Claudia I. Gallegos, 41, was shot and killed on July 4, 2023, in Peñitas, Texas. Officers responded at about 9:22 p.m. to a residence at 1501 N. 11th St. and found Gallegos by the driver’s door of a Dodge Journey with a gunshot wound. She was taken to Mission Regional Hospital and pronounced dead.

Authorities say Gallegos had been trying to leave the home with her daughter, Crystal, when her stepfather, 54-year-old Leonardo Silva, intervened. Crystal reported that Silva had threatened a week earlier to kill Gallegos and then kill himself. Witnesses say Claudia’s brother, Joshua Silva, heard a loud bang and saw their father pointing a handgun at Claudia. Leonardo Silva later admitted to shooting her, telling investigators he intended only to scare her and believed the firearm was unloaded; investigators noted evidence inconsistent with that account. Silva was arrested and charged with murder and held on a $1 million bond.

The family has spoken of profound grief and the lasting void left by Claudia. Does anyone have information about Claudia, her movements that night, or contacts who might help the investigation?