A man, wanted in connection with the stabbing death of his 33-year-old girlfriend last month, was arrested in Orange County Wednesday.
40-year-old Jarol Santiago, of Polk County, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Diana Mercado, 33, of Lakeland. Mercado’s body was found on April 30, with multiple stab wounds and several broken ribs, not far from her home at 10947 Pathfinder Trail. Her body was covered with a black tarp, a blue pool cover and wood debris and was next to a chain link dog pen, investigators said.
Named a person of interest early in the investigation, Santiago told investigators when he awoke on April 28, he and Mercado got into an argument because she didn’t want him to ride with her to work to the Lakeland Dunkin’ Donouts on U.S. 98 north. Santiago said, he did so anyway, because he planned to go looking for a job.
According to Santiago, Mercado stabbed herself as she drove along and the pair exited the vehicle. Then, he said, Mercado fell down, whereupon the vehicle ran over her body.
Santiago also told investigators he picked up Mercado, put her in the vehicle, drove her home and hid the body in the wooded area behind the residence. He then drove the vehicle from the residence, threw the knife out of the window, then parked the car at the Publix parking lot behind the Wells Fargo Bank.
Investigators did find Mercado’s vehicle in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Bank on U.S. 98 and Daughtery Road, a day before her body was recovered.
Santiago was taken into custody in Orange County Wednesday. He was interviewed, placed under arrest and transported back to Polk County. He has been charged with first degree murder in the stabbing death of Diana Mercado.
Santiago has an extensive criminal history out of Massachusetts including arrests for assault/battery with a Knife, attempted murder, assault, assault/battery with a weapon, along with other traffic, drug, and “non-violent” charges.
