On December 25, 2015, 18-year-old Sayuri Casas Yerena was shot and killed in Columbus, Ohio. The incident took place in the early morning hours, at approximately 3:59 AM, on Courtside Drive, where Sayuri was sitting in a parked vehicle with her boyfriend, 21-year-old Victor F. Mendez-Paredes. The Columbus Police Department was initially called to the area on reports of a robbery in progress, and shortly afterward, they received another call about shots being fired.
Upon arrival, officers found both Sayuri and Victor critically injured from multiple gunshot wounds inside their vehicle. Emergency responders pronounced them deceased at the scene shortly after their discovery, around 4:14 AM. The area where the shooting took place, the Wynds apartment complex on Courtside Drive, became the focal point of the investigation, but to this day, the case remains unsolved, with law enforcement still looking for leads and asking for public assistance in solving the double homicide.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Columbus Police Department have included Sayuri Yerena's case as part of their unsolved homicide database, hoping that increased attention might bring forward new information. Authorities encourage anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward and assist in providing justice for Sayuri and Victor's grieving families. Community involvement is crucial in solving cold cases like this, and any tip, no matter how small, could potentially lead to a breakthrough.
If you have information, you are encouraged to contact the Columbus Police Department or submit a tip through the Ohio Attorney General’s website.
