A beloved Florida grandmother was killed in a horrifying Publix parking lot crash after authorities say an undocumented Venezuelan national backed over her as she walked to her car after grocery shopping.
Deborah Murphy, 82, had just finished shopping on May 17 when she was walking through a crosswalk outside a Publix in Panama City Beach. According to court records, she was struck by a Toyota 4Runner driven by 26-year-old Carlos Suarez-Contreras, a Venezuelan national living in the United States illegally.
The SUV allegedly knocked Murphy to the ground before continuing in reverse and running her over, according to an arrest affidavit submitted by the Florida Highway Patrol. Murphy was rushed to a hospital but later died from her injuries.
“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 Fox News Digital. “She touched so many lives as an amazing friend, teacher, mother and grandmother.”
The deadly crash unfolded shortly before 1 p.m. in the Publix parking lot near Magnolia Beach Road and Navy Boulevard. Surveillance video released by Florida Highway Patrol reportedly shows Suarez-Contreras pulling forward and stopping just seconds before Murphy walked out of the store carrying grocery bags.
Moments later, authorities say, he put the black SUV into reverse as Murphy entered the crosswalk. The vehicle struck her, knocked her down and then continued backward, running her over.
Suarez-Contreras allegedly told investigators he never saw Murphy and claimed the crash was accidental, according to WMBB News. His attorney has since argued that the case was not criminal, telling Fox News Digital that his client “didn’t commit any crime regarding the charges he was arrested on” and calling it “simply an unfortunate incident and not criminal in nature.”
Suarez-Contreras has pleaded not guilty in writing to driving with a canceled license causing death, a third-degree felony. Court records show his Georgia driver’s license had been canceled, though officials did not disclose when, citing privacy reasons.
Authorities also identified the front-seat passenger as 29-year-old Luis Sanabria, another Venezuelan national. According to the arrest affidavit, Sanabria fled the scene on foot before law enforcement arrived and only returned after a deputy had Suarez-Contreras call him.
Sanabria later gave sworn testimony identifying Suarez-Contreras as the person behind the wheel at the time of the crash, according to court records. Investigators said Sanabria had an expired visa, and he was later released into ICE custody.
Both Suarez-Contreras and Sanabria were issued immigration detainers by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and booked into the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Jail, according to court documents. Suarez-Contreras remains jailed without bond because of his immigration status and because authorities consider him a potential flight risk.
His arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 17 at the Bay County Courthouse in Panama City.
Murphy’s family is now mourning a woman they described as vibrant, loving and deeply devoted to the people around her. Born in Boston in 1944, Murphy dedicated much of her life to her faith and to early childhood special education, according to her obituary.
At a memorial, her daughters remembered her as “a light” who still had “so many more memories to be made.” She is survived by her two daughters, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, a sister, a brother and many nieces, nephews, godchildren and extended family members.
One of Murphy’s grandchildren also gave the family a collection of reflections written in Murphy’s own words.
“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 reflection shared with Fox News Digital.
“It has been a delight to witness one’s own legacy. I thank my daughters for making our dream come true!!”
The case comes amid growing concern over pedestrian safety in parking lots and on Florida roadways. In 2024, about 16% of fatal traffic crashes in the United States involved drivers with invalid licenses, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That same year, 7,080 pedestrians were killed and more than 71,000 were injured in crashes nationwide.
Florida reported more than 10,500 pedestrian-related crashes in 2024, including 678 deaths, according to state data cited by Fox News Digital. Federal safety officials have also identified drivers failing to check behind them while backing up, especially in parking lots, as a common factor in pedestrian crashes.
For Murphy’s family, however, the numbers are not the story. Their mother walked into a grocery store and never made it safely back to her car.
Now, they say they are fighting to make sure the man accused in her death is held accountable.