Florida Teens Filmed Laughing in Police Car After Alleged Murder Plot to Resurrect Shooter
Two Florida teenagers were captured on video laughing and joking in the back of a police cruiser after their arrest for allegedly plotting to murder a classmate in a twisted ritual intended to resurrect deceased Sandy Hook school shooter Adam Lanza. The disturbing footage was presented by prosecutors in Florida's 18th Circuit Court on Wednesday, revealing the chilling nonchalance of the accused.
Chilling Conversations in Custody
Best friends Isabelle Valdez, aged 15, and Lois Lippert, aged 14, giggled and cracked inappropriate jokes immediately after being taken into custody. "This is such a bonding experience," Lippert told Valdez in the video. "I love it." At another point, Valdez remarked to Lippert that they could become "one of those lesbian couples now in jail" and joked about telling other inmates, "Hey, this is my b***h. Stay away."
Valdez also expressed disappointment about her appearance, lamenting that she had planned to do her makeup "for the mugshot" but could not find any, adding that she looked "horrible." The teens, who attended Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, were unaware they were being recorded during these exchanges.
Alleged Obsession with Sandy Hook Shooter
Prosecutors stated that Valdez was deeply obsessed with Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that claimed 26 lives. She allegedly believed that murdering her unnamed classmate would create a "blood bond" with Lanza and help resurrect him. The plot involved stabbing the boy in the stomach or cutting his throat with Lippert's assistance, then leaving flowers at the scene and smoking a cigarette.
Text messages between the girls, presented as evidence, showed Valdez writing, "Holy s** I'm gonna make a blood ritual for Adam Lanza LMAOOOO" around January 22. Another message read, "Its [sic] gonna be over by tomorrow," indicating the imminent nature of their plans.
Graphic Details and Disturbing Behavior
Prosecutors claimed that Valdez had been planning the killing for approximately three months, memorizing the target's classes, secretly photographing him, and taking pictures home to gawk at. She told police investigators that the boy "reminded her of Lanza a lot." On the day of the planned attack, she allegedly met Lippert in a school restroom with a bag containing Clorox wipes, a towel to muffle screams, and a knife.
Assistant State Attorney Domenick Leo explained in court, "The plan was to grab the young man, push him into a stall, stab him or slice his throat. It was a desire to create a blood bond to bring the fellow back to life." Valdez also asked Lippert to sketch renditions of the peer they planned to kill, including sexually explicit and graphic drawings, one of which depicted the boy dead on the floor with a rope around his neck next to Valdez.
Legal Proceedings and Denial of Bail
Valdez and Lippert have been charged as adults with attempted murder and pleaded not guilty at their arraignment on Tuesday. Eighteenth Circuit Court Judge Melanie Chase denied them bail the following day, despite testimony from Lippert's parents that their daughter would receive counseling and therapy. Judge Chase commented, "The video that I watched, she thought this was cute. I don't want her on the internet talking to young folks about this."
The alleged murder plot was thwarted when a fellow student overheard the pair and reported it to law enforcement, prompting an investigation. The target's name was redacted in legal filings. After their arrest, the teens discussed how they "were supposed to spread our story" within the online true crime community.
Further Disturbing Remarks in Police Video
In the police cruiser footage, Valdez stated, "I'm not killing myself. Killing yourself is for retards. I'm not a stupid retard that gives up, please. I think I am retarded, though." She then laughed and asked Lippert, "Why are you touching me with your butt?" Lippert revealed a strategy for interrogation, saying, "If I have to be in a room where they have to record me or some shit, I'm going to pull out my t**s," claiming it would make it child pornography, which prompted both to guffaw.
Lippert also expressed regret, saying she wished she had "gotten my diagnoses before this," to which Valdez replied, "Dude, I thought I was going to get sent to the psych ward. That's why I was so excited about everything. Think I would be so jolly if I was going to jail?"
Valdez and Lippert are scheduled to return to court on April 29. The case has drawn significant attention due to its macabre nature and the teens' apparent lack of remorse, as evidenced by the police video.
