TAMPA — Jennifer Carvajal was sentenced to five years in jail the first time she murdered someone while driving intoxicated. The second time, she received two-thirds of a century.
Hillsborough Circuit Judge G. Gregory Green sentenced Carvajal to 67 years in prison on Friday for triggering a wreck that killed one of her cousins and severely injured two others.
The court said he couldn’t understand how the 28-year-old Plant City woman could conduct the same terrible murder twice in her life.
“It is almost as if instead of taking every step to avoid putting yourself in that situation again, you took steps to ensure that it happened,” Green reported to Carvajal. “And that is incomprehensible for this court.”
During the four-hour sentence session, Carvajal cried and hid her face behind her long black hair. She frequently apologized to the family of Pedro Carbajal, her cousin who died in the incident near Interstate 4.
“No matter how many sorrys I say to each of you, or even him, I could never forgive myself,” commented Carvajal.
The penalty, while not the life term sought by prosecutors, was nearly twice as long as the 33-year minimum prescribed by state guidelines, which the defense supported. It almost certainly means that Carvajal will be released from prison in her late 70s.
In her first case, and again on Friday, judges heard testimony regarding Carvajal’s traumatic childhood, which included sexual assault at the hands of male relatives. A social worker stated that the abuse was only discovered after Carvajal, then nine, was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease.
She received no significant mental health therapy for what was ultimately diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. She considered suicide and was renowned for injuring herself with broken glass. At the age of 11, she was discovered drinking alcohol at school. According to her counsel, she utilized alcohol to cope with the ongoing anguish.
“Jennifer committed these acts because she’s broken,” said Assistant Public Defender Nicole Engebretsen. “She was a broken child that was never healed.”
This time, however, there was little hope that the tragedies of Carvajal’s history would prevent a lengthy prison sentence.
“Two people have lost their lives at the hands of Jennifer Carvajal,” Assistant State Attorney Dawn Hart stated in court. “This community is not safe if Miss Carvajal is ever allowed back in society.”
A packed courtroom heard one of the survivors describe the events leading up to the tragedy.
Lexcia Gonzalez was Pedro Carbajal’s girlfriend. They had a kid called Julian.
On the witness stand, she stated that she knew Jennifer Carvajal, but not well. She was aware that she had previously served time in prison.
On the night of April 24, 2021, the three of them went to a family party at Pedro’s grandfather’s home in Plant City. Another cousin, Grady Ramirez, was also present. Late that night, they left in Gonzalez’s silver Hyundai Elantra.
They initially visited the Twilight Zone Lounge, a liquor establishment near the Hillsborough County line. They purchased a bottle of Hennessy Cognac.
They later went to Circle K and purchased Polar Pops to combine with the vodka. They spent the evening drinking, hanging out at Waffle House, alternating between Polar Pops and drinking straight from the Hennessy bottle.
Late that night, they visited another Circle K to use the facilities. While there, Carvajal asked Gonzalez if she could drive.
“I kind of ignored it the first time,” Gonzalez confessed. “She asked again.”
Gonzalez was the front passenger as they drove away. The two males sat in the backseat. Carvajal drove.
They moved toward Ybor City. As they approached Interstate 4, Gonzalez spotted Carvajal having problems steering. On the freeway, she pressed the gas.