Mercedes De Leon Cayaxon

Do you know who murdered Mercedes De Leon Cayaxon?
Mercedes De Leon Cayaxon was a hardworking single mother dedicated to providing a better life for her two children. A 39-year-old Hispanic woman, Mercedes had moved to Omaha, Nebraska, from Guatemala, sending money back home to support her son and daughter, whom she loved dearly. Friends and family remembered her as someone who enjoyed cooking healthy foods. Her life was centered on her work and the dream of giving her children opportunities she may not have had. Her focus was on her family, and her presence in Omaha was a sacrifice made out of love.

That sense of purpose was tragically cut short on the night of Tuesday, October 27, 2020. At approximately 9:54 p.m., Omaha police officers were dispatched to the apartment complex at 11255 Evans Street in the northwestern part of the city. The call was a medical emergency, reporting a person in need of CPR in apartment #10. When police arrived, they found paramedics and fire department personnel already at the scene, attempting to resuscitate a woman inside the residence. Despite their efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the location. She was soon identified as Mercedes De Leon Cayaxon.

What initially appeared to be a medical call quickly turned into a criminal investigation. Homicide detectives from the Omaha Police Department were called to the scene to take over the case. An autopsy later revealed the devastating truth: Mercedes had died from strangulation. Her death was officially ruled a homicide, leaving her family and community to grapple with the violent and sudden loss of a woman who was simply trying to build a future for her loved ones. The investigation began immediately, but no suspects were publicly named, and no arrests were announced in the days that followed.

The investigation into who killed Mercedes De Leon Cayaxon has remained active but unsolved for years. The Omaha Police Department has continued to seek new leads, hoping that someone in the community holds the key to breaking the case open. As time passed, Mercedes's case became part of the department's "Gone, But Not Forgotten" initiative, a program designed to bring renewed attention to cold case homicides. By re-sharing details of the crime, investigators hope to jog someone's memory or appeal to a person's conscience, believing that new information could still emerge.

The apartment on Evans Street, located near West Maple Road and 108th Street, became the focal point of an investigation that has left more questions than answers. Who was with Mercedes that night? What were the circumstances that led to her violent death? These are the questions that haunt her family in Guatemala and the detectives who continue to work on her behalf. Her children were left without their mother, their primary provider and source of love, because of an unknown assailant's actions thousands of miles away.

As of September 2026, nearly six years after her death, the homicide of Mercedes De Leon Cayaxon remains an open and active investigation. The Omaha Police Department continues to ask for the public's help in solving the crime and bringing a measure of justice to her family. Detectives are urging anyone with even the smallest piece of information about what happened that night to come forward.

Investigators with the Omaha Police Department's Cold Case Homicide Unit can be reached directly at 402-444-5656 or via email at [email protected]. For those who wish to remain anonymous, tips can be submitted to Omaha Crime Stoppers by calling 402-444-STOP (7867) or by using the P3 Tips mobile application. The case reference number is AP86428. The search for Mercedes's killer continues, fueled by the hope that someone will finally speak up.