On November 27, 1990, roughly 5:40 p.m., Fermin Cantu returned home from work to his residence of 421 North F Street, Lake Worth, to find his wife, Minerva Cantu dead and his 18 month old son alone within the residence. He quickly summoned for help from a neighbor who called 911. Lake Worth Police Department responded and began investigating the murder of Minera Cantu which apparently occurred during a home invasion of her residence.
Minerva was a 26 year old mother to an 8 year old daughter and an 18 month old son. Minerva and her husband made gold and precious stone jewelry in a room at the rear of their residence. They sold the jewelry part time from their residence and at a local flea market.
Friends last spoke to Minerva around 2 p.m. at which time she said she was going to pick up her 8 year old daughter from school, however never made it.
Lake Worth Detectives conducted an extensive investigation and developed several suspects however an arrest was never made.
In 2009, LWPD merged with PBSO and PBSO Cold Case Unit inherited all of their unsolved homicides. In June 2014, this case was reopened by PBSO Cold Case unit.
A comprehensive review of the LWPD case file was conducted. Several items of evidence collected during the initial investigation were submitted for DNA analysis. One suspect identified during the initial investigation, Jefer Negron, was located in North Carolina. Detectives were able to link Negron to the crime scene through DNA as well as numerous witnesses.
On 6/09/16, Detectives presented this case to a grand jury. The grand jury returned an indictment for First Degree Murder. Today, June 10, 2016, Jefer Negron was apprehended in North Carolina by the U.S. Marshals Task Force. He is currently remanded in the Harnett County Detention Center awaiting extradition back to Palm Beach County.
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Teri Barbera
Media Relations Bureau Director/PIO
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