Merlyn Yolibeth Perez-Orellana, a 24-year-old woman of Honduran ethnicity, was fatally shot on January 21, 2014, in Houston, Texas. She was walking to pick up her daughter from school in the 3400 block of Rockyridge Drive when an unknown male suspect approached and shot her multiple times. The suspect fled the scene on foot. Perez-Orellana was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the incident, the Houston Police Department launched an investigation and released a composite sketch of
the suspect. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his 30s, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a skinny build. He was last seen wearing a turquoise coat, blue jeans, and black shoes, and getting into a gold-colored mid-sized sport utility vehicle. Despite extensive efforts, the suspect has not been identified or arrested.
The tragic death of Perez-Orellana also led to legal complications regarding the custody of her 7-year-old daughter, Sheyli Galvez. Perez-Orellana had filed for asylum in the United States, claiming that the girl's father was involved in a drug cartel in Honduras and had been abusive. After her death, Sheyli was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, and a complex legal process ensued to determine her safety and eventual return to her father in Honduras.
The case remains unsolved, and the Houston Police Department continues to seek information from the public to identify and apprehend the suspect responsible for Perez-Orellana's death.
