Woman reports roommate missing. 2 years later, she’s charged with murder, Florida cops say

A woman is now charged with murder in the disappearance of her roommate she reported missing two years ago, Florida authorities said.

Gisselle Victoria-Gonzalez, 42, moved to Connecticut after her roommate disappeared, and investigators have now arrested her on charges of second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and grand theft, the Orlando Police Department said Nov. 7.

Runy Leidy Medina Pacheco left home in the Dominican Republic for an extended vacation in October 2022, staying in the Orlando area with her acquaintance, Victoria-Gonzalez, police said.

Investigators said Medina Pacheco talked with family back home on Christmas Day 2022, and they never heard from her again.

Her roommate reported her missing two days later, saying she hadn’t seen Medina Pacheco since Christmas, but her story had “numerous inconsistencies,” investigators said.

“A search warrant was executed at their residence, where significant evidence was recovered, indicating a violent incident had occurred,” police said.

Medina Pacheco’s 42nd birthday came and went in May 2023 without a word to family, police said.

Over the course of the last two years, Orlando police put out periodic calls for help locating her, but to no avail.

Since Medina Pacheco’s disappearance, the comments section of her last Instagram post, tagged in Orlando on Dec. 17, 2022, has turned into a forum to discuss the case. Loved ones asked her where she was, wished for her to be found safely and demanded justice.

In the meantime, Victoria-Gonzalez moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where investigators traveled to speak with her again, police said. During this interview, investigators said they developed probable cause to charge her.

Medina Pacheco’s body hasn’t been found.

This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 2:14 PM with the headline "Woman reports roommate missing. 2 years later, she’s charged with murder, Florida cops say."