A Sebring woman pled guilty on Friday, to a deadly smuggling conspiracy that caused the deaths of 16 Cuban migrants, many of which were children. Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves was convicted last week for her part in the 2022 scheme. Dominguez-Nieves took at least $11,500 from the Cuban migrants and sent it to her boyfriend in Cuba, who arranged the ill-fated trip to South Florida. Court filings indicate that the small fishing boat sank about 30 miles off the coast of Cuba after it had departed. Two surviving witnesses told authorities that there no life jackets on the boat and that the captain didn’t appear to know what he was doing. Dominguez-Nieves is scheduled to be sentenced in April and faces a mandatory minimum of five years or more.
A wanted man has died after a shootout with Florida Deputies in Desoto County. The suspect, Matthew Steven Rollie, had active warrants in Forsyth County, Georgia for sexual crimes involving a child and failure to register as a sex offender after arriving in Florida. Acting on a tip that he was in the area, the Desoto County Sheriff’s Office was able to finally locate Rollie early Monday morning, and conducted a traffic stop along State Road 72. Rollie proceeded to open fire- striking and injuring one deputy. Deputies returned fire and fatally shot Rollie at the scene. The FDLE is actively investigating the incident.
A Charlotte County man is accused of killing his wife in front of their kids over the weekend. The sheriff’s office says 46-year-old Rogelio Prestol admitted to the deadly shooting when deputies arrived at his Port Charlotte home in the South Gulf Cove neighborhood last night. The victim, 40-year-old Jhesandra Prestol, was found dead outside the front door. The suspect told detectives that he had suspicions his wife was cheating on him about two months ago. The situation escalated when Prestol allegedly confronted the victim about the issue and she tried to escape. Prestol is being held without bond.
The University of Miami is getting ready to partner with Elon Musk for a new brain research study. The school broke the news yesterday that it has been selected as the second United States-based site for the Tesla CEO’s Neuralink’s PRIME Study. The research will test the safety and functionality of an implant that’s designed to create a wireless link between a user’s brain and a computer. The goal of the tool is to help patients with paralysis by allowing them to control devices with their thoughts. The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and UM’s Department of Neurological Surgery will help with the study.
A Charlotte County teenager goes to trial this week on charges of killing his mother in Polk County. Jury selection began Monday for 17-year-old Collin Griffith. Griffith was arrested in September after he ran away from home and allegedly broke into his grandmother’s Winter Haven home. When Griffith’s mother, 39-year-old Catherine Griffith, followed him to speak with him, an altercation ensued. The accused later called 911 claiming his mother fell on a knife during the argument. Griffith was also accused of killing his Father in 2023, but charges were dropped after prosecutors could not prove it wasn’t in self defense.
Gabby Petito’s tragic story is coming to Netflix with a docuseries on her death due out next month. It’s called American Murder: Gabby Petito. The Sarasota resident was killed in 2021 while on a cross-country van trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. He committed suicide and left behind a written confession that he had killed the 22-year-old. According to Netflix, the documentary "captures the reality of a young woman enmeshed in an abusive relationship behind closed doors – even as she put on a happy ‘Insta-perfect’ face for social media." The documentary will be available February 17th.
Immigrants in Central Florida are in "full panic mode." That’s what attorney Tamara Rivera said recently in Seminole County. She works at The Immigration Advocates in Longwood. Rivera says people, churches and nonprofits have reached out to her since President Trump took office. She says parents are concerned that children will be picked up at school by ICE agents. Rivera says parents are also worried about going to work. She tells news channels that they’re truly in fear for their lives.
Florida is the best place to retire in 2025. That’s according to a new study by WalletHub. The Sunshine State was ranked number one for retirement nationwide due to its low taxes for retirees and the funding it receives for seniors from the Older Americans Act, which funds transportation and nutrition programs for older residents. Some of the other best states to retire include Minnesota, Colorado, and Wyoming, while Kentucky was named the worst.