TAMPA, Fla — The man accused of killing Hillsborough County Sheriff's Master Corporal Brian LaVigne is set to face a judge Monday.
Travis Garrett, 28, will be prosecuted for first-degree premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer due to his actions which, police say, led to the death of LaVigne on Jan. 11.
LaVigne was one shift away from retirement when he was killed in the line of duty.
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren said on Friday that the evidence in the death of LaVigne overwhelmingly makes this a first-degree murder case.
“This was a deliberate, intentional attack on law enforcement,” said Warren. “He targeted a cop. It’s that simple.”
Warren has pledged to seek the death penalty in only the rarest, most egregious cases. By law, he has 45 days to make that decision, which is still under consideration in this case.
“When you choose to commit a crime like this - when you choose to cause pain like this, these are the consequences,” said Warren.
Investigators say Garrett intentionally rammed LaVigne’s cruiser as he was being pursued after an incident at a nearby apartment complex in Brandon.
Garrett was not in court for Friday’s hearing. He was still in the hospital with injuries of his own from the crash.
“You know, it’s not hard to figure out that when you’ve been in the hospital for 10 days you have some serious injuries,” said Warren, “Whatever injuries he has does not absolve him from the murder that he committed.”
Warren said his office has been working closely with detectives who, despite their own personal loss, have remained completely focused.
“They’re doing it when it’s their friend who’s been killed. They are consummate professionals and we are going to do everything we can, even though we have a relationship with the victim here, to protect the integrity of the investigation and prosecution,” said Warren. “And to afford the defendant all the rights that he deserves so that we can convict him at the end of the day for murder.”
Under Florida law, the state attorney’s office must seek a grand jury indictment for the first-degree murder charge, but because of the pandemic, grand jury proceedings are currently suspended in Hillsborough County, until at least February 8.
Garrett faces a total of nine felony charges including first-degree premeditated murder. Here are the additional charges the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office is bringing:
- Fleeing to elude
- Vehicular Homicide
- DUI Manslaughter
- Two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer
- Two counts of resisting officer with violence
- Criminal mischief
Garrett is scheduled to have a pretrial detention hearing Monday at 11:30 a.m.
