On Friday, September 1, 2023, a tragic incident occurred at a home in the 9900 block of Southwest 165th Terrace in southwest Miami-Dade, resulting in the death of Maria Cruz de la Cruz, a 51-year-old math teacher at Doral Academy K – 8 charter school. The incident was identified as a murder-suicide by the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD).
At approximately 4:20 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting at the residence.
Upon arrival, they found an adult male with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, another adult male, and an adult female, all of whom had sustained gunshot wounds. The adult male with the self-inflicted wound was declared deceased at the scene. The injured male and female, later identified as Maria Cruz and another man, were transported to Jackson South Medical Center in critical condition. Despite medical efforts, Maria Cruz succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
A third adult female was also present at the scene but was not injured. The firearm used in the incident was recovered by the police. The MDPD has stated that they are not actively searching for any subjects, as this incident is classified as a murder-suicide.
The community and the school where Maria Cruz taught were deeply affected by her death. Doral Academy Principal Eleonora Cuesta expressed the school's grief, highlighting Maria Cruz's compassion, commitment, and love for her students. The school arranged for additional on-site counselors to support students through their grief. A vigil was organized on Sunday night to mourn the loss of Maria Cruz, and a GoFundMe campaign was set up to support her two daughters, raising over $25,000 as of Sunday afternoon.
Neighbors described the scene as shocking and frightening, with some hearing the gunshots and seeing police and emergency responders arrive. The police are investigating any possible history of domestic violence that may have led to the incident, but the exact motives behind the shooting remain unclear.
