On the morning of January 13, 2025, 22-year-old Jylin Matute-Ayala, a Hispanic woman from Fayetteville, North Carolina, was found shot to death on Topeka Street. She had texted her husband, Cristofer Puente-Mendoza, as she left their home on Walden Drive to go to work; police later responded to a shooting in the 700 block of Topeka Street and discovered her body. Investigators reported the assailant initially drove off with her car but abandoned it nearby. Her husband said she had no known conflicts and that it was unusual for her to be in that neighborhood, which was opposite the direction of her workplace.

Authorities said her death was the fifth homicide in Fayetteville within the first 15 days of 2025, compared with three homicides in the first quarter of 2024. On January 23, 2025, police arrested 19-year-old Elijah Lee and charged him with first-degree murder; he was held at the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond. Anyone familiar with Matute-Ayala’s daily routine is asked to contact investigators. Have readers who knew Jylin or her routes come forward with any information?