A 19-year-old Texas woman accused of fatally stabbing a mother of five in broad daylight has been released from jail after a $2 million bond was posted in her case.
Amaya “Cookie” Diaz, 19, is charged alongside her sister, Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, and their friend, Kyandra Renee Faz, 21, in the June 25 killing of 32-year-old Caroline “Caro” Peña.
The three women were arrested soon after Peña’s death. Amaya, who investigators allege was carrying the knife, walked out of the Val Verde County Correctional Facility in Del Rio on Tuesday after securing her release.
The Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office and the correctional facility confirmed to the New York Post that the Diaz family paid $200,000 toward the $2 million bond. Kitty remains in custody.
Bail bond agencies commonly charge about 10% of a defendant’s total bond as the fee for arranging release.
An employee with El Amigo Bonding told the Post that the precise arrangement used in Amaya’s case was private and known only to the family that requested the bond.
The representative also indicated that tensions had already emerged in connection with the case.
Amaya “Cookie” Diaz, 19, her sister Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, and their friend Kyandra Renee Faz, 21, are accused in the killing of 32-year-old Caroline “Caro” Peña, pictured here.
Amaya was released from the Val Verde County Correctional Facility in Del Rio on Tuesday. Images show her smiling and laughing while handcuffed and being escorted to a police SUV.
“We know that when someone gets killed, problems will happen. And it’s already happening, so [the Diaz family] has to lie low,” the bonding company employee said.
“But we know that justice will prevail. Justice always prevails,” he added.
The Diaz sisters have not yet entered pleas to charges of murder and tampering with evidence. Faz has pleaded not guilty.
All three suspects were taken into custody on the day Peña was killed. Police said, however, that Kitty and Amaya showered before officers formally placed them in handcuffs.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators noticed that the sisters were no longer wearing the clothing seen in earlier video footage. Their hair was also wet, leading police to conclude they had recently showered.
Video from the arrests appeared to show the three women smiling after changing into different clothes.
Amaya was also seen grinning and smirking as officers escorted her away.
Authorities have not explained why Peña went to a home in the 800 block of East 10th Street to meet the women. Her uncle, however, said the victim and the suspects were acquainted.
Kitty Diaz, left, and Kyandra Renee Faz, right, both 21, are charged with murder and tampering with evidence.
Kitty also appeared to smile as officers placed her in a police vehicle.
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“It’s a small town. I knew one of their uncles. Their family, everyone has a connection, so it’s even harder,” Peña’s unnamed uncle told the Daily Mail by phone from Del Rio. “I worked with him for 30 years. They were close to us. What can you do?”
The uncle did not speculate on the motive behind the attack, however, police revealed the whole confrontation and killing was captured on video from cameras at Faz’s house.
‘Carolina was observed arriving at Kyandra’s residence and exiting a black Dodge pickup truck,’ the criminal complaint stated.
‘Shortly after, a black Chrysler 300 arrives on scene, to which Amaya and Kitty exit and confront Carolina. Within the video footage, Amaya is observed exiting the front passenger seat of the vehicle and approaching Carolina.’
Amaya allegedly arrived with a knife in her hand.
‘Within the video footage, Amaya is observed with an object believed to be a knife in her right hand. Amaya and Carolina get into an altercation, and Amaya is observed striking Carolina in the back, where blood can be observed on the back of her shirt,’ the complaint reads.
Cookie allegedly wielded the knife on the day of the slaying
A photo appears to show Pena’s (pictured right) last moments after she was attacked by two sisters, with blood seeping through her shirt
Kitty and Faz then allegedly joined in the assault before all four women separated and left.
Peña was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to a hospital in San Antonio due to the severity of her wounds.
She died hours later, leaving behind five children, ages three to 16.
Two of Peña’s children are autistic and are being cared for by relatives following their mother’s death.
A photograph taken of the women after the attack was posted on a local Facebook page before later being removed.
The image shows Pena’s white top covered in blood.
Zelina Ochoa, the victim’s friend, said the image was especially difficult to process because she believes it illustrated the imbalance between the alleged attackers and the victim.
‘It’s a very powerful picture because it shows, you know, these three girls showed up with their weapons and Caro showed up with nothing but her hands,’ Ochoa said.
Cookie’s arraignment is scheduled for November 4 after previously appearing in court to have her bond lowered from $5 million to $2 million. Her sister’s bail was lowered as well and has not had her next court date scheduled yet.
Faz is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on December 11 and remains in custody on $5.2 million bond.