RIVERVIEW, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) arrested a third suspect in connection to the August death of Hiojaira Velez-Bonilla this week, according to a news release.
Detectives said they learned 33-year-old Andre Lamont Gerhard assisted co-defendants Arnaldo Citron and Giselle Santiago-Bonilla with transporting and disposing of the victim's body in Pinellas County.
After obtaining a warrant for Gerhardt's arrest, deputies saw him getting into his vehicle on the 5000 block of Louis XIV Court in Tampa around 9 p.m. on Feb. 24, according to the release.
Deputies arrested Gerhardt before he drove away and charged him with unlawfully holding or moving a dead human body in unapproved conditions, felon carrying a concealed weapon, accessory after the fact and burglary of an occupied conveyance, HCSO said.
"From the very beginning of this investigation, our detectives made a commitment to pursue every lead and hold every individual accountable for their role in this horrific crime," said Sheriff Chad Chronister in the news release. "The arrest of this third suspect sends a clear message: no matter how long it takes, we will not stop working until justice is served."
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