In the early morning hours of July 14, 2026, in Little Rock, Arkansas, 44-year-old Jose Miguel Quiroz-Mata was preparing to leave for work. He was involved in a contentious custody battle over his 13-year-old daughter, and on the advice of his attorney, he had begun to document any encounters with his ex-wife. As he sat in his truck around 6:00 a.m., he noticed his ex-wife's black pickup truck nearby and began to film with his phone. It was during this recording that a man approached his vehicle and opened fire, a tragic turn of events captured on his own device. The Little Rock Police Department was alerted to the shooting on West 10th Street by a ShotSpotter activation at approximately 6:09 a.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Quiroz-Mata inside his vehicle, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response and life-saving efforts of medical crews, his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Jose Miguel Quiroz-Mata quickly led to the identification of two suspects. Later that same day, homicide detectives arrested 49-year-old Yudith Reyes and 22-year-old Luis Felipe Reyes-Isabel, also referred to as Luis Reyes. The two were taken into custody at separate locations and transported to the Major Crimes Division for questioning. Following their interviews, both Yudith Reyes and Luis Reyes were formally charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of Quiroz-Mata. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the relationship between the two suspects or their connection to the victim. The investigation has been described as ongoing, with law enforcement continuing to gather information about the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
The case against Yudith Reyes and Luis Reyes is currently in the early stages of the legal process. Both are facing the most serious charge of capital murder. As the investigation continues, more details about the motive and the specific roles each suspect may have played in the death of Jose Miguel Quiroz-Mata are expected to emerge. The video recorded by Quiroz-Mata in his final moments is likely to be a key piece of evidence in the prosecution's case. At present, there have been no reports of a trial date being set, nor any convictions or sentencing in this case. The overview of the case so far points to a fatal shooting stemming from a domestic dispute, with two individuals swiftly arrested and facing grave charges, while the full story of what transpired on that July morning is yet to be fully revealed through the judicial system.
