State seeking death penalty for estranged husband accused of killing mother of four

An estranged husband has been indicted for the murder of his former wife, who went missing in November and was later found dead from gunshots in a storage locker in Orange County.

Cory Hill, 51, was indicted for the first degree murder of his estranged wife, Shakeira Rucker, by a grand jury in Orange County earlier this month.

According to a statement issued by the Office of State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Andrew Bain, the state has also filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Hill.

Last November, Orange County sheriff’s deputies and Winter Springs Police found Rucker’s body in a storage locker several days after she and Hill had been involved in an altercation wherein Hill fired gunshots at her family members.

For a week, authorities and family searched for Rucker, 37, who was believed to have been with Hill.

Shakeira Yvonne Rucker
Shakeira Yvonne Rucker

Hill was eventually arrested on November 13 and Rucker was declared missing.

For several days, police agencies across Polk, Lake, Seminole, and Orange counties searched for Rucker to no avail.

On Saturday, November 18, Your Storage Units Apopka contacted authorities about a “smell emanating” from one of the facility’s storage units.

Deputies responded to 2400 Wiggins Road in Apopka a short time thereafter and made entry into a storage unit where they found a woman deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.

That woman was positively identified as Rucker.

The state is seeking the death penalty in the case based on two statutory aggravators: The method of homicide and Hill’s prior violent conviction for second degree murder.

Rucker was the mother of four children ranging in age from 7 to 18. A GoFundMe was established by family to raise funds for the children.

To make a contribution, visit Shakeira Rucker’s Children Support GoFundMe.

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