PINELLAS COUNTY – Detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the St. Petersburg Police Department are investigating after a body was discovered near the Gandy Bridge late Friday night.
According to investigators, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2025, an individual arrived at the HCSO District 2 office and reported knowing the location of a body in Pinellas County. Detectives followed up, and the individual led them to a site near the Gandy Bridge in the Weedon Island Preserve where a body was located.
The same individual also directed investigators to a residence in Riverview on Maybrook Avenue. Around 10:30 p.m., deputies responded to the home, where they made contact with a juvenile. A search warrant was obtained for the property.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two individuals in connection with a homicide investigation in Riverview.
Through investigative means, detectives determined that Arnaldo Cintron, 42, fatally stabbed Hiojaira Velez Bonilla, 42, following an altercation. Giselle Santiago Bonilla, 37, assisted Cintron in disposing of her body near the Weedon Island Preserve off the Gandy Bridge.
A warrant for Cintron and Giselle Bonilla’s arrest was issued on August 17, 2025. On August 18, 2025, both suspects were arrested on the 10000 block of Parsons Street.
Arnaldo Cintron has been charged with:
- Murder in the Second Degree With a Weapon
- Unlawfully Hold or Move a Dead Human Body in Unapproved Conditions
- Tampering With Physical Evidence
- Tampering With a Witness
Giselle Santiago Bonilla was charged with:
- Tampering With Physical Evidence
- Unlawfully Hold or Move a Dead Human Body in Unapproved Conditions
- Tampering With a Witness
- Accessory After the Fact
“This was a brutal act of violence followed by a callous attempt to cover it up,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “No life should ever be taken in such a senseless manner, and no attempt to conceal a crime will shield those responsible from justice. Our detectives were relentless, ensuring both individuals were held accountable, and they will now face the full weight of the law.”