Florida Woman Found Dead in Storage Unit, Husband Named Prime Suspect

Winter Springs, Florida - Shakeira Yvonne Rucker, a 37-year-old mother of four from Winter Springs, has been found dead in a storage unit in Apopka, Florida, prompting law enforcement officials to investigate her disappearance as a homicide. Rucker was reported missing on November 13 by her family, who last saw her on November 11. The Winter Springs Police Department issued a Facebook post, stating that Rucker left her home for an unknown destination, possibly with her estranged husband, Cory Hill, at around 7:30 p.m.

The search for Rucker involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, and spanned four counties. Winter Springs Police Chief Matthew Tracht stated at a news conference on Sunday that investigators worked tirelessly, logging 16- to 18-hour days, in order to bring closure to the case. The intensive search came to an end when authorities discovered Rucker's body on Saturday.

Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff's Office responded to a call regarding a foul odor coming from one of the storage units at a facility in Apopka. Upon opening the unit, they found Rucker's lifeless body with apparent gunshot wounds. The official cause of death is still pending as investigators await the results of an autopsy.

Authorities quickly identified Hill, Rucker's estranged husband, as the prime suspect after discovering that the storage unit where Rucker was found was registered to him. Hill, 51, had already been arrested on November 13 for an unrelated shooting incident. Orange County Jail records show that Hill has been charged with four counts of attempted murder after allegedly shooting at a former girlfriend and her family on November 12. However, he has not been named a suspect or charged in Rucker's death.

Surveillance footage captured Rucker and Hill leaving a restaurant in Polk County together on the night she was reported missing, further implicating Hill in her disappearance. The motive behind the shooting and Rucker's death remains unknown at this time.

Rucker's family, devastated by the loss, expressed their grief and desire for justice. "I just want my mom to come back," Rucker's 16-year-old daughter, Mikayla Rucker, said in an interview. "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."

The community had rallied together in the search for Rucker, with Crimeline offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to her whereabouts. While the discovery of her body brings closure to her family, the investigation into her death continues. Orange County Sheriff John Mina is expected to provide further updates on the case during a press conference.