Execution nears for man convicted in Miami Herald employee’s murder in Florida Keys

Published

11 months ago

April 2, 2025

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.”

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Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing

Published

9 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was named in a Florida court order that is connected to a robbery and kidnapping case. Court records show that the robbery and kidnapping were allegedly orchestrated by 23-year-old Boakai Hilton, by an associate of Arnold, in retaliation for two robberies that happened at an Airbnb Arnold was renting in Largo.

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Florida

Video: Injured Florida manatee rescued by authorities, receiving medical care at ZooTampa

Published

21 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Video: Injured Florida manatee rescued by authorities, receiving medical care at ZooTampa

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.

FloridaManateesZooTampa

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Florida

Cuba says 4 killed after speedboat from Florida opened fire in Cuban waters

Published

2 days ago

February 25, 2026

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Cuba says 4 killed after speedboat from Florida opened fire in Cuban waters

HAVANA (Reuters) – Four people were killed and seven others were wounded on Feb. 25 after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban forces, who returned fire, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said.

All four dead were aboard the Florida-based speedboat, and another six were injured, Cuba said. In addition, the Cuban commander of border patrol boat was wounded, Cuba said.

The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.

The incident took place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the Communist-run government. American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.

“Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region,” the Cuban statement said.

Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana.

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