Juan Diego Cruz, an 18-year-old Hispanic male, was tragically killed in a quadruple homicide in Dallas, Texas, on March 12, 2023. The incident occurred in an apartment on Villaverde Avenue in Northwest Dallas. Alongside Juan Diego Cruz, three other victims were identified: Lupe Cruz, a 24-year-old Hispanic male; Jasmine Borjas Santos, a 20-year-old Hispanic female; and Fatima Guadalupe Alvarado Fuentes, a 21-year-old Hispanic female.
The victims were found shot to death inside the apartment, and an infant was also present but unharmed.
The investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from a custody dispute between Juan Diego Cruz and his ex-girlfriend, Azucena Sanchez, a 20-year-old Hispanic female. Sanchez, along with her accomplice, Artemio Maldonado, an 18-year-old Hispanic male, were arrested and charged with murder. According to court documents, Sanchez and Maldonado broke into the apartment through a back bedroom window and confronted the victims. Maldonado admitted to shooting all four victims during the confrontation.
Family members of the victims alerted the authorities after they were unable to reach them by phone throughout the day. Upon arriving at the scene, police discovered the bodies and initiated an investigation. Security footage from the apartment complex showed a vehicle matching Maldonado's leaving the scene around 1:11 a.m. on the day of the shooting. Later that night, police located the vehicle and arrested Sanchez and Maldonado.
The court documents further revealed that Sanchez had been sending threatening messages to Fatima Guadalupe Alvarado Fuentes, who was spending time with Juan Diego Cruz. Sanchez was reportedly upset about the custody dispute over their son and wanted to regain Diego's attention. The Cruz family, who were familiar with Maldonado's family, expressed their shock and grief over the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, and both Sanchez and Maldonado remain in custody. The tragic event has left the families of the victims devastated, and they continue to seek justice for their loved ones.
