next court date is Oct. 10, 2023.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: