On January 28, 2025, 22-year-old Hispanic woman Madeline Rose Cuevas was found dead from a gunshot wound in her home in Hanford, California. The discovery was made after her father, Joel Cuevas, requested a welfare check due to a lack of communication from his daughter. Authorities believe the shooting occurred between midnight and 1 a.m., giving the suspect approximately a 15-hour head start before the body was discovered.
Following the incident, an Amber Alert was issued for Madeline's two daughters, 3-year-old Arya and 2-year-old Alana, who were taken from the scene by their father, 23-year-old Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz. Investigators tracked Maldonado-Cruz's cellphone and determined he had crossed into Mexico. With assistance from the FBI and Mexican authorities, Maldonado-Cruz surrendered at the San Ysidro border crossing on January 30, 2025. The children were found safe and returned to their family.
Maldonado-Cruz was arrested and charged with the murder of Madeline Rose Cuevas. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, including murder with special enhancements for "using a firearm" and "lying in wait." The case is under review, and Maldonado-Cruz is considered armed and dangerous as the firearm used in the shooting has not been recovered.
Madeline's family has established a GoFundMe campaign to support Arya and Alana as they adjust to life without their mother. The community has shown an outpouring of support, with candles lit in Madeline's memory and messages of condolence shared online. Her father, Joel Cuevas, expressed gratitude for the support and emphasized the importance of focusing on the well-being and healing of his granddaughters.
