Sheriff announces arrest of person of interest in Homestead woman’s killing

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma provided an update Friday afternoon on the investigation into the killing of a 31-year-old Homestead woman in his county.

Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas was carjacked and kidnapped before her murder.

Lemma announced the arrest of a person of interest in the case, Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, on an existing warrant in Orange County. Authorities connected him with a green Acura involved in the case.

“He’s not gonna be released,” Lemma said. “He has federal charges that he’s gonna be held on and this investigation will continue.”

Authorities identified him through a Facebook Marketplace transaction for the vehicle, Lemma said.

Watch sheriff’s remarks:

The sheriff believes Torres-Garcia is seen in a video taken at the time of the carjacking.

Lemma said authorities were also looking for another person of interest in the case, Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez.

The sheriff’s office and sources close to the investigation say he is the last person the Homestead woman was on the phone with before her kidnapping and murder.

Deputies say he’s also wanted on drug charges unrelated to this case.

Her brother told police that Guerrero De Aguasvivas was in central Florida to “deliver money and other stuff for a friend,” Lemma said Friday.

A sheriff’s deputy in neighboring Orange County has already been arrested after being accused of illegally accessing law enforcement databases to provide the victim’s husband with case details.

The killing is also thought to be related to the murder of a tow truck driver the day prior.


About the Authors

Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist.

Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach.

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