Inset: Arianna Selina Gajraj (Lake County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Florida road where Gajraj’s friend was shot at 21 times (Google Maps).
A 23-year-old woman in Florida will spend just over a year in prison for setting up a male friend to be ambushed and killed by her boyfriend less than two days after they reconciled. Lake County Circuit Judge Cary F. Rada on Monday ordered Arianna Selina Gajraj to serve 36 months in prison for the failed scheme, court records show.
The victim miraculously escaped injury despite more than a dozen bullets striking his car.
Rada handed down the sentence after Gajraj pleaded guilty to one count each of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The judge also credited Gajraj with 602 days of time already served, meaning she has less than 1 1/2 years remaining on her sentence.
A jury in January found the gunman, Brandon Pirela, guilty on the same charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to which Gajraj pleaded. He is awaiting his sentencing hearing.
The couple had broken up several months earlier and only reconciled about two days before the shooting.
As Law&Crime previously reported, deputies with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to Peppermill Trail in the city of Clermont at approximately 1:53 a.m. regarding a shooting and met with the victim.
“Deputies located numerous spent cartridge casings on Peppermill Trail in the roadway and discovered the victim’s vehicle had multiple projectile strikes as well as a Massey work truck,” they wrote in the probable cause affidavit.
There were 21 spent 9 mm cartridge casings on the roadway, 13 projectile strikes on the victim’s vehicle, 3 projectile strikes on the Massey work truck, as well as 1 on a nearby mailbox, the affidavit said.
The victim said he picked up Gajraj and that they were going to smoke and speak about certain issues regarding Pirela.
“Victim described that Pirela throughout the week, has been sending threatening messages to him as Pirela was making accusations of Gajraj and Victim having a relationship,” authorities said. “Victim stated that he became nervous and asked Gajraj if Pirela had any way to track her location, to which she said he didn’t.”
He said that while he was driving, Gajraj received a call from Pirela, who asked what she was doing.
The victim described himself as parking his vehicle on Peppermill Trail.
A short time later, “a white 2014 body style Toyota Camry with dark tint” pulled up in front of his car. The driver stepped out and fired multiple rounds from a handgun with an extended magazine.
“Victim said he has previously seen a picture posted by Pirela on Instagram which showed a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine,” they wrote. “Victim described Pirela as being of similar height and build to Brandon Pirela who he had previously met. He described that Pirela was wearing all dark clothing and a mask. Victim went onto say that he reversed away from Pirela and fled the area. Victim said Pirela pursued him West on Old Highway 50 and that he eventually eluded him.”
He said he dropped Gajraj off in front of the Highland Park subdivision, with his understanding that a family member would pick her up, according to documents. The man contacted his own family and ultimately met with cops at the Clermont Police Department.
Investigators said that the victim gave screenshots of conversations from a now-deactivated Instagram account. Pirela allegedly wrote, “Ari told me sun about you,’ and “Just don’t make me f— you up, take it how you want.”
“The victim replied asking what [redacted] meant and asked to speak with him about the issue,” deputies said. This individual did not reply. “Victim provided additional messages sent by Pirela from another Instagram account, ‘baticgang.tm.'”
“Do I have to smack the s— outta you?” Pirela allegedly said. “You said you [are] threat to me lmaoooooo??????? You want me to drag you down colonial? On Live. You got me super f— up, you little n—-. On God when I see you, it’s on sight and that goes for your p—- a– friends too.”
Gajraj told investigators at a noncustodial interview at a taco restaurant that the victim picked her up so they could smoke marijuana.
She claimed to have received a blocked call from Pirela.
“She said Pirela asked her where she was and she said ‘out,’ with Victim echoing the same in the background,” authorities said. “She described that ultimately, they parked in the Greater Hills subdivision. She said that Victim was nervous about Pirela and began loading his firearm while she was preparing the marijuana to smoke.”
A white car pulled in front of them, the victim began reversing, and multiple rounds were fired. She claimed not to see Pirela.
But after detectives said they would be seeking cellphone data as part of the investigation, Gajraj allegedly said she called Pirela after the shooting, asked about his whereabouts, and he said he was home.
“She would not elaborate on why she called him,” deputies said.
Gajraj told investigators they broke up about three months before. They had been dating for about a year.
Using a license plate reader, investigators tracked down a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle. This vehicle was registered to Pirela.
Surveillance footage showed the shooting, and another video showed a vehicle matching Pirela’s at Gajraj’s home at 1:26 a.m.
“At this time, it is unknown if Gajraj was picked up by Pirela, which would be consistent with the LPR data and Gajraj calling Pirela after the shooting,” authorities wrote.
Investigators learned that Gajraj had an account on the text app Pinger, which she had been using to communicate with Pirela from 6:12 p.m. on Nov. 30 to 12:39 a.m. on Dec. 1.
“The messages begin with Gajraj confronting Pirela about issues in their previous relationship, them reconciling, then them discussing a plan for Brandon to kill the victim,” documents said.
They initially planned for Pirela to attack the victim while the man was getting into a car.
“It then changed to Pirela blocking the victim in, using Gajraj and their relationship issues as an excuse. Gajraj states that she doesn’t want to be up too late and Pirela replied, ‘no hes dying.’ Gajraj does state that she doesn’t want them being dumb with guns, but Pirela reiterates multiple times that his plan is to get the victim. Gajraj ultimately comes up with her own plan for the ambush, telling Pirela to call her from a blocked number so she can show the victim to earn his trust.”
From there, she allegedly kept Pirela apprised of her and the victim’s location.
“The final message, which is about her sharing her location, is sent at 00:39:13 hours,” authorities wrote. “This is approximately 12 minutes before the shooting occurred.”
Pirela is scheduled to appear in court again for a hearing on April 7, records show.
