Florida Murder Case Intertwines With Drug Trafficking and Corruption

Bricks of cocaine hidden in a lamp fixture are the newest twist in the bizarre investigation into the carjacking and murder of a Homestead lady in Central Florida.

According to a federal criminal complaint, the revelation in the unusual murder case came on April 16 when Homeland Security Investigations investigators discovered a suspicious box addressed from Puerto Rico. A K9 alerted them to the shipment, containing 3.28 kg of cocaine secured in the lamp with caulk and nails.

As operatives staked out the location, a police officer delivered the parcel to the address. According to the lawsuit, Monicsabel Romero Soto was seen driving around the house many times in a white Acura SUV, presumably to check there was no law enforcement present.

According to the complaint, Romero Soto exited the white Acura SUV and approached the package. The 27-year-old stated that she arrived to “pick up her lamp” that she had ordered for $300.27 on Facebook.

Romero Soto is now facing federal charges and is one of numerous people detained in connection with the death of 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, who was kidnapped in broad daylight on April 11 while driving from Homestead to Central Florida. Others arrested include:

• Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, is regarded by investigators as a person of interest. Torres-Garcia owns the green 2002 Acura linked to her death and the murder of a tow truck man in Orange County the day before. He was detained on an outstanding federal firearms possession warrant.
• Francisco Estrella Chicon, an Orange County deputy, is suspected of illegally accessing the personal and professional profile information of the lead Seminole County investigator on the case and communicating it with Guerrero De Aguasvivas’ husband Miguel Angel Aguasvivas. Estrella Chicon’s wife is a childhood acquaintance of Aguasvivas.

Is There Also a Miami Connection?

Investigators are still looking for 27-year-old Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, Romero Soto’s live-in boyfriend. He looks to be one of the last people Guerrero De Aguasvivas spoke with on the phone while traveling down I-4 in downtown Orlando, according to Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma.

According to the complaint, Crespo Hernandez is a part of a drug trafficking network and a person of interest in “a series of home invasions and homicide investigations.” The complaint also alleges that he was the target of a Homeland Security investigation in the Miami region in 2020, which resulted in the seizure of more than $300,000.

According to the complaint, when authorities searched the couple’s Central Florida residence, they found fentanyl, more than $13,000 in cash, two Glock pistols, multiple telephones, and valuable jewelry. A Toyota in the driveway contained a “trap” used by traffickers to conceal drugs.

Crespo Hernandez is facing federal fentanyl trafficking accusations, according to Lemma. It is unknown whether he was detained or charged in the 2020 probe in South Florida.

Why Was She in Central Florida?

The investigation into the Homestead woman’s unusual death spans multiple counties in the state. It consists of federal agents and detectives from many sheriff’s agencies.

On April 11, masked gunmen were captured on film exiting the green Acura and entering Guerrero De Aguasvivas’ Dodge Durango at a crossroads in unincorporated Seminole County. That Durango was discovered later that day in a construction site, burnt, with Guerrero De Aguasvivas’ body inside. Witnesses reported hearing many gunshots before the terrible scene was uncovered, and expended shell casings were found on the ground. The green Acura has also been linked to the shooting death of Juan Luis Cintron Garcia, 39, in Orange County the day before Guerrero De Aguasvivas’ murder.

The purpose of her trip to Central Florida is unknown. Her spouse originally informed detectives that she was visiting relatives. However, her brother, Luis Fernando Abreu, informed authorities that he found she was in the area to “deliver money and other stuff for a friend,” according to Sheriff Lemma.

According to Lemma, Abreu discovered the material through his investigation. He contacted Crespo Hernandez using Guerrero De Aguasvivas’ iCloud account, screenshotted his image, and forwarded it to detectives.

Lemma said that neither Aguasvivas nor Abreu are currently suspects. “He and her brother, Luis, are cooperating,” Lemma told reporters on Friday. “But I am incredibly skeptical of their cooperation.”