Mystery of a Florida woman’s kidnapping deepens with deputy’s arrest and another murder

Three significant developments have emerged in the ongoing investigation surrounding the plight of a Florida woman, whose harrowing ordeal began on April 11 at an intersection in Winter Springs — with a carjacking and kidnapping caught on cell phone video — and ended just hours later in Osceola County with the grim discovery of remains in a burning vehicle.

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma has provided new details in the case of Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, of Homestead, Florida, — and they involve a murdered man, the getaway car — and a new arrest.

MORE: Timeline of a tragic turn: Burned body believed to be Florida woman who was carjacked, kidnapped

Green Acura located

During a press conference on Monday, Lemma said that authorities located the green 2002 Acura perpetrators used in commission of the crime. According to their investigation, across the state of Florida, they found just three cars matching the description and were able to locate the car in question through a VIN search. Owned by a family in Winter Springs — in December, it was sold to a car dealership, eventually ending up at a car auction.

But because the owners never finished the paperwork, the vehicle was unregistered and undocumented.

Man murdered in Orange County

On March 19, records show the vehicle was towed for illegal parking from an Orlando apartment complex, by a tow truck driver named Juan Cintron-Garcia.

On Wednesday, April 10, one day before the carjacking incident, Cintron-Garcia, 39, of Taft, was shot multiple times. He was rushed to the hospital, but later died from his injuries.

Deputies were able to locate the vehicle three days later. It was found along with more than 100 fired rounds at the location where Cintron-Garcia was shot. The 10 mm rounds were the same type found at the scene in Osceola County.

In an attempt to connect the dots between the two locations, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with Seminole County on the murder investigation.

“We still are looking for information about people who were occupants in the car, whether the Orange County case or our case — that part of the process is ongoing,” Lemma said.

Orange County Deputy arrested

Orange County Deputy Francisco Estrella was arrested Sunday, April 14 by Seminole County authorities for his alleged involvement in the case. He faces five felony charges related to wiretapping and unlawful use of police databases.

Reportedly, Estrella contacted Seminole County’s lead investigator and used a fake name, claiming he was an Orange County Detective — as well as a cousin of the victim — in order to relay information about the case to the victim’s husband.

“Our detectives obviously thought that communication was strange,” Lemma said. “Especially the timeliness of it, just hours after we have identified that we’re working a homicide case here.”

In closing, Lemma noted there are still “incredibly dangerous people that are out there on the streets, and he encouraged the public not to approach these individuals, who are considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with any information about the occupants of the vehicle are asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office — or Crimeline, where you can remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a reward.