ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The man investigators say fathered the child a Port St. Lucie woman was carrying was arrested Friday on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the death of both, said Sheriff Ken Mascara.

Jose Soto Escalera, 41, of the 2600 block of Southwest Cactus Circle in Port St. Lucie, was arrested after the death of Tania Wise, 23, whose body was found last month in a ditch.

Wise was supposed to have a cesarean section the week after she was found dead, Mascara said.

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Mascara said Escalera is married and his wife was unaware of Wise and the unborn child.

The body of Wise was found Aug. 24 in a ditch along Russo Road near Johnston Road in northwestern St. Lucie County. The area where the body was found is largely rural.

Mascara said it’s a complex case, and the 22-page arrest affidavit would be released Monday.

Mascara has said Wise last was seen by her mother the evening before she was found dead.

“We also know that he was in the area of her home the night that she disappeared,” Mascara said. “We also know that he was in the area where Tania’s body was found the next morning.”

Mascara said this is because of digital forensic evidence and eye witnesses who confirmed seeing a truck matching the description of one owned by Escalera on Russo Road the night Wise was murdered.

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Mascara said DNA confirmed Escalera is the father of the child, Josiah Thomas. Mascara said Escalera has four other children, and Wise has another child.

Asked about a motive, Mascara said, “We know that he was the father of the baby, we know that she had some other individuals in her life, men in her life, we don’t know if jealousy was a motive, we don’t know if there was other motives involved.”

Mascara said Wise was killed at the scene where she was found, but he declined to say how.

Mascara said Escalera “denied everything” and showed no remorse.

“You have the mother of his child, and the child himself that he is responsible for and showed no remorse,” Mascara said.

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Mascara said Escalera was arrested Friday afternoon on Port St. Lucie Boulevard. He was driving his wife’s vehicle and had a handgun.

Wise’s mother, Liz Bedolla, has said she'll remember her daughter as a "loving, caring mom."

Bedolla said at the time Wise died, she was pregnant with her second child.

"We want to fight for justice for Tania," Bedolla said. "I want the (person) who did this to be caught."

Wise's friend, Cassie Adams, cried as she spoke about how Wise helped her through hard parts of her life.

"She was always there for me when I needed her," Adams said. "Without a doubt, I could call her and she'd come."

Adams said she'll remember Wise as "always happy and positive."

"I met her at a gas station, and she gave me a ride home from work and ever since then we just clicked," Adams said. "We used to go shopping together, we planned on getting a house together, she was my son's godmother."