A significant breakthrough has emerged in the case of Caroline “Caro” Pena’s tragic stabbing, allegedly orchestrated by siblings Kitty and Cookie Diaz, police recently announced.
Del Rio Police Chief Frank Ramirez confirmed to TMZ on June 29 that Kitty, 21, Cookie, 19, and their acquaintance Kyandra Renee Faz, 21, were all known to the victim.
All four women resided in Del Rio, Texas. Chief Ramirez indicated that Caroline had a specific reason to visit the home of the suspects where a confrontation took place. He suggested the incident was premeditated, pointing out that investigations are still underway and hypotheses may evolve.
Commenting on the images of the sisters smiling during their arrest, Ramirez expressed to TMZ, “It appeared heartless and, in situations like this, you would expect a bit more remorse. It looked callous.”
Caroline, a mother to five children, was stabbed to death on June 25. Later that day, body camera footage captured by the New York Post showed Kitty and Cookie, wearing revealing outfits, being led into police vehicles while smiling and laughing.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by the New York Post, Renee told police that Caroline had driven to her home that night, “looking to start a fight.”
Footage allegedly showed Cookie exiting her car with an object believed to be a knife and confronting Caroline, according to the complaint. Cookie was then seen striking Caroline in the back as blood soaked her shirt. Meanwhile, Kitty and Renee allegedly beat her before running away.
Body camera footage of the sisters’ arrest—and their seemingly upbeat attitudes—later went viral.
“I saw the first girl going into the car, and I thought, ‘Whatever,’” journalist Michael Elizondo, who responded to the scene, told the New York Post. “But the second one caught my eye. That girl was in a happy mood. She was all smiling, goofing off like nothing happened.”
He added, “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.”
Caroline’s nephew drove her to the hospital, according to the Post, where she later died from her injuries.