Deadly Seminole County carjacking investigation handed off to feds

The case surrounding the carjacking and death of 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas in Winter Springs will be handed off to the feds, according to a Monday afternoon update from Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger Handberg. 

Three people have been charged federally, and one by the state, related to the April 11 carjacking at gunpoint, Handberg announced. 

Jordanish Torres-Garcia, the alleged carjacker, has been charged with carjacking resulting in death, according to a criminal complaint previously obtained by FOX 35. He was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service in Central Florida on a warrant. He remains in the Marshals' custody in Florida without bond. 

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Jordanish Torres-Garcia was federally charged with carjacking resulting in death. The charges came after he was arrested on an unrelated warrant from a weapons-related crime in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office)

He made his first appearance in court last week. A judge ordered him to stay in the U.S. because of the deadly carjacking case, even though he has a warrant out for his arrest in Puerto Rico. Next steps include waiting for the case to be brought before a grand jury. 

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Jordanish Torres-Garcia made his first appearance in court on April 25, 2024 for a probable cause hearing. He has been charged federally with carjacking resulting in death. (Photo: Nef Melendez)

Kevin Ocasio Justiniano, the man who is believed to have been driving the green Acura behind Guerrero De Aguasvivas' white SUV on the day of the incident, is facing federal charges stemming from drug- and weapon-related charges. He's currently in custody at a federal detention center in Puerto Rico and will be extradited to Central Florida to face those charges. 

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Sheriff Lemma previously said Justiniano would also be federally charged with carjacking resulting in death, but those charges have not been brought forth yet. Handberg said that's because the investigation is still ongoing. 

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Kevin Ocasio Justiniano was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Puerto Rico on April 22, 2024. He will be extradited to Central Florida to be federally charged with carjacking resulting in death. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office)

Unrelated to the active carjacking, a woman was charged federally in Osceola County for accepting a package from Puerto Rico that contained 3 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $60,000, Handberg said. The woman, Monicsabel Romero-Soto, was arrested and federally charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Her case is pending federal court in Central Florida. 

She's connected to the case by her boyfriend, Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, who was the last person who spoke to the late Guerrero De Aguasvivas. 

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Monicsabel Romero-Soto, the live-in girlfriend of Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine. (Photo: Osceola County Jail)

Crespo Hernandez was charged by the state on April 18 after a search warrant was executed on his Casselberry home, one that he shared with Romero-Soto. Inside the home, officials found fentanyl, drug ledgers and over $13,000 in cash. He's being held without bond for those state charges. 

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Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez was taken into custody on unrelated drug charges in Seminole County on April 22, 2024. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office)

"The arrest of these four individuals does not mark the end of this investigation. Far from it," Handberg said. "Court proceedings have just begun on our federal cases, and we have a lot more work to do. … We are just getting started."

Handberg added that it's possible more people can be charged federally as the investigation unfolds. 

The carjacking: What happened?

On April 11, Guerrero De Aguasvivas was carjacked in broad daylight at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road, officials said. The incident was caught on witness video, which has since gone viral and has gained national attention. 

Hours later, her vehicle was found engulfed in flames in Osceola County. A body was found inside, which is believed to be that of Guerrero De Aguasvivas. An FBI affidavit noted that Guerrero De Aguasvivas was shot multiple times. However, her identity has not yet been confirmed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) pending the investigation.

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Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas (left) and an image of her alleged armed carjacking.

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On the day of the carjacking, she was reportedly driving from South Florida to Central Florida, although the exact reasons are still unknown. Her husband told law enforcement that she was supposed to be visiting family, but early on in the investigation, no family members were found in the area. Later on, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said they made contact with two of her relatives, but they said they weren't expecting her. 

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement has made significant developments, including several arrests and even brought forth federal charges against who they think is responsible.  

Officials believe the alleged carjacker is Jordanish Torres-Garcia, who they were able to link to the crime scene through the matching outfit on his Facebook profile photo and the green Acura spotted behind the victim's vehicle.  

MORE: Seminole County carjacking suspect says he was paid $1,500 to deliver woman somewhere, per federal affidavit

Federal documents obtained by FOX 35 revealed that Torres-Garcia reportedly met with an unidentified subject about 30 minutes before the carjacking. He was reportedly given the AR-15 and $1,500 to deliver the woman somewhere, although it's unclear at this time to whom or to where. 

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Jordanish Torres-Garcia was arrested on a warrant from a weapons-related crime in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office)

Throughout the investigation, five people have been arrested. Only two of them, Torres-Garcia and Kevin Ocasio Justiniano – another person of interest who was arrested by US Marshals in Puerto Rico on charges unrelated to the carjacking – will be charged federally with carjacking resulting in death.

Justiniano was linked to the investigation through a red Toyota Corolla that was seen in the same apartment complex the green Acura was found abandoned at after the carjacking, Lemma said. Surveillance video showed the Corolla arriving to the apartment complex to pick up the occupants of the green Acura, who appeared to be cleaning up the car and wiping it down.

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Kevin Ocasio Justiniano was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Puerto Rico on April 22, 2024. He will be extradited to Central Florida to be federally charged with carjacking resulting in death. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office)

A records check of the Corolla came back to a relative of Justiniano, officials said. 

Additionally, records put Justiniano at the scene of the carjacking and Lemma said he believes Justiniano was the driver of the green Acura at the time of the carjacking.  

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.