A Venezuelan man whom authorities say was in the United States unlawfully has been jailed in Florida after being charged in connection with the death of an elderly woman who was backed over by an SUV in a grocery store parking lot.
Deborah Murphy, an 82-year-old grandmother, was returning to her vehicle on May 17 and walking through a crosswalk outside a Publix in Panama City Beach when a Toyota 4Runner struck her, according to court documents.
The impact knocked Murphy to the pavement, but the SUV kept moving in reverse and “running over Ms. Murphy,” a Florida Highway Patrol arrest affidavit states.
Deborah Murphy, 82, died in Florida on May 17, 2026. (Courtesy of Amy Edge)
Court records identify the driver as 26-year-old Carlos Suarez-Contreras. A second man, 29-year-old Luis Sanabria, was riding in the front passenger seat at the time.
Arrest records state that investigators determined both men were in the United States illegally.
Both men told deputies they were born in Venezuela. Court records show each was issued a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer and booked into the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Jail.
Suarez-Contreras has entered a written not guilty plea to a third-degree felony charge of driving with a canceled license and causing death. Arrest records say his Georgia driver’s license had been canceled.
Carlos Suarez-Contreras was charged in Deborah Murphy’s death. (Bay County Sheriff’s Office)
Under Florida law, an illegal immigrant cannot obtain a state-issued driver’s license. However, 19 states and the District of Columbia do issue licenses to “unauthorized residents,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
At the scene, Sanabria gave sworn testimony to law enforcement that Suarez-Contreras “was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash.”
Luis Sanabria, an illegal immigrant, was a passenger in the car when Deborah Murphy was killed outside a Publix in Panama City Beach, Florida, police said. (Bay County Sheriff’s Office)
Before conducting an immigration investigation, the deputy on the scene noted that Suarez-Contreras gave “suspicious” answers to his questions.
Sanabria immediately left the scene on foot before law enforcement arrived, according to arrest records. He “only returned when I had Suarez-Contreras call him,” a deputy reported later.
Sanabria was found to have an expired visa, according to the incident report. He was released into the custody of ICE, Jacob Navarro, public affairs specialist for the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, told INC News.
Suarez-Contreras is being held without bond because of his immigration status and because it is believed that “he is a potential flight risk,” Florida Highway Patrol records show.
Shoppers use the crosswalk in front of a Publix supermarket in Alachua, Fla., on July 20, 2026. (Natasha Holt for INC News)
Just after the incident, Murphy was taken to the hospital and died from injuries related to the crash, according to court documents.
Suarez-Contreras is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 17 at the Bay County Courthouse in Panama City, Florida.
“We’re determined to find justice and see Suarez-Contreras held accountable for his reckless actions,” Murphy’s twin daughters, Beth Schulz and Amy Edge, told INC News on a phone call. “She touched so many lives as an amazing friend, teacher, mother and grandmother.”
Her family remembers her as “a light” who was “vibrant with so many more memories to be made.”
Deborah Murphy with her husband, retired Air Force Colonel George Murphy, and their grandchildren on a Florida beach. (Courtesy of Amy Edge)
Crashes injuring pedestrians
About 16% of fatal traffic crashes in the U.S. involved drivers with invalid licenses in 2024, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That same year, 7,080 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes and more than 71,000 pedestrians were injured.
The state of Florida reported 10,501 pedestrian-related crashes in 2024, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. There were 678 deaths attributed to those incidents. Drivers failing to look behind them when backing a vehicle in a parking lot is listed as one of the most common reasons for pedestrian crashes by NHTSA.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services told INC News that Suarez-Contreras’ license has been canceled. The agency would not say when it was canceled, citing privacy reasons.
The attorney defending Suarez-Contreras told INC News in an email that his client “didn’t commit any crime regarding the charges he was arrested on.”
“It’s simply an unfortunate incident and not criminal in nature,” wrote Russell Ramey of Musca Law in Panama City.
One of Murphy’s grandchildren presented the family with a collection of reflections on life from Murphy in her own words, her daughters said.
“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,” Murphy wrote in one of the reflections shared with INC News.
“It has been a delight to witness one’s own legacy. I thank my daughters for making our dream come true!!”
