Police say evidence recovered away from the apartment complex helped investigators identify the dead man’s girlfriend as a suspect.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando homicide detectives investigating a man found dead near an apartment complex’s dumpsters traced the case to a separate potential crime scene, recovered evidence and arrested the victim’s girlfriend on a second-degree murder charge, police said Wednesday.
Isidra Bautista Hernandez, 36, was taken into custody as investigators examined the death of an adult man found Monday morning at the Pacifico Apartments on Shenandoah Way. Orlando police identified Hernandez as the man’s girlfriend. The victim’s name has not been released because authorities were still working to find and notify his relatives.
Officers responded at about 9:20 a.m. Nov. 9 to the dumpster area of the apartment complex, where they found the man dead under what police described as suspicious circumstances. The circumstances prompted homicide detectives to take over the investigation. Police have not disclosed how the man died.
As detectives worked the case, they identified another location that they believed could be connected to the death. Police have not publicly identified that location. Investigators obtained a search warrant, and Orlando police SWAT personnel assisted homicide detectives as the warrant was executed, according to WFTV’s account of the department’s statement.
Investigators recovered physical evidence at the separate location that police said was related to the case. Authorities have not described that evidence or explained publicly how it connected Hernandez to the man’s death. Police later identified Hernandez as a suspect and worked to locate her.
Detectives and members of the department’s Tactical Anti-Crime Unit found Hernandez and arrested her without incident, police said. She was charged with second-degree murder. The charge is an allegation, and the available police accounts did not indicate that a court had reached any finding on her guilt.
Police have released few details about what they believe happened before the man’s body was found. Authorities have not announced a motive, described the circumstances of the death or publicly disclosed where investigators believe the fatal incident occurred. The department also has not said whether the apartment complex was the location of the killing or only where the body was found.
Investigators said Hernandez and the victim were undocumented immigrants. Police cited that information while explaining the continuing effort to locate the man’s family before releasing his identity. Authorities have not said whether the pair’s immigration status played any role in the death or the criminal investigation.
The case remains active as detectives continue examining the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. His identity remains withheld pending notification of relatives, while Hernandez faces the second-degree murder charge stemming from the ongoing homicide investigation.
Author note: Last updated Nov. 11, 2026.