Man who murdered Hillsborough County deputy hours from retirement pleads guilty, gets 45 years in prison
TAMPA, Fla. - The man responsible for the death of a Hillsborough County deputy who was killed just hours before he was set to retire will spend decades in prison after accepting a plea deal in a Tampa courtroom on Tuesday.
Travis Garrett pled guilty to second-degree murder, fleeing to elude high speed, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and criminal mischief.
Death of Sgt. Brian LaVigne
The backstory:
HCSO said Garrett threw furniture while naked outside his apartment in the Brandon area on Jan. 11, 2021, leading neighbors to call 911.
Investigators said Garrett started hitting a deputy who responded to the scene, while another deputy deployed his Taser twice, which had no visible effect on Garrett.
Pictured: Deputies respond to an apartment complex in the Brandon area on Jan. 11, 2021.
Sheriff Chad Chronister said Garrett got into his car and took off, slamming through the back gate of the apartment complex before heading west on Lumsden Rd.
Sgt. Brian LaVigne, 54, responded to the area where Garrett was believed to be, Chronister said, at which point Garrett crossed two lanes of traffic at a high rate of speed and rammed his car into the driver's side of LaVigne's cruiser.
The scene of the crash that killed Sgt. Brian LaVigne on Jan. 11, 2021.
Rescuers pulled LaVigne out of his cruiser and rushed him to Tampa General Hospital, where he died. He had just one shift left with the sheriff's office after serving 31 years on the force.
Pictured: Sgt. Brian LaVigne. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
LaVigne was survived by his wife and two children, one of whom is also an HCSO deputy.
Travis Garrett's troubled past
Garrett, who is now 32, was paralyzed in the crash and faced a list of charges after being released from the hospital.
Pictured: Travis Garrett at his plea hearing on March 25, 2025.
He did not have any prior arrests in Hillsborough County, but he had been Baker Acted in Pasco County and previously attacked two deputies in Georgia in 2017, according to documents obtained by FOX 13 after the 2021 crash. That case was never prosecuted.
PREVIOUS: Deputy's accused killer avoided trial for assaulting deputies in Georgia
Plea hearing and prison sentence
What they're saying:
As the judge accepted a plea deal on Tuesday that includes a 45-year prison sentence, LaVigne's family members had a chance to speak directly to Garrett in the courtroom.
"When that man killed Brian, he not only killed him, but he also obliterated everything we knew, loved and worked for," Sgt. LaVigne's widow, Cathleen, said, eventually speaking directly to Garrett. "Where you are right now, it's exactly the place you earned. It's your turn to think about last times. It's your turn to feel despair. It's your turn to wish you were dead just to escape from a living hell. You go do that. I'm going home."
Pictured: Cathleen LaVigne giving an impact statement in court on March 25, 2025.
LaVigne's two adult children also gave impact statements during Tuesday's hearing.
"He did nothing, and you killed him," said Caitlin LaVigne, who's now a detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. "Dad was supposed to log off in a few hours for the last time ever and finally enjoy his life after giving it up for other people's benefit for over 30 years, but you came along. You're a weak, pathetic excuse for a human and I can't wait to never think about you again."
"I desperately needed him to be safe and I was looking forward to all the fun we could have together once he was free from his work," added LaVigne's son, Liam McAllaster.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez released a statement on Tuesday, saying: "This senseless crime robbed a family of a tremendous father and husband who deserved a long and happy retirement with the family he built. While this sentence can never bring Sgt. LaVigne back, it ensures this defendant will spend the majority of his life behind bars while allowing the victim’s family a chance at healing without a lengthy trial. Sgt. LaVigne died a hero and selflessly served his community until his last day. His life and legacy will never be forgotten."
What's next:
Garrett will serve his 45-year prison sentence with credit for more than four years already served.
The Source: This story was written with information from a court hearing on March 25, 2025, along with previous FOX 13 News reports.
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