SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - The husband of a missing Sunrise woman has been arrested in connection to her death.
It’s a tragic turn after Sunrise Police said Joseph Traeger confessed to killing his wife, Jeneen Catanzaro, who was previously reported missing.
Police arrested Traeger late Thursday night and charged him with second-degree murder.
Cameras captured Traeger being taken into the Broward County Jail in handcuffs, Friday.
Catanzaro was reported missing by her mother on Dec. 2. Family and friends last heard from her on Nov. 28.
“Been concerned for the last three weeks. That lady was super nice, always around,” said neighbor Alex Machado.
Police got in touch with Traeger, who admitted that he and his wife had some marital strife in their life. He also said he had no idea where she was.
Police followed-up with Traeger with questions on multiple occasions. Investigators said that during questioning, his story kept changing until eventually, Friday morning, he confessed to her murder.
According to police, he had asked her if he could move back into their house. When she refused, according to the arrest affidavit, he stabbed her and then put her body in the garbage.
The body was taken to a landfill but was later discovered by police.
The report states, “Mr. Traeger stated he snapped and grabbed Jeneen in an attempt to take the phone from her. He then forced Jeneen onto the kitchen floor and placed his left hand over her mouth to shut her up.”
Police said he stabbed her shortly after.
A small memorial is now outside of the house.
Machado is among neighbors who said Catanzaro was often seen in the neighborhood and was social, including with children. Traeger, however, was a different story.
“That guy, he never talked to anyone here,” said Machado. “Normally, you just see him coming in and out and never talk to the neighbors next door, and you know — I live like three doors down — but never talk to anyone, never talk to anyone, and you know, the whole neighborhood knew that guy, he had some history.”
That history included an arrest and conviction of attempted murder of a previous wife in New Mexico, but that conviction was later overturned following an appeals process.
Traeger now stands accused of murder again for something he said he’s already confessed to. “I’m glad. I’m glad they got him,” Machado said. “I don’t know what happened, the details, but they got him for something.”
He is expected to face a judge at the very latest by Saturday morning.
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