Woman sentenced to 25 years for murder of roommate, whose body is still missing

An Orange County judge sentenced a woman to 25 years in prison Wednesday for the murder of her roommate, whose body has never been discovered.

Gisselle Victoria-Gonzalez, 44, pled guilty this month to the second-degree murder of Runyleidy Medina-Pacheco, who was last seen on December 25, 2022.

“From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry,” Victoria-Gonzalez told the court on Wednesday, speaking through a Spanish interpreter. “In that moment, I wasn’t myself. I wish this was a dream, and that when I wake up from this nightmare, everything would be back to normal.

In an arrest complaint from 2024, Orlando Police stated that Victoria-Gonzalez reported Medina-Pacheco missing on December 27, 2022.

As investigators dug deeper, they discovered Victoria-Gonzalez’s account of the events of December 25, 2022 did not add up.

According to the affidavit, Victoria-Gonzalez eventually told authorities that the blood found in their shared residence belonged to “either her or Runy.” She also admitted taking around $2,500 from Medina-Pacheco.

According to the affidavit, Medina-Pacheco approached Victoria-Gonzalez about the stolen money on Christmas, resulting in a physical struggle.

Investigators thought Victoria-Gonzalez killed Medina-Pacheco during the struggle and then “took steps, to include cleaning Runy’s blood, in an effort to hinder any investigation into her disappearance.”

Prior to Victoria-Gonzalez’s testimony, Medina-Pacheco’s family and friends submitted heartbreaking victim impact statements.

After court, one of Medina-Pacheco’s cousins told News 6 that his family is still looking for information concerning his cousin’s remains.

“Is the defendant telling the truth, or is there any chance of seeing our cousin again?” Hector Perez Medina inquired.

Judge A James Craner’s 25-year sentence included credit for 665 days served.

Following the sentencing, State Attorney Monique Worrell released the following statement:

“While no sentence can bring Runyleidy Medina-Pacheco back to her loved ones, today’s resolution provides accountability for the actions that led to her death. I want to thank the law enforcement officers who worked diligently to investigate this case and the prosecutors who worked tirelessly to pursue justice for Runyleidy and her family. Our thoughts remain with her loved ones as they continue to navigate this loss.”