Lydia Mendoza, 29, of Waco, Texas, was shot and killed on May 1, 2022, while seated in her car on Morrow Avenue. She was in the vehicle with her cousin, who was seriously injured, and her two young children, who were not physically hurt. The women had gone to pick up a large sum of money from a friend of Lydia’s ex-husband when a second car arrived; a man identified as Oscar Thomas Lopez got out, opened Lydia’s car door, and fired into the vehicle.

Police charged Lopez with murder and aggravated assault. Investigators concluded the shooting was deliberate. The Waco Police Department’s Special Crimes Detectives gathered evidence in the case. Lydia’s family remembered her as a loving mother, a student working toward a Master’s degree in Business Management, and a hardworking person who helped others. Funeral services were held at Western Heights Baptist Church and she was buried at Oakwood Cemetery.

Does anyone have information about Lydia, the incident on Morrow Avenue, or witnesses who saw vehicles or people in the area that day?