Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office
Authorities in Florida believe they found the body of a woman who was carjacked at gunpoint in a shocking video recorded by a witness. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office confirmed the carjacking happened Thursday (April 11) at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road in the Winter Springs area.
Cellphone footage shows a gunman pointing a firearm at the driver, identified as 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, and forcing his way into her white Dodge Durango. Sheriff Dennis Lemma said the suspect got out of a green Acura directly behind the victim's vehicle before brandishing the weapon at a red light.
According to officials, when the light turned green, De Aguasvivas made an abrupt U-turn and the Acura followed. Deputies later got a report of a vehicle fire in a construction area, where they found the Durango scorched beyond recognition. Twelve shell casings were recovered from the scene, cops noted.
They also found a body believed to be De Aguasvivas inside the torched vehicle. Lemma said they'll have to use DNA and dental records to identify the victim.
The sheriff also revealed De Aguavivas called her husband before the carjacking, telling him someone rammed the back of her car and was following her. The husband allegedly told her not to stop anywhere, and neither of them called 911.
“There’s a lot of unknowns, a lot of things that will leave people scratching your head,” he said during a Friday (April 12) press briefing. “Why did she and her husband not call 911? I don’t know. Why did she stop at the red light? There’s a lot of things that we’ll absolutely never know, but this is a tragic incident nevertheless.”
The husband reportedly told deputies his wife, who lives in Miami-Dade County, was visiting relatives in Central Florida. He didn't provide the names of the family members.
Investigators are puzzled over why De Aguasvivas was targeted in the deadly carjacking.
“There’s no clear indicator why somebody would do this, why would they target them,” Lemma said.
Deputies are still looking for the green Acura and the suspects. The gunman was last seen wearing a black hoodie and a "ski-type of mask."
Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff's office.