Texas sisters charged with murdering mother of 5 in broad daylight stabbing

Caroline “Caro” Pena, a 32-year-old Texas mother of five, was allegedly stabbed to death by two sisters in broad daylight after an argument broke out on June 25 in Del Rio, Texas. 

Three women were arrested and charged after investigators watched surveillance footage from the area. The women included 19-year-old Amaya “Cookie” Diaz and 21-year-old Kitty Mia Diaz, who are sisters. The third suspect was identified as 21-year-old Renee Faz.

“At approximately 4:00 p.m., officers located and arrested Kitty Mia Diaz and Amaya Cookie Diaz without incident,” the Del Rio Police Department said. “A short time later, officers located and arrested Kyandra Renee Faz in connection with the investigation … Following the victim's death, [they] were each charged with murder.”

Authorities have not announced an official motive for the attack. Faz had reportedly told investigators that Pena “arrived at her residence looking to start a fight” before the two sisters arrived. Police allege that Cookie exited the passenger side of a vehicle holding an object believed to be a knife before confronting Pena. She then allegedly stabbed Pena in the back. 

According to KENS 5, Pena was stabbed in the back twice and then in the side of the stomach. A friend of Pena's told the outlet that one of the stab wounds punctured her lungs.

An image obtained by the New York Post appears to show Pena alongside the two sisters just moments before her death, covered in blood from stab wounds. Pena was photographed wearing a pink t-shirt soaked in blood following the violent confrontation. Three women were seen standing beside, two of whom were wearing clothes that matched the description later provided by investigators regarding the sisters, and the third was believed to be Faz.

The image also shows a man with his arm around Cookie’s shoulders while Pena appears to be speaking with another man, who is believed to be her nephew, who drove her to a hospital following the stabbing. According to the New York Post, the photograph was uploaded to a local community Facebook page but was later removed from the platform after Pena died from her stab wounds.

The three women have all been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. During her arrest, Cookie was seen outside the home smiling as she was escorted away in handcuffs. Each of the women involved is being held on a $5 million bond.

According to a GoFundMe created for Pena's family, two of her children have autism and "cannot fully process what her absence means yet."

"All five will carry this loss for the rest of their lives. The funds raised will help support Caroline’s children and family as they navigate this unimaginable grief and begin to rebuild," the fundraiser states.