Man Wanted for 1984 Hillsborough Murder Apprehended After 39 Years

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A man on the lam for a 1984 murder in Hillsborough County has been arrested and extradited to Hillsborough County to face charges, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

At 3:03 a.m. on June 28, Donald Santini, 65, arrived at the Orient Road Jail after being arrested and extradited from San Diego, California.

Santini was wanted for the 1984 murder of Cynthia Wood, a then-33-year-old going through a divorce with her husband. Other agencies, including the FBI, have exhaustively worked on this case over the years.

Santini was the last person seen with Wood before detectives discovered her body, strangled and left in a canal. He was identified as a suspect shortly after the murder but fled from Hillsborough County.

After evading law enforcement for 39 years, Santini was located in early June.

"The arrest of Donald Santini brings closure to a long-standing cold case and provides justice for the victim and her family after nearly four decades of waiting," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Let's not forget the tireless work that has gone into this case over the years, the resources, and expertise to pursue justice for Cynthia Wood."

Santini has been charged with first-degree murder.

Over the years, the story aired on several television series including "America's Most Wanted" in 1990, 2005 and 2013 as investigators chased leads in Texas, California and Thailand.

The sheriff's office said Santini also served time in prison for raping a woman while stationed in Germany and was wanted in Texas for aggravated robbery.