Tatiana Vargas, 35, was fatally shot at her home on the 3100 block of Hartville Street in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood on December 23, 2023. The shooting happened days before Christmas; Vargas, an ESL teacher who helped with the family’s restaurant, was devoted to her 11-year-old son, who was in another room and heard an argument and the gunshot. Family accounts say Vargas and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Abiud Torres, had been dating about two months and that Torres allegedly shot her in the chest. The boy later saw Torres fleeing the living room.

Police launched a manhunt after the killing and offered a reward for information. The family, including her father Joseph Vargas, has spoken about their grief and warned previously about Torres. The community has been deeply affected and the case has prompted discussions about domestic violence and intervention. Anyone who knew Tatiana or who has information about the case is asked to come forward.