A retired Miami-Dade Police lieutenant who opened fire on her ex-boyfriend and led police on an hours-long standoff back in 2023 was sentenced to prison Tuesday after accepting a plea deal.
Evelyn Fernandez, 44, appeared in court to plead guilty to attempted murder, discharging a firearm, aggravated stalking and other charges in the Oct. 27, 2023 incident.
Under the deal offered by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Fernandez was sentenced to seven years in prison with credit for time served, followed by 20 years of probation.
After prison, she must complete a treatment program and must also continue to see a licensed psychologist and take any medication prescribed.
She also has a stay away order from the ex-boyfriend and his children and must surrender all firearms.
The victim approved the deal, prosecutors said.
Miami-Dade prosecutors waived the 20-year minimum mandatory time she was facing. The maximum she was facing was up to life in prison.
If she violates probation, she will face up to life in prison.
Fernandez’s daughter, Kristina Fernandez, reacted to the guilty plea and prison term Tuesday afternoon.
“Honestly, super heartbroken because I’m 25 years old, looking forward to moving on in my life and my relationship, and all that has to be kind of be on hold because she’s missing something that she’s been looking forward to her whole life,” Kristina Fernandez told NBC6. “I believe there are three stories to everything, you have one side the other side and the truth, so I really can’t comment on what happened because I was not there for it.”
Police said Fernandez got into a disagreement with her ex-boyfriend, who is also a former law enforcement officer. She allegedly shot at him but missed and hit his car instead, then fled the scene.
Fernandez barricaded herself in a house, leading to a 14-hour standoff before she was taken into custody.
A police report said the ex-boyfriend told detectives Fernandez “has been stalking him on multiple occasions” after the two had recently ended a year-and-a-half relationship.
In 2016, Fernandez was arrested and charged with one count of burglary to an unoccupied structure and one count of criminal mischief valued at over $1,000.
She was released on bond and ordered to stay away from then-boyfriend, former Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. Those charges were dismissed two months later.
