A Winter Springs, Florida, mother of four was found dead in a storage unit in Apopka, Florida.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a foul odor emanating from a storage unit in Apopka on November 18, 2023. Upon arrival, officers discovered the body of Shakeira Yvonne Rucker, 37, with gunshot wounds to her neck.
Rucker was last seen on November 11, 2023, departing her Winter Springs home accompanied by her estranged husband, Cory Hill, 51. Following her disappearance, her family and local law enforcement agencies conducted an extensive search.
Cory Hill has been identified as the main suspect in the case. He was apprehended on separate charges in another incident – firing a gun at his former girlfriend and her family on November 12, one day after Rucker’s disappearance. Currently, he is detained without the possibility of bail.
Sheriff John Mina conveyed in a press briefing that Cory Hill is believed to have shot Rucker and abandoned her remains in the storage facility, which is registered under his name. Mina anticipates Hill will be charged with Rucker’s murder.
Hill’s criminal record reveals a prior conviction for second-degree murder in 1992 in Virginia, followed by a 20-year prison sentence.
The loss of Rucker has profoundly impacted her family and the local community. A vigil was held in her honor, and a fundraising campaign via GoFundMe has been set up to aid her children. Her eldest son, 18, has assumed the responsibility of caring for his three younger siblings.
The investigation into the circumstances of Rucker’s death is ongoing. Authorities from the sheriff’s office have not disclosed details regarding the motive or specific circumstances surrounding the case and are seeking information from the public.
