Shakeira Rucker, a 37-year-old mother of four from Winter Springs, Florida, was found dead on November 18, 2023, in a storage unit in Apopka, Florida. Rucker had been reported missing on November 11, 2023, after she was last seen leaving her home with her estranged husband, Cory Hill.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office discovered Rucker's body around 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 18, after receiving a call about a foul odor coming from a storage unit at 2400 Wiggins Road in Apopka. Sheriff John Mina stated that Rucker appeared to have died from gunshot wounds, although an autopsy was still to be conducted.
Cory Hill, Rucker's estranged husband, has been named as the prime suspect in her murder. The storage unit where Rucker's body was found was registered under Hill's name. Hill was already in custody at the Orange County Jail on four counts of attempted murder, stemming from an incident on November 12 where he allegedly shot at his ex-girlfriend and her family.
Prior to her disappearance, Rucker was last seen on surveillance video having dinner with Hill in Polk County on November 11. Her family became concerned when she failed to return home after texting her daughter that she was on her way with food.
The State Attorney's Office has filed a second-degree murder charge against Hill in connection with Rucker's death. Investigators are continuing to collect evidence to build their case against Hill, who has reportedly been uncooperative with law enforcement regarding Rucker's disappearance and death.
This tragic event has deeply affected Rucker's family and community. A candlelight vigil was held in her memory, where people spoke of her caring nature and the love she had for her children, who range in age from 7 to 18. The case has also brought to light Hill's criminal history, including a previous second-degree murder conviction in Virginia in 1993, which was unknown to Rucker's family.
