‘It’s about drugs and money’: 2 charged in deadly Florida carjacking caught on camera, sheriff says
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Two people have been charged in connection with a deadly carjacking in Central Florida that was caught on camera, according to Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
Jordanish Torres-Garcia, who was taken into custody last week on unrelated charges, will now face charges in connection with the carjacking, Lemma said.
Torres-Garcia was considered a person of interest last week, but upon receiving cell phone records that placed him at the scene of the carjacking at that time, Lemma said he is now considered a suspect.
“We’re confident it’s him,” Lemma said.
Kevin Ocasio Justiniano, 27, was taken into custody Monday in Puerto Rico on unrelated charges. He will also face charges in connection with the carjacking, Lemma said.
Deputies believe Justiniano was the person who was driving the green Acura. He was also seen in a red Toyota Corolla in the same apartment complex as the Acura.
Torres-Garcia and Justiniano are both expected to face federal charges of carjacking resulting in death, Lemma said.
“This whole thing, I suspect from the beginning, everyone who’s watched this has known it’s about drugs and money,” Lemma said.
Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, 27, is believed to be the last person who had contact with Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvias, 31, before the carjacking. Lemma said they believed Aguasvias was on her way to meet Hernandez. He is facing unrelated charges, and at this time, is not charged in connection with the carjacking.
Aguasvias’ husband, who was cooperating with the investigation, is no longer cooperating, Lemma said. Her brother, who provided the sheriff’s office with a screenshot of Aguasvias’ last conversation with Hernandez, has also been caught in lies.
Lemma believes the entire group is connected, but expects to learn more as the investigation progresses.
Deputies believe Aguasvias was sitting in her white Dodge Durango on April 11 when the video showed a man, wearing all black with his face covered, approach the car and point a gun at the driver. He entered the SUV through the back driver’s side door.
Aguasvias was found dead in the torched SUV after the carjacking, according to Lemma. Preliminary information indicates the suspect shot Aguasvias and then set the vehicle on fire.
The vehicle was found on Saturday, parked illegally at an Orange County apartment complex. When the vehicle identification number was checked, they knew it was the car they were looking for because it was the only one left in Florida, Lemma said.
The green Acura is incredibly rare in Florida, with there only being three of them — two of which have been salvaged.
The car was legitimately owned by a family who sold it or traded it in with a car dealership, who sold it to an auction, Lemma said. The car was then purchased by a “Buy Here Pay Here” dealership and posted for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
A person with a Facebook profile under the name Jordan LaTroy reached out on Facebook Marketplace and arranged to purchase the car, Lemma said. The person in that Facebook profile photo appears to be wearing the same clothing as the person seen in the carjacking video.
Lemma said a backtrack of the phone number that was used to purchase the Acura traced back to a burglary report in Orange County with his legal name, Jordanish Torres-Garcia.
An Orange County deputy, Francisco Estrella, was arrested in connection with the investigation after he allegedly used a fake name to get information about the case, which he then gave to the family of Aguasvias, Lemma said.
Estrella allegedly unlawfully accessed the Florida Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) to get the personal information of the Seminole County detectives working the case, according to Lemma.
The green Acura was also towed from an Orange County apartment complex on March 19 because it was parked illegally. The tow truck driver was the victim of a murder a day before the carjacking, Lemma said. The green Acura was also seen at that scene.
Lemma said more than 100 rounds were fired, including rare ammo. He said the cases are either “connected, or it’s a heck of a coincidence.”
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