Amaya “Cookie” Diaz, 19, and Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, were arrested in June this year in connection with the fatal stabbing of 32-year-old Caroline “Caro” Peña in Del Rio, a small city near the Mexican border.
Peña was a mother of five, and her youngest child was just 3 years old.
Surveillance footage and details in the police complaint raised serious questions about what allegedly happened before and after the fatal confrontation.
Highlights
- Amaya Cookie Diaz, 19, Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, and Kyandra Renee Faz, 21, were arrested in connection with a homicide.
- Police allege Cookie and her sister showered and washed their clothes before officers arrested them.
- Cookie’s release has sparked fresh debate online, with some questioning why she was granted bail.
Now, Cookie’s release has drawn renewed attention to the case, with many locals concerned about how her family secured her freedom.
One person commented, “Given bail? WTH!!! What a joke. Always believed money talks.”
Sisters accused of a savage daylight homicide were seen smiling and laughing in viral videos as police took them into custody
Trigger warning: This article contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.
According to The New York Post, citing police complaints, the confrontation happened on June 25, outside a residence in Del Rio, Texas.
Caroline Peña allegedly arrived at the home of Kyandra Renee Faz, a friend of the Diaz sisters.
The criminal complaint states that Peña arrived in a black Dodge pickup truck.
Shortly afterward, a black Chrysler 300 pulled up, and Cookie and Kitty got out and confronted her.
“Within the video footage, Amaya is observed exiting the front passenger seat of the vehicle and approaching Carolina,” the complaint stated.
Investigators allege that she had an object believed to be a knife in her right hand.
The complaint says the confrontation then turned physical, with Cookie allegedly “striking Carolina in the back, where blood can be observed on the back of her shirt.”
Police allege that Kitty and Faz then joined the a**ault before the three women left the scene.
Amaya “Cookie” Diaz was released from the correctional facility after her family reportedly posted bail on her $2 million bond
Peña was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a San Antonio hospital, where she was pronounced deceased several hours later.
The three women were subsequently charged with first-degree m**der and tampering with evidence.
After spending a little over three months at the Val Verde County Correctional Facility, Cookie was released on Tuesday, October 6, after her bond was reduced from $5 million to $2 million.
The New York Post reported that the Diaz family paid $200,000 in cash, 10% of the reduced bond, to secure her release.
A representative from El Amigo Bonding told the outlet that “the specific details surrounding Cookie’s bond posting ‘are confidential only between the family who requested it.’”
Both Cookie and her 21-year-old sister, Kitty, had their bonds reduced from $5 million to $2 million.
However, Kitty still remains behind bars because she has not posted bond, according to the report.
Cookie’s release has reportedly added to tensions surrounding the case in Del Rio, where the families involved have connections to the local community.
Reportedly the anonymous representative also said the Diaz family had been keeping a low profile amid concerns about the reaction to Cookie’s release.
“There’s problems already. We know that when someone gets ki**ed, problems will happen. And it’s already happening, so [the Diaz family] has to lie low. But we know that justice will prevail. Justice always prevails,” the employee added.
The Daily Mail also spoke to an unnamed uncle who described how difficult the case has been for people with ties to the families.
Police allege Cookie and her older sister, Kitty Mia Diaz, showered and washed their clothes before officers arrested them
“It's a small town. I knew one of their uncles. Their family, everyone has a connection, so it's even harder. I worked with (the uncle) 30 years. They were close to us. What can you do,” he said.
The uncle did not speculate about what sparked the confrontation. Meanwhile, the legal proceedings against the three accused women remain ongoing.
Reportedly, Cookie and Kitty have yet to enter pleas to the homicide and evidence-tampering charges, while Faz has pleaded not guilty.
Hence, Cookie’s release does not mean the charges against her have been dropped or that she has been cleared of the allegations.
Her arraignment hearing is scheduled for next month on November 4.
According to police accounts, officers reviewed surveillance footage and investigated the events of the attack before locating the three suspects on the same day.
Investigators also alleged that Cookie and Kitty changed their clothes and showered after the confrontation but before they were taken into custody.
“While speaking with Kitty and Amaya, it was observed that they were no longer wearing the clothing originally seen on the video footage, and they had recently showered, as their hair was wet,” police claimed in the complaint.
Cookie’s release has raised safety concerns among locals, while netizens question why she was released at all
The complaint further alleges that the sisters washed clothing believed to have been worn during the alleged attack.
Investigators cited these actions as part of the evidence-tampering allegations against them.
The case had already drawn significant attention because footage circulated online showed the sisters smiling and laughing while being handcuffed.
The footage prompted strong reactions on social media, with people questioning the sisters’ demeanor despite the serious charges.
Police said the incident was not random because the women and Peña knew each other.
However, authorities have not publicly established an exact motive for the alleged attack.
“These are some twisted young ladies. They shouldn't be eligible for bail!! Not right in the head,” one netizen fumed
