By JOE SEELIG

LAKE PLACID — Highlands County Sheriff’s Office detectives are asking for the public’s help concerning the murder of a Sun ’N Lakes South woman on Tuesday.

The body of Ana Jaramillo, 36, of 140 Cumberland St., Lake Placid, was found in her single-wide trailer home by a female friend Tuesday after she did not show up where she was supposed to meet.

“The victim was at home alone when she was viscously attacked,” said sheriff’s Lt. John Chess. “She sustained major trauma to her upper torso.”
Investigators say the petite victim, who was 5-feet 3-inches tall and weighed 115 pounds, was killed sometime between 8 a.m. and noon Tuesday.
Her husband was at work at the time, which has been confirmed, and he is not considered a suspect, Chess said.

She had two children, ages 12 and 17 years old.

There was no sign of a sexual attack, Chess added.

Detectives did a neighborhood sweep talking with people in the community, but the crime took place in a segment of the community which does not traditionally report crimes or communicate with law enforcement.

“We want people to call us if they’ve come home and had someone going through their things or maybe woke up and found someone in their home,” Chess said.

Chess is hoping someone will come forward with information that will lead them to the killer or killers.

Detectives have gotten some new leads and were developing them at press time, he said.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Detective Anthony McGann at 863-402-7250 or Heartland Crimestoppers at 1-800-226-8477.