On November 6, 2015, 26-year-old Veronica Mercado and her 2-year-old daughter Linette Cano were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds in the kitchen of their home on Elvera Street in Houston. Police say there was evidence of forced entry and that both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Authorities identified Veronica’s ex-boyfriend, Jonathan Figueroa, as a suspect; he is not Linette’s father. Investigators believe he entered the residence and fired multiple shots. A friend reportedly alerted police after receiving concerning statements from Figueroa, and law enforcement has said there was a history of domestic violence between him and Veronica. Figueroa is believed to have fled toward the Mexican border in a maroon Ford Taurus with Texas plates CTS-3225; he has been charged with capital murder and remains the focus of an active manhunt.

Veronica worked at a Houston bakery and left behind two other school-aged children. The community continues to grieve and seeks answers about how this violence escalated. If anyone has information about Figueroa’s whereabouts or the events leading up to November 6, please come forward.