TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A pass judgement on in Florida has ordered a 65-year-old California fugitive held with out bond in reference to the demise of a girl just about 40 years in the past.
Donald Santini was once arrested by way of U.S. marshals in California closing month, and extradited to Florida. He had used no less than 13 aliases over time.
Santini was once the closing particular person noticed with 33-year-old Cynthia “Cindy” Ruth Wooden. The arrest warrant mentioned a clinical examiner decided she were strangled, and Santini’s fingerprints have been discovered on her frame.
“You being at the run for nearly 40 years is a awareness of guilt. You knew you have been operating from one thing,” Pass judgement on Catherine Catlin informed Santini all the way through a listening to in Tampa on Thursday.
Footage taken within the court confirmed Santini weeping ahead of the pass judgement on denied bond.
Wooden’s stepdaughter, Denise Kozer informed the Tampa Bay Occasions she’s hoping to seek out closure in a case that led to “overall devastation” for her circle of relatives.
Again in 1984, Santini was once referred to as Charles Michael Stevens, which was once an alias he used to escape a warrant in Texas. On the time of his arrest, he was once residing underneath the identify Wellman Simmonds in Campo, California, which is in southeastern San Diego County. He served at the native water board.
“He has a spouse and youngsters in California, and I think sorry for them as a result of they almost certainly didn’t know, both,” Kozer mentioned. “However they’re all nonetheless alive. Our lives have been devastated, modified without end.”
Kozar informed the Occasions that each Barry Wooden and the older son of Cindy Wooden had died for the reason that slaying, and her more youthful half-siblings have suffered from psychological well being problems since their oldsters’ deaths.
She informed the newspaper she’s spent years understanding that the person who destroyed her circle of relatives has been loose. The case has been featured on “The usa’s Maximum Sought after” a number of occasions.
Wooden met with Santini, who had known as her with guarantees of offering details about her husband, Barry Wooden, that might be able to lend a hand her win custody in their two youngsters, who have been 3 and 5, in keeping with earlier studies by way of the Bradenton Bring in. Wooden additionally had a son from a prior courting. Kozar was once Barry Wooden’s daughter from every other marriage.
Kozar, who was once 20 when Wooden was once killed, mentioned she hopes Santini doesn’t get every other probability to flee.
“If they want further proof, we’re prepared to allow them to exhume the frame — no matter it takes to make certain that he doesn’t cross any place,” Kozer mentioned.
Santini’s lawyer requested the pass judgement on for bail. However prosecutors famous that Santini killed Wooden after fleeing a fee in Texas associated with a comfort retailer theft.
The pass judgement on didn’t want further proof.
“You’re the definition of flight chance,” the pass judgement on informed Santini all the way through the listening to. “There may be not anything I will do to keep the security of this group if I used to be to assist you to cross.”
