The mother-in-law of a former Mexican beauty pageant winner has been apprehended after escaping the country following her alleged involvement in the brutal, execution-style murder of the young woman.

Authorities in Venezuela captured Erika Maria Herrera, aged 62, on Wednesday. She is suspected of being connected to the April 15 murder of 27-year-old Carolina Flores Gomez, who was found dead in her Mexico City apartment.

Gomez, a former Miss Teen Universe 2017 from Baja California, was shot multiple times—specifically six bullets to her head and another six to her chest, as reported by Blog del Narco.

Following the murder, investigators turned their attention to Herrera, leading to her inclusion on Interpol’s Red Notice list. The Mexico City Attorney General’s Office praised Interpol’s role in facilitating her arrest, as detailed by Reporte Indigo.

Prosecutors are now working on Herrera’s extradition back to Mexico, as reported by Diario Puntal.

Herrera’s arrest came after video posted online of the alleged shooting appeared to show Herrera follow Gomez into a room in her apartment before several gunshots and screams could be heard. 

Gomez, who in 2017 was crowned Miss Teen Universe in Baja California, was shot 12 times – with six gunshots to the head and six in the chest 

Gomez had recently celebrated her birthday, as she was born April 4, 1999 in Ensenada, Puntual reported. 

The video then shows Gomez’s husband, Alejandro Gomez, walking into the frame of the video while carrying their eight-month-old baby, asking his mother in Spanish: ‘What was that? What crazy thing did you do?’ 

Herrera answered: ‘Nothing. She made me angry.’

Gomez calmly asks her: ‘What’s wrong with you, she’s my family.’

Herrera answered: ‘You’re mine and she stole you.’

She then allegedly replied, ‘Nothing, she just made me angry,’ and emphasized that Alejandro is her son before she fled the premises.

The fact that Alejandro let his mother flee the scene, then wait until the next day to notify authorities about the murder, have led prosecutors to also investigate whether there was a cover-up in the homicide. 

Gomez had recently celebrated her birthday, as she was born April 4, 1999 in Ensenada, Puntual reported.  

Baja California governor Marina del Pilar Avila told reporters that the investigation into Gomez’s death was a foremost priority.

‘No crime against a woman should go unpunished,’ Avila told a pool of reporters, according to the outlet. ‘Our thoughts are with her family during this devastating time.’

State prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez said that there has been close communication between officials to prioritize the probe, according to Puntual. 

Erika Maria Herrera, 62, was arrested in Venezuela on Wednesday for the death of Carolina Flores Gomez, 27, inside her Mexico City apartment on April 15 

Authorities have also investigated whether there was a cover-up in the murder, as Gomez’s husband allegedly let his mother flee the scene and waited one day before calling authorities 

The tragic death of the beauty queen comes at a time of social unrest in Mexico over what advocates call an epidemic of violence against women, and lack of justice toward their assailants.

Civil organizations are pushing prosecutors to reclassify the case as a femicide, which the United Nations agency UN Women defines as ‘an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation,’ Puntual reported.

The UN agency said last November that femicide ‘is different from homicide, where the motivation may not be gender-related.’

It continued, ‘Femicide is driven by discrimination against women and girls, unequal power relations, gender stereotypes or harmful social norms. 

‘It is the most extreme and brutal manifestation of violence against women and girls which occurs on a continuum of multiple and related forms of violence, at home, in workplaces, schools or public and online spaces.’

Among the forms it takes, according to the agency, include ‘intimate partner violence, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence, harmful practices and trafficking.’

The tragic death of a Pennsylvania woman in 2024 has led her family to file a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming that negligence by the property owner and U.S. Steel contributed to her fatal accident. Elizabeth Pollard, aged 64, died after falling into a sinkhole that had formed above an abandoned mine shaft.

Pollard was in Westmoreland County, searching for her cat, Pepper, with her 5-year-old granddaughter when she disappeared. Her car was later located near Monday’s Union Restaurant, sparking a search that ended in heartbreak when it was discovered she had fallen into the sinkhole. Authorities found Pollard’s vehicle hours after she vanished, according to reports from WTAE-TV.

Mark Malone, the attorney representing the Pollard family, expressed their quest for justice. “The Pollard family is seeking answers and accountability,” he stated. “They want to ensure that their beloved wife, mother, and grandmother’s death is not in vain.”

Fortunately, Pollard’s granddaughter was found inside the car, scared but unharmed, providing a small solace amidst the tragedy.

In a related incident underscoring safety concerns, an explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, occurred on August 11, 2025. This separate event resulted in at least one fatality and several injuries, drawing further scrutiny to the company’s safety practices. This backdrop amplifies the family’s lawsuit, highlighting alleged ongoing hazards and lapses in safety measures.

The car was parked only feet away from the sinkhole. After a four-day, around-the-clock recovery effort, crews found Pollard dead 30 feet below ground. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma.

“Elizabeth Pollard should still be alive. The defendants’ alleged failure to provide and maintain a safe environment caused her preventable and untimely death,” Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and Malone said in a joint statement. 

“This lawsuit seeks to hold these entities accountable for their alleged negligence, which has robbed a family of a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. The Pollards deserve justice, and we will fight to ensure no other family is forced to endure a devastating loss like this.”

The U.S. Steel logo is visible on a roll of steel before the president spoke during a rally at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pa., on May 30, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP)

The lawsuit alleges that U.S. Steel, the owner of the mine, and the restaurant, which owns the surface property, were responsible for the maintenance and safety of the area. The suit further claims the ground was susceptible to collapse after years of mining and that no measures were taken to address the known risks.

“The restaurant is included because they’re the property owner. They’re a necessary party at this point,” Malone said. “Their knowledge of the property since they purchased and operated it is central to the lawsuit.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to U.S. Steel, the restaurant and the plaintiffs’ attorneys for comment.

The sinkhole led to the Marguerite Mine, which was developed and later abandoned by the H.C. Frick Coke Co. by the middle of the last century, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

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Anthony Richardson’s tenure with the Indianapolis Colts seems to be nearing its conclusion. Reports from Fox 59 on Thursday revealed that the Colts have decided against picking up the fifth-year option on Richardson’s rookie deal.

In a recent discussion with journalists, General Manager Chris Ballard admitted that the potential extension for Richardson, which would have secured him a salary exceeding $22 million for 2027, hadn’t been a major focus for him.

This decision by the Colts isn’t unexpected, as the team is anticipated to trade the quarterback during the upcoming offseason. Speculations around his departure have been fueled by Richardson’s absence from the team’s offseason training sessions, following his trade request earlier this month.

Both Richardson, who is 23, and the Colts appear to be actively seeking a resolution that paves the way for his exit from the team. The unfolding situation suggests that the young quarterback’s future lies beyond Indianapolis.

Richardson, 23, has skipped out on the Colts’ offseason workouts after requesting a trade earlier this month, with both parties looking for an exit ramp.

“Anthony’s not here. He’s also requested a trade,” Ballard told reporters on April 20. “He’s down in Jacksonville training. I actually have talked to his trainer, and I talk to him often and his agent, but he’s in good spirits.

“Nothing has transpired at this point. I don’t know any question you’re going to ask other than, ‘Will he be here?’ Well, he could be. We’ll see. But as of right now, he’s down there in Jacksonville. We’ll kind of work through that as we go.”

Despite being chosen No. 4 overall by the Colts in the 2023 NFL Draft, Richardson’s first two seasons were plagued with injuries before he lost the starting quarterback job to ex-Giant Daniel Jones ahead of the 2025 season.

Injuries also factored into Richardson’s 2025 season, with the quarterback suffering an orbital fracture.

Jones signing a two-year $88 million deal with the Colts in March ultimately cemented him as their QB1 for the near future, leaving no room for Richardson.

If the Colts fail to trade Richardson, he will be an unrestricted free agent following the 2026 season.

“I’m not going to say he needs a complete fresh start,” Ballard said during the NFL combine in February.

“Anthony’s still young. He’s still developing, so we’ll see what the future holds. I still believe in Anthony.”

The unsettling attempt on President Trump’s life during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been captured on video, revealing the suspect’s movements leading up to the incident. In the footage, the alleged gunman can be seen scoping out the hotel premises before making a daring dash past a security checkpoint towards the event’s ballroom.

On Thursday, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro released the hotel surveillance video showing Cole Allen, the suspect, brandishing a weapon at a Secret Service agent inside the Washington Hilton. This footage was made public as part of the ongoing investigation into the alarming assassination attempt, which ended with Allen being apprehended.

In a formal statement, Pirro confirmed, “Today, we are releasing video already provided to the U.S. District Court showing Cole Allen shoot a U.S. Secret Service officer during his attempt to assassinate the President at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.” She further clarified that there is no evidence suggesting the gunfire was a result of friendly fire. The video also captures Allen’s reconnaissance of the Hilton Hotel area the day before the attack. Pirro assured that her office, in collaboration with the FBI, is thoroughly investigating to ensure Allen is brought to justice.

The surveillance footage, which lasts nearly six minutes, documents the events on Friday, April 24, at around 8:59 PM, offering crucial insights into the suspect’s actions and the breach of security that followed.

The video, which is just under six minutes, is labeled as taking place on Friday, April 24 at ‘approximately 8:59pm.

Initial footage shows Allen walking through a hallway, inspecting his surroundings, before he is spotted walking into the hotel’s gym facilities. 

He appears to either acknowledge or greet the person working the desk, even laughing and striking up a conversation and walking through the remainder of the gym. 

Three minutes after the first gym footage ends, Allen is seen walking back toward the entrance to the ballroom and past the gym. 

Cole Allen, the gunman who allegedly tried to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, could be seen on video casing the hotel and later sprinting past a security checkpoint toward the ballroom

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro released hotel surveillance footage Thursday that showed Allen point his weapon at a Secret Service agent in the Washington Hilton before he was taken into custody 

Allen, who shot a Secret Service agent before he was taken into custody, is seen expecting the entire hotel on Friday, the night before he opened fire at the event

Then, it footage from Saturday night, he is seen in the top left corner of video showing him attempting to evade security checkpoints. 

Shortly thereafter, you can see Allen with his shotgun barreling through the checkpoints and attempting to get through the doors of the ballrooms, as federal law enforcement draw their weapons. 

Allen agreed earlier Thursday to remain jailed while he awaits trial.

He did not enter a plea during his brief appearance in federal court days after authorities say he ran through a magnetometer at the Washington Hilton while holding a long gun and disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation´s capital.

Allen was injured during Saturday night’s attack but was not shot. A Secret Service officer was shot but was wearing a bullet-resistant vest and survived, officials say. 

Prosecutors have said they believe Allen fired his shotgun at least once and that a Secret Service agent fired five shots. They had not previously confirmed that it was Allen´s bullet that struck the agent´s vest.

In court papers pressing for Allen’s continued detention, prosecutors wrote Wednesday that Allen took a picture of himself in his hotel room just minutes before the incident, and that he was outfitted with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster and a sheathed knife.

In a message that authorities say sheds light on his motive, Allen referred to himself as a ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ and alluded obliquely to grievances over a range of Trump administration actions.

You can see Allen with his shotgun barreling through the checkpoints and attempting to get through the doors of the ballrooms, as federal law enforcement draw their weapons

This courtroom sketch depicts Cole Tomas Allen, seated center, the California man arrested in the shooting incident at the correspondents dinner in Washington

President Donald Trump, wife Melania and others are evacuated from the stage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Allen´s lawyers agreed during the brief hearing before US Magistrate Moxila Upadhyaya to keep their client behind bars for now after initially arguing in court papers that Allen should be released.

In a court filing Wednesday, the defense wrote that the government´s case is ‘based upon inferences drawn about Mr. Allen´s intent that raise more questions than answers’ and noted that Allen´s writings never mentioned Trump by name. The defense left the door open to pressing in the future for Allen´s release before trial.

‘The government´s evidence of the charged offense — the attempted assassination of the president — is thus built entirely upon speculation, even under the most generous reading of its theory,’ defense lawyers wrote.

Allen’s lawyers alleged that some of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s statements ‘indicate that the recovered ballistics evidence is inconsistent with aspects of the government´s theory, evidence collected by the government and/or statements made by witnesses.’

The Justice Department, in response, said the evidence shows Allen fired his shotgun at least once in the Secret Service agent’s direction. 

Investigators recovered at least one fragment at the crime scene that is consistent with a buckshot pellet, prosecutors wrote.

‘The government is aware of no physical evidence, digital video evidence, or witness statements that are inconsistent with the theory that your client fired his shotgun in the direction’ of the officer or that the officer ‘was indeed shot once in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest,’ prosecutors wrote.

Allen was charged on Monday with that crime, as well as two additional firearms counts, including discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. 

Allen attempted to race through security checkpoints to attack the ballroom

PICTURE: Cole Allen is pictured after being detained by Secret Service at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday evening

He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the assassination count alone.

Allen, 31, is from Torrance, California. He is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.

Concerns have swirled over how Allen was able to bring the shotgun, a handgun and knives with him into the hotel without detection. 

He was apprehended on a floor above the reception, though had he been able to continue down just one additional flight of stairs, he could’ve breached the dining hall where Trump and his top officials were dining.

After being evacuated to the White House following the gunfire, Trump noted that the hotel was not a particularly secure venue.

According to a manifesto he sent to family members moments before his planned attack, Allen was attempting to take out the President and members of his inner circle.

According to the New York Post, Allen’s manifesto read: ‘Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed. I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial.’

An agent who was shot in his bulletproof vest was released from the hospital and is in ‘good spirits,’ according to the President.