A deadly carjacking, the death of a tow truck driver and the arrest of a deputy are all likely connected, according to investigators looking into the homicide of a Florida woman.
The developments in the case of Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, of Homestead were announced during a press conference yesterday afternoon by Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
Lemma announced that the green Acura seen in footage of the armed carjacking from Thursday in Winter Springs, was located on Saturday.
"The car has been out on the streets, probably since February, unregistered, undocumented with a license plate." Sheriff Lemma said. "Any license plate that it had on it at any given time was just temporarily put on largely from a stolen tag."
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That car had been towed from an apartment complex in Orange County on March 19 for being illegally parked, Lemma said. The tow truck driver, Juan Luis Cintron Garcia, was shot and killed in Taft – located near Orlando – one day prior to Aguasvivas' kidnapping and death. The suspect's vehicle from the April 10 murder scene matched the description of the green Acura, and more than 100 rounds were found to have been fired at the location, with one of the types being what Lemma called "incredibly unique" 10mm rounds, similar to ones observed where Aguasvivas's vehicle was located.
"We can confirm that we believe the deadly shooting in Taft on April 10 could be related to the deadly carjacking out of Seminole County," a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) told FOX 35 Orlando. "Our detectives are working tirelessly in partnership with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office to solve these cases and bring the perpetrators to justice."
Aguasvivas's vehicle, a 2017 white Dodge Durango, was found burned in Osceola County with a body inside that has still not been confirmed to be hers by the Medical Examiner's Office. Despite the lack of identification, she is believed to be dead, and Lemma said she was "targeted" by the suspects who carjacked her.
Lemma noted that the suspects are still at large, and that Aguasvivas's husband is not a person of interest or a suspect. He said, however, that while the husband has been cooperating with authorities during their investigation, he thinks the man is holding back information.
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In another wrinkle in the case, OCSO deputy Francisco Alberto Estrella Chicon, 33, was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office on Sunday after he allegedly used law enforcement resources to contact one of the detectives investigating the death of De Aguasvivas, and relaying information – including the name, address and phone number of the detective in charge – to the woman's husband and brother.
According to FOX 35 Orlando, Chicon is the husband of a childhood friend of Aguasvivas's family members, Sheriff Lemma said. He allegedly used a false name and stated he was a detective when inquiring about case information.
The deputy is now facing charges including disclosure or use of confidential criminal justice information, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and accessing computer or electronic devices without authorization or exceeding authorization.
"These are very serious criminal allegations. It is completely unacceptable for any law enforcement officer to misuse the power and authority of their job," Orange County Sheriff John Mina told FOX 35. "At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards, and we will not tolerate anyone breaking the law within our ranks."
