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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...sio-ocoee-detectives-20100526,0,3492823.story
By Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel
12:05 p.m. EDT, May 26, 2010
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Ocoee detectives this morning officially named James Hataway as the suspect in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio, who was last seen one year ago today.
"He's definitely a suspect," Detective Mike Bryant said. "He was the last person to see her, he drove with her home and he lied about what he did with her."
Until today, police had referred to Hataway as a person of interest. He is currently in the Seminole County jail awaiting trial in an unrelated attempted-murder case.
Ocasio was 27 when she vanished about 1:30 a.m. May 27, 2009, after watching an Orlando Magic game at the Tap Room bar on Raleigh Street in Orlando's MetroWest neighborhood.
She was seen leaving with Hataway. He told police she gave him a ride home and left. Police don't believe him, Bryant said.
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In the year since Ocasio went missing, officers have followed up on over 100 tips and performed more than a dozen searches. Nothing substantial has been found during the searches.
"The searches have failed because we have not found her," Bryant said.
All the evidence that has been collected so far is circumstantial, Bryant said. Detectives have not pushed forward with prosecution because Hataway has been in jail for nearly a year on various charges.
"As long as he's in jail, we have time to work our case," Bryant said.
During the hour-long press conference at the Ocoee police headquarters, Courtney Turner, 27, and Taryn Anthony, 26, friends of Ocasio, broke down and cried when detectives talked about not being able to find her. They wiped tears and hugged each other.
Ocasio's parents, Liz and Joe, and her younger brother, Joey, also joined the press conference to talk about the upcoming search planned for June 5 and 6 around Ocoee. Volunteers are not needed.
"We are re-tracing our steps, and we hope that it will lead us back to our daughter," Joe Ocasio said. "It's like a needle in a hay stack; we don't know where to start."
Her family urged the public to call in any information about where their daughter could be found.
"Even if you don't think it's important, please tell us," Liz Ocasio said. "We just want to get her, bring her home and lay her to rest."
Anyone with information can call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered.
By Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel
12:05 p.m. EDT, May 26, 2010
E-mail Print Share Text Size os-tracy-ocasio-ocoee-detectives-20100526
Ocoee detectives this morning officially named James Hataway as the suspect in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio, who was last seen one year ago today.
"He's definitely a suspect," Detective Mike Bryant said. "He was the last person to see her, he drove with her home and he lied about what he did with her."
Until today, police had referred to Hataway as a person of interest. He is currently in the Seminole County jail awaiting trial in an unrelated attempted-murder case.
Ocasio was 27 when she vanished about 1:30 a.m. May 27, 2009, after watching an Orlando Magic game at the Tap Room bar on Raleigh Street in Orlando's MetroWest neighborhood.
She was seen leaving with Hataway. He told police she gave him a ride home and left. Police don't believe him, Bryant said.
Get more stories like this. Sign up for home delivery today.
In the year since Ocasio went missing, officers have followed up on over 100 tips and performed more than a dozen searches. Nothing substantial has been found during the searches.
"The searches have failed because we have not found her," Bryant said.
All the evidence that has been collected so far is circumstantial, Bryant said. Detectives have not pushed forward with prosecution because Hataway has been in jail for nearly a year on various charges.
"As long as he's in jail, we have time to work our case," Bryant said.
During the hour-long press conference at the Ocoee police headquarters, Courtney Turner, 27, and Taryn Anthony, 26, friends of Ocasio, broke down and cried when detectives talked about not being able to find her. They wiped tears and hugged each other.
Ocasio's parents, Liz and Joe, and her younger brother, Joey, also joined the press conference to talk about the upcoming search planned for June 5 and 6 around Ocoee. Volunteers are not needed.
"We are re-tracing our steps, and we hope that it will lead us back to our daughter," Joe Ocasio said. "It's like a needle in a hay stack; we don't know where to start."
Her family urged the public to call in any information about where their daughter could be found.
"Even if you don't think it's important, please tell us," Liz Ocasio said. "We just want to get her, bring her home and lay her to rest."
Anyone with information can call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered.
