A fugitive who evaded authorities for 40 years has agreed to a plea deal for a 1994 murder charge that is expected to keep him behind bars for the remainder of his life. Donald Santini, 65, was arrested in June in Southern California for the murder of Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Ruth Wood, 33, in Bradenton, Florida, in 1984. He had previously been featured on the TV show, America’s Most Wanted, three times but had eluded law enforcement.
Santini appeared in court on November 16 and agreed to a plea deal with the State Attorney’s Office, receiving a 50-year sentence in Florida State Prison and 15 years of probation. The Florida State Attorney’s Office stated, ‘The man who spent nearly four decades on the run…accepted responsibility for the crime in court today.’
In 1978, Santini was convicted of rape while serving in the US Army and was later charged with aggravated robbery after leaving the service. He then fled to Florida while out on bail, abandoning his wife and daughter. After the murder of Cynthia Wood, Santini changed his name and lived in California under a false identity.
In her response to her father’s arrest, Santini’s daughter has maintained his innocence through social media posts. Court records indicate that Wood was killed after arranging to meet with Santini to obtain information for her custody battle. Wood’s death left a last impact on her family causing lasting mental health and homelessness issues.
Santini’s estranged wife Marla Santini, encountered him after his arrest, visiting him using video conferencing. She described the interaction as ‘pleasant’ and mentioned that Santini claimed he left her due to ‘demons,’ insisting it was nothing personal. Despite the passing of almost four decades, Marla still viewed herself as legally married to Santini.
In the 40 years Santini was on the run, he engaged in many activities including marrying, having a child, and participating in community involvement. Authorities also suspect that he was responsible for Wood’s murder as well as additional violent crimes throughout the years.
