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Husband of woman killed in Seminole County carjacking indicted on federal charges

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Published  November 21, 2024 11:20pm EST
Seminole County
FOX 35 Orlando

Carjacking victim's husband charged with money laundering

The husband of a woman who was killed during a deadly carjacking in Seminole County has been indicted by federal prosecutors, accused of actions that allegedly contributed to her tragic death.

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. - The husband of a woman who was killed during a deadly carjacking in Seminole County has been indicted by federal prosecutors, accused of actions that allegedly contributed to her tragic death.

Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas was carjacked in April in Winter Springs and later found dead in Osceola County. Federal authorities now say her husband, Miguel Aguasvivas-Lizardo, played a role in putting her in harm's way.

At the heart of the case is drug money. Investigators allege Katherine traveled from South Florida to Central Florida to collect $170,000 tied to drug trafficking.

Federal prosecutors announced this week that Aguasvivas-Lizardo has been indicted on a money laundering charge stemming from the investigation into his wife’s murder.

The case gained national attention after surveillance footage captured a masked suspect jumping out of a green car, carjacking another vehicle with Katherine still inside. Four suspects have since been arrested, and federal prosecutors took over the case in April.

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U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg addressed the link between Miguel Aguasvivas and his wife’s death.

"Katherine Aguasvivas was put in harm’s way," Handberg said. "Anytime anyone is involved in drug trafficking, whether distributing drugs themselves or involved in money, what I've seen from over two decades as a federal prosecutor is violence often goes hand in hand."

Investigators believe Aguasvivas-Lizardo also traveled from South Florida to Central Florida to pick up drug money. Feds said her husband was also part of the operation.

"He and others would travel up from South Florida to here in Orlando. They would pick up currency in bulk and bring it back down to South Florida," Handberg said.

Suspects would then convert the cash into cryptocurrency and give it over to drug organizations, he said.

Since April, four suspects have been indicted with Aguasvivas-Lizardo becoming the fifth person to face indictment in this case.

"The level of violence that was associated with her murder is not something we tolerate and it's something we are going to do something about," said Handberg.
If found guilty, Aguasvivas-Lizardo could face up to 20 years behind bars.

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