LARGO, Fla. — A case that began Monday morning as an urgent AMBER Alert saw an 8-year-old girl found safe but with her mother killed and the father in custody, facing numerous charges.
What You Need To Know
- Police in Largo say Renato Muhaj killed 32-year-old Suela Saliaj before abducting their 8-year-old girl
- An AMBER alert was issued Monday morning, and was canceled after the girl was found
- Muhaj faces several charges, including battering his parents
- BELOW: Watch Largo police chief's Monday afternoon news conference
Police in Largo say Renato Muhaj killed the child's mother, 32-year-old Suela Saliaj, before abducting the child.
The case involved multiple scenes and law enforcement agencies.
Largo Police Chief Mike Loux said Monday afternoon that Saliaj was the ex-girlfriend of the suspect and was murdered inside her Largo apartment.
Investigators said they were looking for Muhaj, 34, who had taken off in a gold car Monday morning with his 8-year-old daughter Alessia, triggering the AMBER alert.
Muhaj was originally being sought because Clearwater police said he battered his parents at a different apartment complex just before 3 a.m.
Clearwater police said he took his parents' cell phones so they couldn't call 911.
Largo police said when they pinged the cell phones at about 8:30 a.m., they learned that Muhaj was still in the area.
A Clearwater sergeant located the suspect's car.
“A Clearwater sergeant took it upon themselves, as other officers were also, but he was looking for that vehicle and spotted that vehicle in the area of the 1600 block of St Paul’s Drive," Loux said.
"One of our detectives drove-by the vehicle to see if it was occupied. It appeared that it was occupied.”
The girl is now with relatives, Loux said. He said the man and woman were separated.
Muhaj faces charges that include first-degree murder, kidnapping, child abuse and felony battery.