Three Women Charged With Murder After Texas Mom of Five Fatally Stabbed in Broad Daylight

A Mother of Five Killed in Broad Daylight

Caroline "Caro" Peña, a 32-year-old mother of five, was attacked on a Thursday afternoon in Del Rio, Texas — a border city near the U.S.-Mexico border — suffering multiple stab wounds during the assault. The attack happened at approximately 2:10 p.m. local time near a Sonic drive-in on East 10th Street, one of the city's busiest roads. What followed was a tragedy that has left a community shattered and a nation outraged.

Peña was rushed to Val Verde Regional Medical Center and then airlifted to a trauma center in San Antonio, where she was pronounced dead at around 9:00 p.m. As investigators worked to piece together what happened, friends and family members of Peña struggled to process the devastating loss. One childhood friend, Zelina Ochoa, captured the shock felt by many, telling a local news station that the attack happened "at the corner near Sonic on one of our busiest roads in broad daylight."

Three Suspects Arrested — and the Video That Shocked the Internet

Three young women now face murder charges: sisters Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, and Amaya "Cookie" Diaz, 19, along with their friend Kyandra Renee Faz, 21. The Del Rio Police Department stated that officers initially responded to reports of a woman with multiple stab wounds at Val Verde Regional Medical Center before being redirected to the scene, where detectives reviewed surveillance footage, processed evidence, and conducted witness interviews. All three were taken into custody within hours of the attack.

In chilling footage obtained by a local news station, as the Diaz sisters were brought out in handcuffs, they smiled at the camera before being put in a patrol car. An independent journalist who captured the scene also recalled a moment after one of the suspects had been placed inside a patrol vehicle: "All of the sudden I see the window go down, and the girl was sticking out her face, sticking out her tongue and goofing off." The disturbing contrast between the victim's final moments and the demeanor seen in the video has fueled outrage across social media.

Police Chief: This Was No Random Attack

Del Rio Police Chief Frank Ramirez confirmed that the murder suspects knew victim Caroline Peña — all four women lived in Del Rio, and he believes the stabbing happened in front of one of the suspects' homes. According to Ramirez, Caroline had a reason for going over to the house, where an argument ensued, though it remains unclear what the fight was about. During the argument, Ramirez says one of the suspects took out a knife and stabbed Caroline in the "torso area."

Ramirez noticed the smiles on the Diaz sisters' faces — both at the time of arrest and in their booking photos — and stated: "My impression is it didn't look good and you would think there would be a little more remorse in a situation like that — it looked callous." The chief also added that Caroline voluntarily going over to the suspect's house does not mean she did anything wrong.

Investigation Ongoing, Community Mourning

No motive has yet been announced by authorities. Del Rio police say the investigation remains ongoing, noting that additional charges may be filed at a later time. Police have not confirmed whether anyone else was involved, and the three suspects are legally presumed innocent unless and until convicted.

For a city of roughly 35,000 people, the case has struck a nerve far beyond Del Rio's borders. The image of a young mother of five dying on a busy street corner — and the smiling faces of those accused of killing her — has ignited a fierce national conversation about violence, accountability, and justice. As investigators continue building their case, Caroline Peña's five children are left without their mother, and an entire community waits for answers that have not yet come.