A 23-year-old Florida woman is headed to prison after orchestrating a chilling betrayal, setting up a male friend to be ambushed and executed by her boyfriend just days after the couple reconciled.
Lake County Circuit Judge Cary F. Rada sentenced Arianna Selina Gajraj on Monday to 36 months behind bars. Gajraj pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder following a harrowing late-night shooting in Clermont that left a car riddled with bullets but the victim miraculously unharmed.
The setup unfolded less than 48 hours after Gajraj and her boyfriend, Brandon Pirela, got back together.
According to court records, the victim picked up Gajraj to smoke and talk about threatening messages he had been receiving from Pirela. Despite his nerves, Gajraj reportedly assured him that her boyfriend had no way of tracking their location.
As they sat parked on Peppermill Trail around 2:00 a.m., a white Toyota Camry blocked them in. A masked gunman stepped out and opened fire with a handgun equipped with an extended magazine. While the victim managed to reverse and speed away, investigators later found 21 shell casings in the street and 13 bullet holes in his car.
While Gajraj initially claimed she didn’t see the shooter, digital evidence told a different story.
Investigators discovered a trail of messages on a texting app showing the couple plotting the murder for hours.
Records show Gajraj even refined the ambush plan, suggesting Pirela call her from a blocked number to “earn the victim’s trust” before sending a final location pin just 12 minutes before the first shots were fired.
Because Gajraj received credit for 602 days of time already served, she has less than a year and a half remaining on her sentence.
Her boyfriend, Pirela, was found guilty by a jury in January and is currently awaiting his own sentencing, scheduled for April 7.
READ: Florida Mother Sentenced To 60 Years For Role In Systematic Torture Of 5-Year-Old Son
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