UPDATE: APRIL 20, 2026
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest after an extensive investigation after human remains were discovered in Lutz on August 8, 2025.
The remains were initially unidentified, and detectives worked with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in an effort to identify the victim.
The FDLE Biology Special Projects Unit and Othram Inc. assisted in the processing of DNA evidence through grant funds from the Federal Bureau of Justice Administration's Missing and Unidentified Human Remains Program. Through this processing, potential leads were found.
The results were used to identify the victim as 78-year-old Jacquelyn Cirone.
Detectives also determined that a family member caring for the victim disposed of her remains in the woods after her death.
Rebecca Vaughn, 64, has been charged with the following:
- Unlawfully hold or move a dead human body in unapproved conditions
- Failure to report death to Medical Examiner or Law Enforcement
- Tampering with physical evidence
This is an active investigation, and any updates will come from the Public Affairs Office.
ORIGINAL RELEASE: AUGUST 9, 2025
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation in Lutz.
On August 8, 2025, just after 11:20 a.m., deputies responded to a call about possible human remains in a wooded area in the 19100 block of Ramblewood Road.
Deputies confirmed the discovery, and the Medical Examiner’s Office determined the human remains are those of a female. There were no apparent signs of trauma.
Detectives are working with the Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm the woman’s identity and determine the cause of death.
This is an active investigation, and any updates will come from the Public Affairs Office.
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