In the late hours of a Wednesday summer evening, on July 5, 2023, the life of 21-year-old Alison Cienfuegos-Vasquez was tragically cut short by gunfire in Washington, D.C. A Hispanic female from Temple Hills, Maryland, she was a student at Prince George's Community College who also worked in a medical office. Known for her love of fashion and for baking cupcakes for her nieces and nephews, her family described her as a sweet person who did not cause trouble.
On that fatal night, Alison
had reportedly made plans to meet a man she had connected with on Instagram at the Wheeler Terrace Apartments in Southeast D.C. Shortly before midnight, around 11:41 p.m., officers from the Seventh District responded to reports of gunshots in the 1200 block of Valley Avenue, Southeast. Upon their arrival, they discovered Alison suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her mother believes she was simply in the 'wrong place at the wrong time' when the shooting occurred.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch is actively investigating her death and has sought help from the public to identify those responsible. No arrests have been made in the case. Investigators have released surveillance footage from the night of the murder, which shows two persons of interest getting out of a car. The video appears to show the two individuals, who seem to be carrying guns, opening fire into a fenced-in area before fleeing on foot. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her death.
