On the late evening of October 1, 2016, 43-year-old taxi driver Luz Mariana Matheu was killed while working a shift in DeKalb County, Georgia. She picked up a 22-year-old passenger, David Garcia-Mendoza, from a hotel on Buford Highway. At a nearby gas station another driver saw Matheu in distress with Garcia-Mendoza holding a gun to her head; that driver followed as Matheu’s taxi sped away.

Shortly after, Garcia-Mendoza shot Matheu, fatally wounding her and causing her vehicle to crash into a fence at Warwick Circle and Woodacres Road in Chamblee. Garcia-Mendoza fled on foot but was tracked by a K-9 unit to a wooded area where he was taken into custody. He later admitted to being high on drugs and alcohol and said he shot Matheu after she refused to accept drugs as payment for the fare.

Charges announced included felony murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and motor vehicle hijacking. If anyone knew Luz Mariana Matheu or has information about the case, please share what you remember.