The body of a missing mother-of-four was found inside her husband's storage unit in Florida on Saturday night. Shakeira Rucker, 37, was last observed on November 11 at a restaurant with her estranged partner, Cory Hill, 51. Hill is in custody on unrelated attempted murder charges involving a different woman, and he is the primary suspect in Rucker's death.
Rucker's family last heard from her on November 11 when she told them that she was going to purchase food and then return home. She was the mom of two boys, 7 and 18, and two girls, aged 9 and 16. A GoFundMe page has been established to support the family.
Missing and Now Found Dead
"Shakeira's family was notified this evening. We grieve with them & our detectives are committed to bringing them justice in this case," the Orange County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
On the night of November 11, surveillance footage captured Rucker with Hill. Earlier that same evening, Hill was involved in a domestic dispute where he allegedly fired shots at his ex-girlfriend. The police have confirmed that Rucker's death resulted from gunshot wounds.
"I heard gunfire. I felt two of them pass by my face," recounted Angel Milligan in an interview with WESH. Hill was subsequently arrested the following day, on November 12.
The past Saturday, cops were dispatched to a Your Storage Unit in the town of Apopka, just north of Orlando, following a report to the police about an unusual odor.
According to authorities, Hill is refusing to cooperate with investigators regarding Rucker's death. Presently, he has not faced charges related to the killing.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said on Sunday that Cory Hill could have "stopped a lot of pain and suffering by talking to investigators from the very beginning instead of putting them through this week-long nightmare."
"He is the suspect. We are not looking for anyone else. He will be charged with the murder eventually in this case," Mina said.
Planned Murder
At the time when authorities received the call regarding the storage unit, officers were actively searching for Rucker at a nearby airfield. Hill had a prior history, having spent 20 years in prison on second-degree murder charges in Virginia after being convicted, as reported by WFTV.
"I just want my mom to come back. It's hard, her not being here, because I'm always with her. It's like I can't live without her. She's all I know," her daughter, Mikayla Johnson, 16, told Fox Orlando.
On Sunday, Rucker's family convened at a park in Pine Hills to commemorate and celebrate her life.
"I'm feeling heartbroken, to hear the news of my sister's passing and the way she was found its devastating. We're grieving this moment as it hasn't even been 24 hours since we heard the news but we're here strong," her brother, Clarence, told Spectrum News.
"She was a caring person, she cared about her kids. All she wanted to do was work, go to church and just live. You know and have fun. She just wanted to work and take care of her kids — the little things," he added.
