Bradenton police open murder investigation after woman found dying
What began as a traffic crash call in Bradenton turned into a homicide investigation Sunday night when officers found a woman dying from suspicious injuries, police said.
Around 8:30 p.m., Bradenton police said they responded to a report of a crash in the 2100 block of Eighth Avenue East. When they arrived, officers found a middle-aged woman with extensive injuries that were “inconsistent with the crash,” according to a news release. She died at the scene, police said.
Police publicly identified the victim Tuesday as Thania Fuenmayor, 44, of Oneco, after previously withholding her name until relatives in Venezuela had been notified.
Detectives with the Bradenton Police Department and the Manatee Homicide Investigation Unit are investigating the case. Investigators said the homicide appears to be an isolated incident, but they did not release additional details Monday.
Police asked anyone with information to contact Detective Jeff Beckley at jeff.beckley@bradentonpd.com. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Manatee Crime Stoppers at ManateeCrimeStoppers.com or by calling 866-634-8477 (TIPS). Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $3,000.
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 10:22 AM.
