Denecia Seward, 29, was found dead on July 26, 2020, in a room at the Super 8 Motel in Lantana, Florida. A guest noticed the motel room’s door slightly ajar early that morning and alerted police. Investigators reported Seward had been shot once in the neck and that several spent shell casings were scattered around the room.

Police initially had no clear motive and were searching for a person of interest. Surveillance footage obtained from the motel showed a man later identified as Seward’s boyfriend, Andre Ramirez, paying for the room and entering it multiple times with Seward and other people on the night of the shooting; about 3:30 a.m. Ramirez was seen running from the room and driving away. Ramirez evaded capture for over a year before being arrested.

Seward was a mother of four; her family described her as a loving mother and an aspiring dancer and gymnast. The motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed. If anyone knew Denecia Seward, her movements that night, or saw Ramirez at the motel, please share what information might help the investigation.