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Posted October 16, 2004
DAYTONA BEACH -- A 28-year-old man who once thought himself to be the Antichrist was sentenced Friday to five life sentences for killing an Orange City widow and her two sons last year.
Javier Carrasquillo, who has a history of mental illness, received the multiple life terms after pleading guilty to murdering the three family members whom he had befriended through a local (Jehovah's Witness congregation.)
Carrasquillo has never denied that he killed Carmen Negrón, 63; Gilberto Vergara-Negrón, 28; and Yamir Orlando Vergara-Negrón, 26, on Nov. 30 after they let him into their Orange City home, said his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Larry Henderson.
He was indicted on three counts of first-degree murder, one count of armed robbery and one count of armed burglary of a dwelling.
As part of the plea, the State Attorney's Office agreed not to pursue the death penalty. Circuit Judge William Parsons sentenced Carrasquillo to five consecutive life sentences, one for each of the felonies.
When asked to address the judge before the sentence was announced, Carrasquillo quietly said, "I'm sorry."
Negrón's second cousin, Hector Rivera of Orange City, said after the court hearing that he felt closure knowing that Carrasquillo would never be released from prison.
"The way I feel is that person should not be back in society at all. Whether he'll pay with his life or live his life in prison, to me doesn't make a difference at all," Rivera said. "The ultimate justice will be served by God."
Carrasquillo met Negrón and her sons through the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Orange City. Like him, they were natives of Puerto Rico, and the family tried to help Carrasquillo, sometimes giving him rides.
"That's the kind of people they were," Rivera said of his family. "They did not have much, but whatever they had, they gave to others and that's why people loved them."
Before the killings took place, Carrasquillo was expelled from the church and even his own mother was fearful of her son, after he told her that he had made "a pact with Satan to sacrifice human life," according to court records.
During Friday's court session, Carrasquillo said he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and requires daily medication.
Last November, he had been undergoing treatment at a mental-health center in Sanford and on the day of the killings, he took a cab from Sanford to the family's home in Orange City. After using their bathroom, he shot the older son, Gilberto, in a bedroom and then Carmen Negrón in a bathroom, according to court records.
Carrasquillo fought with the younger son, Yamir, before managing to cut his throat and shooting him to death, the reports said. He then took the family's car, drove to Orlando and abandoned it in a parking lot near the Orlando police station. Then he took a cab back to the mental-health facility in Sanford, records show.
His attorney said Carrasquillo's mental illness was the underlying factor in the slayings. "He has a long history of mental illness that is well documented," he said. "There's no question as to his competence, when he's taking medication.
"He has a lot of concern for the victims' family," Henderson said. "This is a tragedy all around." Thanks!