A Florida man accused of killing his lacking spouse allegedly despatched her identification paperwork and bank cards to a relative within the Philippines in an obvious try and make investigators imagine she was alive and residing overseas, authorities mentioned.
Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde has been indicted on a first-degree homicide cost in reference to the disappearance of his spouse, Maria Gaminde. Her household has had no verified contact along with her since January 2024.
Maria’s physique has not been recovered. Investigators searched the couple’s DeBary, Florida, house Tuesday after a neighbor reported seeing Gaminde finishing up in depth work behind the property across the time she vanished.
Maria’s relations reported her lacking in January 2024 after they might not attain her. A number of months later, in July, they instructed investigators they had been more and more troubled by textual content messages, emails and credit-card transactions that appeared to return from Maria whereas she was supposedly abroad.
Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde has been indicted on a first-degree homicide cost within the disappearance of his spouse, Maria Gaminde. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
“Maria’s household started contacting us and saying one thing was improper — with the textual content messages, emails and spending on her bank cards,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood mentioned at a information convention Tuesday.
Gaminde instructed investigators that the couple’s marriage had been troubled and claimed Maria had left for both the Philippines or Japan.
Detectives reviewed digital and forensic proof and spoke with neighbors as their focus more and more shifted towards Gaminde. Chitwood additionally mentioned investigators found that Gaminde had twice been arrested beforehand on domestic-violence allegations.
Maria Gaminde’s relations reported her lacking in 2024 after dropping contact along with her and later questioning messages and monetary transactions supposedly despatched from abroad. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
The case ultimately expanded past the US. The FBI assisted Volusia County investigators and prosecutors with worldwide authorized issues earlier than a detective and prosecutor traveled to the Philippines to interview Maria’s niece.
An investigator searches behind the Gamindes’ DeBary house. Maria Gaminde’s stays haven’t been discovered. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
Chitwood mentioned Maria’s niece offered further info that allowed the FBI to work with worldwide companions to acquire digital proof related to the case.
Based on the sheriff, Gaminde allegedly emailed his niece Maria’s key paperwork, together with her driver’s license and bank cards, and gave her directions about how you can deal with them. Investigators imagine the scheme was designed to make it seem that Maria was alive and deliberately staying away from her household, pals and police.
Authorities traced Maria’s final confirmed exercise to December 2023. Investigators decided that she and her kids entered Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on Dec. 16 after confirming that their fingerprints had been used to realize entry.
Volusia County investigators search the DeBary property the place Maria Gaminde lived along with her husband, who now faces a homicide cost. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
4 days later, Gaminde allegedly texted Maria asking the place she was. Her communications then ceased, adopted by messages supposedly despatched by her from abroad.
Investigators discovered no proof that Maria remained alive regardless of the messages and obvious exercise involving her accounts.
“There’s no monetary path. There’s nothing that may point out Maria is alive,” Chitwood mentioned.
Throughout Tuesday’s search, investigators focused on an space behind the house the place it appeared new concrete had been poured. Chitwood harassed that authorities didn’t know whether or not the search would uncover Maria’s stays.
Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde seems in body-camera footage. Authorities mentioned he was already in custody when a grand jury indicted him in his spouse’s dying. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
“We could get fortunate, or we could not,” Chitwood mentioned.
Prosecutors mentioned they intend to pursue the first-degree homicide case even when Maria’s physique isn’t discovered.
R.J. Larizza, the state lawyer for Florida’s seventh Judicial Circuit, mentioned the outcomes of Tuesday’s search wouldn’t have an effect on the state’s choice to prosecute Gaminde.
Investigators search the DeBary, Florida, property the place Maria Gaminde lived earlier than her husband was indicted on a first-degree homicide cost in her disappearance. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
“We’re absolutely ready to proceed and not using a physique,” Larizza mentioned. “I’ve full and whole confidence in our skill to prosecute this case.”
Gaminde was already jailed after being stopped for allegedly driving and not using a license when the grand jury returned the homicide indictment. He stays held with out bond on the Volusia County Department Jail and can be topic to an immigration detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The sheriff mentioned Gaminde and Maria moved to the US collectively round 2008 and had three younger sons. The youngsters had been with their father when he was taken into custody and have since been reunited with Maria’s relations.
Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde is proven in body-camera footage earlier than his arrest. He was later indicted on a first-degree homicide cost in his spouse’s disappearance. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Workplace)
Chitwood mentioned the youngsters had been prevented from seeing members of their mom’s household.
Gaminde has spoken with investigators a number of instances throughout the case, however authorities mentioned they don’t imagine his explanations.
“Each interview he has given us has simply been a lie,” Chitwood mentioned.
The investigation is continuous.
