A man arrested in the murder of a missing 24-year-old woman was the "last person to see her alive" more than a year ago in southwest Florida, police said. On Friday, February 20, Ronald Chester Racki, 75, of Venice, was arrested on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the 2024 disappearance of Laikyn Marie West, the Venice Police Department announced in a news release. West, a Bradenton resident, was reported missing on September 16, 2024, three days after the last known sighting of her in Venice, police said. At a certain point, the investigation into her disappearance became a homicide case, based on evidence obtained by investigators, according to authorities. The evidence established that "West and Racki were known to each other and had arranged to meet," police said. He allegedly last saw her in Venice, according to authorities. Cops Make Arrest in Death of Woman Found on Florida Beach After Christmas Information on Racki's legal representation or whether he had entered a plea was not immediately available. West's housemate was the person who reported her missing to the Bradenton Police Department in September 2024, according to a news release issued by the department on Racki's arrest. West's housemate said that she disappeared after she was picked up from their home by a person driving a white sedan, according to Bradenton police. The housemate became concerned when West never came back and ultimately missed a flight she was supposed to take, Bradenton police said. Authorities are still actively searching for West's remains, according to Venice Police Department Captain Eric Hill. During a February 20 news conference, Hill said that "Although an arrest has been made, this investigation is not over." "Ms. West has not been located and investigators continue efforts to find her," Hill said. The Venice Police Department noted in the agency's news release that under Florida statute, law enforcement and prosecutors can "move forward when the evidence supports that a homicide occurred and identifies the responsible party, even when remains have not been recovered." Racki's arrest was coordinated by police in Venice and Bradenton along with the FBI, according to authorities. It is unclear how Racki and West knew each other, as authorities have not shared further information on the nature of their relationship. "What ultimately supported probable cause in this case was the alignment of multiple, independent sources of evidence over time," Hill said. "No single statement or piece of evidence stood on its own." Arizona Man Allegedly Killed Missing Teen He'd Met on Dating App Venice Police Department Chief Andy Leisenring said at the news conference that "There will be some specific facts that we will not be able to talk about or release just due to the ongoing investigation and then the future criminal proceedings." Racki is being held at the Sarasota County Jail without bond, according to police. In the meantime, Hill said that West's "family continues to live without the closure that they deserve." "We are seeking anyone who knows something, no matter how small or insignificant, to come forward and contact [the] Venice Police Department," Hill added. The Bradenton Police Department encourages anyone with information on West's disappearance to call Sarasota County Crime Stoppers at (941) 366-8477.