In the late evening of October 1, 2016, Luz Mariana Matheu, a 43-year-old female taxi driver, was working her shift in DeKalb County, Georgia. Her life took a tragic turn when she picked up a passenger, 22-year-old David Garcia-Mendoza, from a hotel on Buford Highway. The ride would prove to be her last, a grim journey that ended in her violent death.
The situation escalated at a nearby gas station where another taxi driver noticed Matheu in distress.
Garcia-Mendoza was seen holding a gun to her head. This fellow driver, alarmed by the terrifying scene, began to follow Matheu's taxi as it sped away. Shortly after, Garcia-Mendoza fired the weapon, fatally wounding Matheu and causing her vehicle to crash into a fence at the intersection of Warwick Circle and Woodacres Road in Chamblee. In the chaotic aftermath, Garcia-Mendoza fled the scene on foot into a nearby neighborhood.
Law enforcement was alerted, and a manhunt ensued. Utilizing a K-9 unit, police tracked Garcia-Mendoza to a patch of kudzu in a wooded area where he was hiding. He was taken into custody without further incident. Investigators later determined the motive for this senseless act of violence. During questioning, Garcia-Mendoza admitted to being high on drugs and under the influence of alcohol. He confessed that he shot Matheu because she refused to accept drugs as payment for the taxi fare.
David Garcia-Mendoza was charged with a litany of serious offenses, including felony murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and motor vehicle hijacking. He eventually entered a guilty plea for his crimes. In July 2017, a judge sentenced him to life in prison plus an additional five years, ensuring that the man responsible for the death of Luz Mariana Matheu would be held accountable for his actions.
