Background: The Winter Haven Police Department in Winter Haven, Fla. (Google Maps). Inset: Hector Manuel Cruz (Winter Haven Public Safety Department).
A Florida woman contacted police after a man she met on Instagram allegedly threatened to kill her.
Hector Manuel Cruz, 29, is currently in custody in Girard, Pennsylvania, after police in Winter Haven, Florida, issued a warrant for his arrest. According to the Winter Haven Public Safety Department, the unnamed woman reported on April 27 that Cruz was making harassing phone calls to her. She explained that she had met Cruz, who lived in Pennsylvania, on Instagram about a month earlier and they embarked on a flirtatious, long-distance relationship.
Police said Cruz became aggressive and jealous, and he accused the woman of talking to other men when she did not respond fast enough.
According to police, the woman said her online relationship with Cruz extended to text messages, and they exchanged nude photos. She characterized their relationship as “romantic,” and they would discuss daily activities and work. But Cruz”s behavior shifted, and police said he “would go into jealous rages.” Cruz allegedly told the woman, “I hate cheaters and if you cheat on me, I’ll shoot you.”
Cruz knew where the woman worked, and police said he sent the nude photos he received from her to her supervisor. Police said he also sent harassing messages to the supervisor and threatened to harm her and her husband. The woman told police that she ended their relationship after a month, but Cruz allegedly continued to harass and threaten to kill her using different phone numbers and social media accounts. Then he told the woman he was planning on coming to Florida.
Police said they connected Cruz to addresses in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Officers from the Girard Borough Police Department tracked him down in their town and took him into custody. The Winter Haven Public Safety Department said he would be extradited to Florida in the coming days.
Cruz was charged with written threats to kill, misuse of a 2-way communication device, sexual cyber harassment, and harassing phone calls. His next court date was not available.
