Florida Man Arrested Charged 20 Years After Ex-Girlfriend’s Body Was Found In Suitcase
Berkley Calvin Curtis Jr., a 45-year-old Florida man, has been arrested and charged almost 20 years after his ex-girlfriend’s body was found in a suitcase in a Miami canal. Following his arrest, Curtis Jr. was hit with 2nd-degree in the death of then-26-year-old Rebeca Pena.
Pena’s father, Rafael Pena, recalls getting the call about the news. He says, “With this news of the arrest of this person, the pain will be less because justice has been served. But the emptiness is still there and won’t go away. Every day we don’t see her here, we cry a little. But we’re satisfied with the life we gave her. I tell everyone, enjoy life with your children, and forgive them, because you don’t know what may happen one day.”
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Law enforcement officials say Pena’s body was discovered by boaters on April 16, 2001. Her remains were found inside a floating suitcase along with two 25-pound weight lifting plates, intended to keep the body underwater. It’s noted that Curtis Jr. was also the father of her child, and that Pena’s father knew his daughter was afraid of Curtis Jr., fearing he would harm her. While there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him back in 2001, new forensics and modern-day technology have now aided the investigation.
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