The shocking case of a Texas mom stabbed to death in broad daylight has left a community grieving and three women facing murder charges. The victim, a 32-year-old mother of five, was attacked near a busy commercial intersection in an act that authorities say required a detailed investigation to unravel.

A Brutal Daylight Attack

The tragedy began to unfold when the Del Rio Police Department received a call from the Val Verde Regional Medical Center. According to a department statement, officers were dispatched there at approximately 2:10 p.m. on June 25, after a woman arrived suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Investigators later determined that the attack had taken place in the 800 block of East 10th Street. The victim, identified by friends as Caroline Peña, was in such critical condition that she had to be flown to a medical facility in San Antonio for emergency treatment. By around 9 p.m. that evening, police were notified that Peña had died from her injuries.

Three Arrests

The investigation moved relatively quickly, leading to the arrest of three women in connection with the killing. Police said building the case required surveillance footage, physical evidence, and witness interviews.

The suspects taken into custody were:

• Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, arrested around 4 p.m. on Thursday
• Amaya “Cookie” Diaz, 19, arrested at the same time as her sister
• Kyandra Renee Faz, 21, arrested shortly afterward

All three women face murder charges and are being held at a GEO Correctional Facility. Police noted that the investigation remains active and that additional charges could follow as detectives work to establish a motive and the full circumstances of the attack.

A Killing in Plain Sight

What has particularly disturbed those close to the victim is how brazenly the attack occurred. This was not a crime hidden away from view.

Zelina Ochoa, a childhood friend of Peña, emphasized the public nature of the violence, noting that it happened at a corner near a Sonic on one of the area’s busiest roads in broad daylight. According to Peña’s friends, images and video of the confrontation briefly circulated on social media before being removed. One image reportedly showed Peña standing in a bloodstained pink shirt, surrounded by three young women.

A Friend’s Heartbreak

For those who knew Peña, the loss has been devastating, made all the more painful by the way the news reached them. Christina Salinas, who described herself as Peña’s best friend of eight years, said she recognized the victim immediately from a photo posted to a community page.

Salinas recalled knowing it was her friend the moment she saw the image, recognizing her hair styled in a familiar bun and the back of her shirt. She described Peña as a fighter who was still standing her ground even in that terrible moment.

Adding to her grief is a missed phone call. Salinas said Peña had tried to reach her at 1:35 p.m., shortly before the attack, and she can’t shake the feeling that answering might have changed everything. She said Peña remained conscious and speaking at the hospital before being sedated and airlifted to San Antonio. For Salinas, the loss feels irreplaceable, like a part of her was torn away that no amount of justice can restore.

Remembering a Devoted Mother

Beyond the horror of how she died, friends were determined to remember who Caroline Peña was in life. A twin whose oldest son is 17 and approaching high school graduation, she was remembered above all as a dedicated parent.

Ochoa shared that she and Peña went way back, having met as teenagers in Cradles in the Classroom, a program designed to support young parents. The two raised their sons alongside each other, navigating school and parenthood together. Ochoa recalled how generous Peña was during those early years, helping her by babysitting, providing baby clothes, and supplying household items for her first apartment. In Ochoa’s words, Peña would give you something even if it was her last, describing her as someone who was born to be a mom and truly loved the role.

A Troubling Detail

One image captured by KENS 5 added an unsettling note to the case. Footage showed police escorting the Diaz sisters from a residence in handcuffs, and one of the suspects was seen smiling at the camera before entering a patrol vehicle.

That moment, juxtaposed against the grief of Peña’s loved ones, has only deepened the sense of shock surrounding the case for those following it.

The Investigation Continues

As the case moves forward, authorities continue to piece together what led to the deadly confrontation. With a motive still being determined and the possibility of further charges, the investigation remains ongoing.

The Del Rio Police Department has asked anyone with information about the case to come forward and contact investigators. For now, a family has lost a mother, five children have lost a parent, and a close-knit community is left searching for answers about how a young woman could be killed so violently in the middle of an ordinary afternoon.