In the early morning hours of Sunday, July 31, 2016, 18-year-old Liliana Rodriguez was killed in Nashville, Tennessee. Of Hispanic descent, the young woman was enjoying a night out with her brother and friends. After leaving the after-hours club La Mansion Hall, the group was traveling in a black Ford Mustang on Interstate 24 West.
Around 5:00 a.m., a black Infiniti G35 pulled up alongside the Mustang. Shots were fired from the Infiniti into the car carrying Liliana and her companions. A bullet entered the Mustang and struck Liliana, who was sitting in the back seat. Her companions pulled over near mile marker 52 to call for help, but Liliana succumbed to her injuries.
For several years, the case of Liliana's death remained unsolved. However, in 2021, a breakthrough in the investigation led to the indictment of members of the MS-13 gang in connection with her murder. Authorities determined that Liliana was not the intended target of the shooting, but rather an innocent victim of a violent crime conspiracy.
Jose Pineda-Caceres was identified as the alleged gunman in the drive-by shooting. The indictment brought multiple charges against the gang members, including murder and violent crime conspiracy. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to Liliana's family, who had tirelessly advocated for justice for their daughter. Each year on the anniversary of her death, her family places a sign with her smiling photo at the site of the shooting to honor her memory.
