SYRACUSE, NY – A 21-year-old man from upstate New York was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for the murder of his childhood friend during what was meant to be a celebratory occasion.
Jhon Chacaguasay-Ilbis pled guilty to strangling Joselyn Toaquiza at an Airbnb during a private birthday gathering he arranged for her, complete with cake and personalized gifts, authorities reported.
Court records and surveillance footage unveiled the tragic events of June 18, 2024, when Chacaguasay-Ilbis entered the rented property in Syracuse with Toaquiza, only to be captured on video emerging with her deceased body.
Prosecutors detailed that after the strangulation, Chacaguasay-Ilbis transported Toaquiza to Lincoln Park and disposed of her in a shallow grave.
“This crime is truly beyond comprehension,” Judge Ted Limpert remarked during the sentencing. While justice was served in court, the absence of a motive left Toaquiza’s family and the court bewildered. “Neither the family nor the community can fathom why such a beautiful young life was taken in such a heartless manner,” Limpert stated, reflecting the sentiments shared in victim impact statements.
Despite his admission of guilt, Chacaguasay-Ilbis remained silent on his reasons for committing the act. Friends since childhood, the two reconnected under unknown circumstances after Chacaguasay-Ilbis entered the U.S. from Ecuador in 2022. The prosecutors noted that after Toaquiza’s death, Chacaguasay-Ilbis made unauthorized purchases using her credit cards.
In a poignant courtroom statement delivered through an interpreter, Toaquiza’s family expressed their enduring grief and refusal to forgive. They questioned Chacaguasay-Ilbis’s conscience, asking, “How can you live with the knowledge of having taken an innocent life?”
Chacaguasay-Ilbis also addressed the court, expressing regret without explaining his actions. “I am deeply remorseful for the pain I caused,” he stated. Acknowledging his crime, he asked for forgiveness from both families affected by his actions.
The case closed on a somber note, with the community still grappling with the senselessness of the crime. Toaquiza’s family has returned her body to Ecuador for burial, funded partly by a GoFundMe campaign that underscored her impact as a “beloved” family member taken too soon.