A Miami resident has been charged with kidnapping resulting in death, a case that has brought the FBI and multiple police departments together in an investigation stretching over eight years. The accused, 55-year-old Gustavo Alfonso Castano Restrepo, faces a serious indictment that could lead to a life sentence or the death penalty if convicted.
The indictment, which was unsealed, details the events that occurred around May 30, 2016. It alleges that Restrepo was involved in the abduction and subsequent death of Liliana Moreno and her daughter Daniella Moreno. The accusation states that Restrepo "did willfully and unlawfully seize, confine, inveigle, decoy, kidnap, abduct, and carry away and hold a person," using various means including a cellular phone, the internet, a vehicle, and the Florida's Turnpike. This information was released in a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Restrepo is currently being detained, and is scheduled for a pre-trial detention hearing on November 1 in Miami Magistrate Court. The gravity of the charges against Restrepo has galvanized federal and local investigative bodies in a collaborative effort to plumb the full depths of this crime. Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, alongside other law enforcement officials, announced the indictment and the ongoing investigation behind it.
Assisting in the case, the Doral Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), and FBI’s South Florida Violent Crime/Fugitive Task Force have been working in tandem to bring clarity and justice to a harrowing story that undoubtedly left a void in the Miami community. According to the allegations in the indictment, the means used to facilitate the crime spread across multiple state lines. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams is listed as the prosecutor for the case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to ask for public assistance in this case or any other federal crime, urging individuals to make contact through their hotline or tips website. The FBI emphasizes the importance of community involvement in apprehending and prosecuting those charged with serious crimes. Despite the severity of the charges, it is critical to remember that indictments are accusations and that all defendants, including Restrepo, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Links to related court documents and updates on the case can be found on the websites of the United States Attorney's Office and the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
