by A Florida man will spend seven years in federal prison after a drug-money run ended in the violent carjacking and death of his wife — an event that shocked law enforcement and the community.
In April, Miguel Aguasvivas Lizardo, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in federal district court. On Tuesday, the judge handed down the sentence.
A Sentence That Divided Courtroom Opinions
All three legal participants — the prosecution, the defense, and the judge — agreed the crime was tragic, but their views on the appropriate punishment differed sharply.
“It was the unfortunate events [related to] his wife that we believe caused the sentence to be this high,”
said Brett Meltzer, the defendant’s attorney. “My client had nothing to do with that.”
The judge, however, disagreed, believing Lizardo put his wife in harm’s way and deserved a significant prison term.
The Deadly Day in April 2024
On April 11, 2024, before 6 p.m., Katherine Aguasvivas, 41, was carjacked at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road in Winter Springs — a small city north of Orlando.
The shocking incident was captured on cellphone video by a bystander. A green Acura TL rammed her white Dodge Durango from behind. A gunman, armed with a 10 mm handgun, jumped out and approached her vehicle. Katherine even called her husband during the incident, but he told her not to stop. Unable to move due to a red light, she was forced to let the masked man into her backseat.
The SUV then drove off, following the Acura. After two U-turns and a 24-mile journey south through several counties, the vehicles stopped at a construction site on Boggy Creek Road in Kissimmee.
Brutal Ending
Prosecutors say the carjackers shot Katherine multiple times, doused her in lighter fluid, and set her body and car ablaze. By the time deputies arrived after 7 p.m., the Dodge Durango was reduced to a charred shell, and her remains had to be identified via dental records.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office called the case one of the most horrific they had encountered in recent years.
The Drug-Money Connection
According to Law & Crime, Investigators say Lizardo forced his wife into the job that led to her death. On that day, Katherine drove from Homestead, a Miami suburb, to Seminole County — a 250-mile trip — to pick up $170,000 in Colombian cartel cash.
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Lizardo claimed the opposite: that she volunteered to take his place.
“It just happened to be that day he couldn’t do it,” Meltzer explained. “He asked the wife to do it. She went ahead. He would’ve been the one killed if he would’ve gone.”
Prior Involvement
Prosecutors told the court that Katherine had completed over 10 such money runs in the past, earning about $1,000 per trip to help pay rent. They also revealed that the couple was separated at the time of her death.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years. Sentencing guidelines suggested just under six years to a little over seven years. The judge’s decision — seven years — nearly doubled what the defense requested but fell short of the legal maximum.
Family Impact
In a sentencing memorandum, the defense described Lizardo as a devoted father to his young daughter.
“Mr. Aguasvivas is a devoted and loving father… Unfortunately, the mother of his 6-year-old daughter was tragically killed. Mr. Aguasvivas’s daughter is in therapy due to her mother’s passing and her dad’s absence,”
the memo stated.
The defense plans to appeal the sentence, arguing it’s still excessive.
What are your thoughts on this case? Do you think the seven-year sentence was fair, or should it have been longer? Share your opinion in the comments at ibwhsmag.com — your voice matters in these discussions.
