Authorities in Texas report that three young women, including two sisters, were involved in the fatal stabbing of a 32-year-old mother of five in broad daylight.
Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, and her 19-year-old sister, Amaya Cookie Diaz, along with their friend Candra Renee Faz, 21, were named by the Del Rio Police Department in a statement on social media.
The victim, Caroline “Caro” Peña, was brought to Val Verde Regional Medical Center shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, suffering from multiple stab wounds.
Unfortunately, due to the severity of her injuries, she had to be transferred to a facility in San Antonio for emergency surgery, where she succumbed to her wounds.
Investigations reveal the assault occurred at a location in Del Rio, a small city located on the Mexican border.
As of now, police have not identified a motive for the attack, leaving Peña’s grieving family searching for answers.
“This didn’t take place in a hidden alley; it happened in broad daylight on a busy street near Sonic,” stated Zelina Ochoa, a childhood friend of Peña.
Ochoa recounted that Peña and she met as teenage mothers participating in a program for young parents, where they formed a strong bond.
Peña often helped her son while she studied, even presenting Ochoa with his first apartment filled with essentials and baby clothes.
“If you were in need and she had it, she would gladly share, even if it was her last,” Ochoa recalled.
Another friend, Cristina Salinas, mentioned that the night before the incident, they were enjoying time cooking and playing with Peña’s daughter.
Just moments before the tragedy, Salinas received a call from Peña, which she missed. “If I had answered, I believe things would have been different,” she reflected.
Salinas later recognized a photo of the suspect in a bloody shirt on a community page, immediately identifying her best friend.
“She was determined; she always stood her ground,” Salinas remarked.
When Salinas heard about the stabbing, she rushed to the hospital, where she shared a final moment with Peña before she was flown to San Antonio.
Police reported that Kitty and Cookie Diaz were taken into custody without incident Thursday afternoon, followed by Faz. They were processed at the Del Rio Police Department.
A video surfaced of one of the Diaz sisters smiling before being escorted to a police car during the arrests.
Peña was declared dead around 9 p.m. that same day. All three suspects have been charged with her murder and are being held at a correctional facility as they await a judge’s ruling.
