What did Joel Bauza do? Man charged with murder after Florida mother found strangled to death with zip tie

50-year-old Joel Bauza was arrested on Thursday, in connection to his girlfriend's death. On July 17, 2023, 49-year-old Joysee Cartagena was found dead with a zip tie around her neck and Bauza claimed that she died by suicide. Authorities, however, stated that the victim was allegedly manually strangled to death and arrested Joel Bauza.

It was Joysee's employer who first called the cops after finding her dead in the house. After an investigation, police confirmed that the suspect was charged with one count of first-degree homicide.

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Joysee Cartagena's live-in boyfriend Joel Bauza has been arrested "without incident" for her death

On July 17, 2023, authorities received a report about Joysee Cartagena's lifeless body being found at a house in the 3000 block of Saltmarsh Loop. Officials then arrived at the scene and discovered that she had a zip tie around her neck. Police officers said:

"Sanford Fire and Rescue advised upon their arrival they found Joysee inside her home with a large zip-tie around her neck."

Authorities and paramedics tried to save the victim's life, however, she was pronounced dead on the scene. Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith stated that Joel Bauza, the victim's live-in boyfriend, then claimed that she had taken her own life. However, cops had doubts regarding the death and believed that there was foul play involved.

Finally, on Thursday, August 31, 2023, they arrested Bauza and charged him with murder. This came after an autopsy revealed that Joysee died of manual strangulation and that her death was a homicide. It has been further revealed that a judge refused to issue a bond in Joel Bauza's case, as per Law&Crime.

As per People, Police Chief Smith stated:

"Through the great work of the Lake County Medical Examiner’s Office and our Major Crimes Investigators, it was clear that Joysee didn’t take her own life."

Joysee Cartagena worked as a secretary at Spring Lake Elementary School in Altamonte Springs and as a clerk at Lawton Elementary School in Oviedo.

The victim's son, Steven Rivera Cartagena, a university student told Fox 35 that he was shattered after he learned about the news and mentioned that he had lost his only immediate family member in Florida. Steven further stated that he would work hard to become a doctor to honor his mother.

"My mom was my world to me. That's all I knew, and that's all I wanted to know. Losing her, it just kind of made me feel like I was an orphan in a way. I was like, 'What do I do?'" he said.

Joysee was born in Puerto Rico and is survived by her mother, son, and three siblings. In her obituary, she was described as a "shine of light in everyone's day."