Man indicted in death of 65-year-old Jacksonville woman
Police say J. Wanchik has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman in February. (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office/WJXT)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man has been indicted in the 2022 murder of a 65-year-old Cynthia Smith, who investigators said was found dead of multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma in her home in Mandarin.
The woman’s car, investigators said, was missing and found in St. Augustine the following day. That’s where Jonathan Wanchik was arrested for violating probation. Investigators said he had some of Smith’s credit cards in his possession.
The arrest report shows that Smith had let Wanchik live with her for three months.
Wanchik pleaded guilty to the probation violation and went to prison. The arrest report says investigators got a letter from an inmate who said Wanchik confessed in detail to killing Smith.
The state attorney’s office has notified Wanchik it intends to seek the death penalty if he’s convicted.
PREVIOUS STORIES: Woman found dead in Mandarin home, Jacksonville police say | Man arrested in death of 65-year-old woman whose body was found in Mandarin home on Valentine’s Day: JSO
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