Arrest Update:
Andrew Alan Ridgeway remains in custody in Georgia awaiting extradition.
If you have any details that may be pertinent to this case, please contact Detective DiGennaro at 863-528-7946 or by email at [email protected]. All tips will remain confidential.
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Original post:
On Thursday, February 6th, 2025, the Auburndale Police Department (APD) initiated a missing person investigation. Stacy Ann Powell (DOB: 04/26/1976), the missing person, had not logged into her work computer since Tuesday, February 4th. Officers responded to Stacy’s residence at 505 Alleria Court in Auburndale and encountered a handyman who had been hired to perform cabinet repairs. The handyman reported, the residents were not home.
While officers were speaking with the handyman, Stacy’s boyfriend, Andrew Alan Ridgeway (DOB: 12/21/1978), contacted him by phone to inquire about law enforcement’s presence at the property. During a phone conversation with the investigating officer, Andrew claimed he was in North Carolina with Stacy’s grandmother. He further stated that Stacy had taken an Uber to Orlando International Airport on February 5th and flown to Jamaica to visit her ill father. However, investigators quickly determined that Andrew’s statements were false. Stacy’s father resides in North Carolina, not Jamaica, and Stacy’s father had also contacted law enforcement after being unable to reach his daughter for two days.
At approximately 7:12 PM on February 6th, Auburndale detectives executed a search warrant at the residence on 505 Alleria Court. Inside, they discovered evidence indicating that Stacy had been brutally attacked and murdered.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of APD detectives and the Polk Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Crime Scene Technicians, who worked tirelessly until early this morning, the PCSO Identification Section, made a positive identification of Stacy Powell.
This morning, February 7th, at approximately 10:45 AM, Andrew was apprehended in Augusta, Georgia, while driving Stacy’s Dodge Ram pickup truck. He is currently facing charges in Florida for providing false information to law enforcement and homicide.
We extend our deepest gratitude to Sheriff Grady Judd and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance in processing the crime scene and supporting this investigation.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with Stacy’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time as they begin to heal and navigate through this painful journey of losing a loved one in such an unnecessary and horrific manner.
This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Auburndale Police Department at 863-965-5555.
