Deanna Maria Diaz was 24 when she was fatally shot in a Las Vegas apartment on the night of July 29, 2022. Diaz and a male companion, identified as Samiir Smith, were inside a residence on the 1900 block of Cindysue Street when two unidentified men knocked and an argument at the doorway escalated into a physical altercation. During the struggle one of the suspects produced a firearm and shot both Diaz and Smith; both were later pronounced dead at the scene.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide unit is investigating. Authorities say the two suspects fled immediately after the shooting; no arrests have been made and the motive remains unclear. Deanna, originally from San Jose, California, was remembered in her obituary as a happy person who always wore a smile. She worked as a teacher’s aide and enjoyed working with children and the elderly.

Anyone with information about the shooting or the two men who knocked on the door is asked to come forward.