Joselyn Toaquiza hoped to celebrate her 21st birthday at an Airbnb her longtime friend Jhon Chacaguasay-Ilbis rented for the festivities. Instead, the "unimaginable" and "inexplicable" happened -- with the birthday girl having the life choked out of her, before her body was dumped in a park.
On Monday, 21-year-old Chacaguasay-Ilbis was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison, after
reportedly pleading guilty to Toaquiza's June 18, 2024 murder in Syracuse, New York.
During his sentencing hearing, Chacaguasay-Ilbis addressed the family of the victim -- who he knew when he was younger before they both moved to the United States from Ecuador. Both the suspect and victim were reportedly awaiting immigration hearings deciding whether they could remain in the country before the murder, according to a report from
Syracuse.com.
"I want to apologize to [Toaquiza's] family, to my family and to my friends and mates for all the pain and suffering that I have caused," Chacaguasay-Ilbis said during the hearing (video above).
"I feel really bad and ashamed for this situation that I caused, for ignoring my principles and values. I understand and I respect your pain. I acknowledge the damage and I'm responsible for my actions," he said. "I regret everything and I wholeheartedly ask for your forgiveness. I wasn't conscious about what I did."
In a letter read to the court by Toaquiza's father at the sentencing hearing, he wrote, "I am devastated by your departure my princess."
Toaquiza's Death
Chacaguasay-Ilbis went to Syracuse from Baltimore in June 2024 to celebrate Toaquiza's 21st birthday.
He had allegedly rented an Airbnb for them to celebrate together and, per an earlier report from
Syracuse.com, bought her a cake, sneakers and wine bottles with "I love you" written on them for the occasion.
Ring footage from the day of her murder shows the pair walking together into the Airbnb, both looking at their phones as they approach the building.
Three hours later, according to CNY Central, Chacaguasay-Ilbis is seen exiting the residence with Toaquiza "draped over" his shoulders. It's unclear what her condition is at the time.
As Chacaguasay-Ilbis walks toward his vehicle, carrying Toaquiza, a police cruiser drives right past him, not stopping.
She was reported missing by her family the next day, June 19, before her body was found in a shallow grave in a nearby park on the 22nd. It was later determined she died by strangulation.
Chacaguasay-Ilbis was also accused by prosecutors of stealing Toaquiza's credit cards, using them to pay for an OnlyFans subscription, among other purchases. He later turned himself into the police.
According to his attorney, Ben Coffin, Chacaguasay-Ilbis was arrested while in the hospital after he was allegedly mugged and sexually assaulted by a sex worker -- something he used as evidence Chacaguasay-Ilbis was putting himself in dangerous situations after the murder.
Officials and prosecutors were unable to pin down a motive -- and are unclear how close the victim and suspect were as adults before the murder. Chacaguasay-Ilbis claimed he was drunk and didn't know what happened.
toofab.com
of what he truly did and he said fukk it I’m turning myself in 
