A Florida family is seeking justice after an 82-year-old grandmother was allegedly struck and killed by an illegal migrant while walking back to her car in a Publix parking lot.
Deborah Murphy was in a crosswalk outside a Publix in Panama City Beach in May when she was allegedly hit by a Toyota 4Runner driven by 26-year-old Venezuelan national Carlos Saurez-Conteras, according to court records.
An arrest affidavit says the SUV knocked Murphy to the pavement and then continued moving in reverse, running over her.
Murphy was taken to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
‘We’re determined to find justice and see Suarez-Conteras held accountable for his reckless actions,’ Murphy’s twin daughters, Beth Schulz and Amy Edge, told Fox News Digital.
‘She touched so many lives as an amazing friend, teacher, mother and grandmother,’ the sisters added, describing the loss of a woman deeply loved by those around her.
Investigators later determined that Saurez-Conteras, who is from Georgia, and his front-seat passenger, 29-year-old Luis Sanabria, were both Venezuelan nationals living in the United States illegally.
Both men were issued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers and booked into the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Jail.
Deborah Murphy, 82, of Florida, was allegedly mowed down and killed by an illegal migrant as she walked back to her car in a Publix parking lot in May
The grandmother was walking through a crosswalk outside in Panama City Beach on May 17 when she was allegedly struck by a Toyota 4Runner driven by 26-year-old Venezuelan national Carlos Saurez-Conteras
Saurez-Conteras, however, has since submitted a written plea of not guilty to driving with a canceled license causing death, a third-degree felony.
His attorney argued that his client ‘didn’t commit any crime’ related to the charges, writing in an email to Fox News: ‘It’s simply an unfortunate incident and not criminal in nature.’
The grandmother’s tragic death unfolded just before 1pm on May 17 as she walked through the Publix parking lot at the corner of Magnolia Beach Road and Navy Boulevard after finishing her grocery shopping.
Chilling footage released by Florida Highway Patrol troopers captured the moments leading up to the deadly crash, with Suarez-Contreras seen pulling forward and stopping just seconds before Murphy walks out of the store with grocery bags.
Suarez-Contreras put his black SUV into reverse just as Murphy entered the crosswalk. Within seconds, the vehicle struck her, knocking her down before he continued backing up and ran over her, according to authorities.
Sanabria, the passenger in the SUV, immediately fled the scene on foot before police arrived and ‘only returned when I had Suarez-Contreras call him,’ a deputy wrote in the arrest affidavit.
Back in the supermarket parking lot, Sanabria gave sworn testimony identifying Suarez-Contreras as the driver, stating that he ‘was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash.’
According to a trooper, Suarez-Contreras claimed he never saw Murphy and said the fatal crash was an accident, not intentional, according to WMBB News.
Saurez-Conteras, of Georgia, submitted a written plea of not guilty to driving with a canceled license causing death, a third-degree felony
The SUV knocked Murphy to the ground before continuing in reverse and running her over, according to an arrest affidavit
The front seat passenger, Luis Sanabria, 29, was found to have an expired visa, according to an incident report, and was later released into ICE custody
But even before an immigration investigation was launched, an officer at the scene noted that he was giving ‘suspicious’ answers during questioning.
Sanabria was found to have an expired visa, according to an incident report, and was later released into ICE custody, Bay County Sheriff’s Office public affairs specialist Jacob Navarro told Fox.
Meanwhile, Suarez-Contreras remains jailed without bond due to his immigration status and concerns that he is a ‘potential flight risk.’
Arrest records revealed that Suarez-Contreras’ Georgia license had been canceled, though officials have not disclosed when it was canceled due to privacy reasons, according to the outlet.
Under Florida law, undocumented immigrants cannot obtain a state-issued driver’s license – a stark contrast to the 19 states and the District of Columbia that issue licenses to ‘authorized residents.’
The 26-year-old is now scheduled to face a judge for his arraignment on August 17 at the Bay County Courthouse in Panama City.
In the wake of the tragedy, Murphy’s daughters honored their beloved mother at a memorial, describing her as a ‘light’ who was ‘vibrant with so many more memories to be made.’
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1944, Murphy dedicated her life to her faith and her passion for early childhood special education, according to her obituary.
Chilling footage released by Florida Highway Patrol troopers captured the moments leading up to the crash, showing Murphy walking out of the store with grocery bags
Murphy was rushed to the hospital, where she died from her injuries a short time later
She is survived by her daughters, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, a sister, a brother, and countless nieces, nephews, godchildren and extended family members.
One of Murphy’s grandchildren honored her memory by presenting the family with a collection of reflections on life written in Murphy’s own words, her daughters said, according to Fox.
‘My husband and I always felt that the best thing we could do for generations to come would be to leave this world with people who would make a difference,’ the grandmother wrote in one of the reflections.
‘It has been a delight to witness one’s own legacy. I thank my daughters for making our dream come true!!’ she added.
In 2024, roughly one in six fatal traffic crashes in the US involved drivers with invalid licenses, while 7,080 pedestrians were killed and more than 71,000 were injured in crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
More than 10,500 pedestrian crashes were reported across Florida in 2024, resulting in 678 deaths, state data revealed.
The NHTSA identified drivers failing to check their surroundings while reversing – particularly in parking lots – as a leading factor in pedestrian crashes.
