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Investigation into a fatal carjacking in Seminole County has been turned over to federal authorities

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SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla – The case surrounding the carjacking and death of 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas in Winter Springs will be turned over to federal authorities, according to a Monday afternoon update from Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma and the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida emerges Roger Handberg.

Three people have been charged at the federal level and one at the state level in connection with the April 11 carjacking at gunpoint, Handberg announced.

Jordanish Torres-Garcia, the suspected car thief, has been charged with auto theft resulting in death, according to a criminal complaint previously obtained by FOX 35. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Central Florida on a warrant. He remains in the custody of marshals in Florida without bail.

<div>Jordanish Torres-Garcia has been federally charged with auto theft resulting in death. The charges came after he was arrested on an unrelated warrant for a gun crime in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/hzhGS6yfAej.gPorxjR0wg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/06226c1 547d553b8ac7fadd7eefc1f00″/ ></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

Jordanian Torres-Garcia was charged with car theft resulting in death. The charges came after he was arrested on an unrelated warrant for a gun crime in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)

He made his first court appearance last week. A judge ordered him to remain in the United States in connection with the fatal carjacking, even though there is an arrest warrant for him in Puerto Rico. Next steps include waiting until the case is presented to a grand jury.

<div>Jordanish Torres-Garcia made her first court appearance on April 25, 2024 for a probable cause hearing. He was federally charged with car theft resulting in death. (Photo: Nef Melendez)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/elPJufCMkX8wQdv4AD1cOA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/770fbd11ea2 b42a4e87c6e48c2b81371″/></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

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

Kevin Ocasio Justiniano, the man who allegedly drove the green Acura behind Guerrero De Aguasvivas’ white SUV on the day of the incident, is facing federal drug and weapons charges. He is currently being held at a federal detention center in Puerto Rico and will be extradited to Central Florida to face these charges.

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Sheriff Lemma previously said Justiniano was also charged with auto theft resulting in death, but that charge had not yet been filed. Handberg said that’s because the investigation is still ongoing.

<div>Kevin Ocasio Justiniano was arrested by US Marshals in Puerto Rico on April 22, 2024. He will be extradited to Central Florida to face charges of car theft resulting in death. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.cgrvMLAL4zI1acywY5zhQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/d27b9e7a44 c2c86bacf90020196d8675″/></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

Kevin Ocasio Justiniano was arrested by US Marshals in Puerto Rico on April 22, 2024. He will be extradited to Central Florida to face charges of car theft resulting in death. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)

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

She is linked to the case through her friend Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, who was the last person to speak to the late Guerrero De Aguasvivas.

<div>Monicsabel Romero-Soto, the live-in girlfriend of Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, was arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking. (Photo: Osceola County Jail)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GOdDUwxJzPa0_wLgUd.xVQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/a2779e99 6679d9e7c0162c3ac1a8f1d7″/ ></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

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

Crespo Hernandez was charged by the state on April 18 after a search warrant was executed on his Casselberry home, which he shared with Romero-Soto. Inside the home, officers found fentanyl, drug records and cash valued at over $13,000. He is being held without bail on these state charges.

<div>Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez was taken into custody in Seminole County on April 22, 2024, on unrelated drug charges. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/NtzMxgqCTLjNG1j.b6JpMA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/1bc6bd56ade 20d9a13c8643cd0986b92″/ ></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

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

“The arrest of these four individuals does not mean the end of this investigation. On the contrary,” said Handberg. “The trials of our federal cases have just begun, and we still have much work to do. … We’re just getting started.”

Handberg added that it is possible that more people could be charged federally as the investigation continues.

The carjacking: what happened?

On April 11, Guerrero De Aguasvivas was ambushed in broad daylight at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskwilla Road, officials said. The incident was captured on a witness video that has since gone viral and garnered national attention.

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

<div>Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas (left) and a picture of her alleged armed carjacking.</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/qgeqSrkTRZNIFaVXVGcSeQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/eaa76f4fe243f 4621365381efd8d623b”/></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas (left) and a picture of her alleged armed carjacking.

RELATED: Who is who in a fatal carjacking case in Seminole County?

She was reportedly driving from South Florida to Central Florida on the day of the car theft, although the exact reasons are still unknown. Her husband told law enforcement that she was supposed to visit her family, but no family members were found in the area when the investigation began. The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office later said they had contacted two of her relatives, but they were not expecting her.

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement has made significant progress, including several arrests and even charges against the person they believe is responsible.

Officers believe the suspected car thief is Jordanian Torres-Garcia, who they linked to the crime scene by the matching outfit in his Facebook profile photo and the green Acura spotted behind the victim’s vehicle were able to connect.

MORE: He was paid $1,500 to extradite a woman somewhere, according to a federal affidavit

Federal documents obtained by FOX 35 revealed that Torres-Garcia reportedly met with an unknown person about 30 minutes before the carjacking. He reportedly received the AR-15 and $1,500 to take the woman somewhere, although it is currently unclear to whom or where.

<div>Jordanish Torres-Garcia was arrested on a warrant for a gun crime in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fHRipVdTb2yW0IX6RcPuPQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/fa76378ffcda 4f7918a7b1fa97634d13″/></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

Jordanish Torres-Garcia was arrested on a warrant for a gun crime in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)

Five people were arrested during the investigation. Only two of them, Torres-Garcia and Kevin Ocasio Justiniano — another person of interest arrested by U.S. Marshals in Puerto Rico on charges unrelated to the car theft — face federal charges of car theft resulting in death.

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

<div>Kevin Ocasio Justiniano was arrested by US Marshals in Puerto Rico on April 22, 2024. He will be extradited to Central Florida to face charges of car theft resulting in death. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)</div> <p>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.cgrvMLAL4zI1acywY5zhQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_fox_aggregated_articles_807/d27b9e7a44 c2c86bacf90020196d8675″/></p> <div></div> </div> </div> <div class=

Kevin Ocasio Justiniano was arrested by US Marshals in Puerto Rico on April 22, 2024. He will be extradited to Central Florida to face charges of car theft resulting in death. (Photo: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)

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

Additionally, records show Justiniano was 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.

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