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Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez, center, stands at the podium with Carmen Hernandez-Zengotita, left, during a press conference. PHOTO/FACEBOOK
The family of a Kissimmee woman murdered in 2018 said they felt assured that justice will be brought against her killer after the death penalty was dropped by the former state attorney.
The family of Janice Marie Zengotita-Torres held a press conference on Jan. 8 to express frustration that former Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala dropped the death penalty on her final day in office.
On Jan. 7, 2018, Janice Marie Zengotita-Torres was kidnapped from outside a Ross store in Kissimmee, where she worked. She was later suffocated and her body left on a road in Volusia County.
Detectives called it a murder-for-hire and arrested Ishnar Lopez, along with two others. Lopez was facing the death penalty.
“My family were never give the opportunity to express our thoughts,” said the victim’s niece, Carmen Hernandez-Zengotita. “It was a disrespect to the Osceola County Sheriff ’s Department.”
The press conference was held at the Sheriff ’s Office on the third anniversary of Zengotita-Torres’ murder.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez said he played the “middleman” to set a meeting with the family and Monique Worrell, the new state attorney.
“We will not stop working with Sheriff Lopez and the whole Osceola County Sheriff ’s Department and State Attorney Worrell in order to bring justice for my aunt,” Hernandez-Zengotita said.
Worrell said she did speak with the victim’s family and agreed to set up a meeting.
“I have also spoken with the Sheriff of Osceola County, and it is my hope that we can build a future where the community can look to us for a more collaborative process between our agencies involving matters such as this,” Worrel said in a prepared statement.
Sheriff Lopez said there appeared to be some miscommunication that when the death penalty was removed, the murder suspect was going to receive a lesser prison sentence.
“It’s really important as one community and as elected officials to ensure when we have deaths and tragedies like this, we really need to pull together and make sure these crimes don’t go lightly punished,” Sheriff Lopez said.
The victim’s family never requested the suspect receive the death penalty, just that he receives the “maximum amount permitted by law,” Sheriff Lopez said.
“Under my administration we will treat each victim’s family with the utmost respect, understanding the enormous and unbearable trauma that will live with them forever,” Worrel stated. “We will review each individual case with detail and caution, and only make decisions and comments on them after completing the process.”
Sheriff Lopez said he was glad the family felt like they were going to receive closure.
“I have confidence in our state attorney’s office and I have confidence in Florida law,” Lopez added.
