Florida
Execution nears for man convicted in Miami Herald employee’s murder in Florida Keys
MIAMI – Nearly 25 years after Janet Acosta, a beloved Miami Herald employee, was kidnapped and killed, her convicted murderer, Michael Tanzi, is scheduled to be executed in less than a week.
Acosta, 49, was on a lunch break in April 2000, reading in her van in Miami, when authorities said Tanzi, 48, forced his way inside.
Investigators say he punched her, pushed her aside, and drove off, taking her south into the Florida Keys.
Along the way, they said he tied her up, withdrew money using her bank card, and ultimately strangled her.
Frank Zamora, a retired Key West detective and now an investigator with the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office, was one of the officers who tracked Tanzi down.
Detectives said they initially began their search in downtown Miami, but it was in Key West where they finally caught up with Tanzi.
“Detectives started looking downtown,” Zamora recalled when speaking to Local 10’s Janine Stanwood on Wednesday. “Tanzi shows up — we approach him.”
Acosta’s van was later spotted on Duval Street in Key West, abandoned in a bustling area filled with tourists and locals.
When officers confronted Tanzi, he quickly confessed. He then led investigators to Cudjoe Key, where they said he had taken Acosta’s life.
“He went up to her, punched her in the face, pushed her over — got in the car and took off,” Zamora said.
Investigators retraced the events leading to Acosta’s death, visiting the site where her body was dumped.
“Here’s the area where he ended up dumping her body,” Zamora said while looking at the location once more. “Somewhere right in here. It’s been a long time.”
Tanzi was convicted and sentenced to death for the crime.
Now, with his execution scheduled on Tuesday, Zamora believes justice is being served.
“He’s going to pay for what he did — killed this woman, tortured her — and now he’s going to pay the price.”
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Video: Bill Clinton Says He ‘Did Nothing Wrong’ in House Epstein Inquiry
The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism
Video: Prada Peels Back the Layers at Milan Fashion Week
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth designates Anthropic a supply chain risk
UN Human Rights Council chief cuts off speaker criticizing US-sanctioned official
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
ICE blasts Washington mayor over directive restricting immigration enforcement
Did the EU bypass Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s €90 billion loan?
How the federal government is painting immigrants as criminals on social media
Where Iran’s ballistic missiles can reach — and how close they are to the US
Has India’s influence in Afghanistan grown under the Taliban?
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Oklahoma1 week agoWildfires rage in Oklahoma as thousands urged to evacuate a small city
-
Denver, CO2 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology7 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology7 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making