In the quiet of an Oklahoma City evening on August 16, 2023, a devastating tragedy unfolded, forever silencing the laughter of 9-year-old Hillary Armendariz. Young Hillary, a Hispanic female, was found deceased inside her home, a victim of unimaginable violence that also claimed the lives of her mother and two younger siblings.
That night, police were called to the family's residence following a report of a domestic disturbance. Upon their arrival, they discovered a horrific scene.
Hillary, along with her mother, 29-year-old Cassandra 'Cassie' Flores, her 5-year-old sister Damaris, and her 2-year-old brother Matias, had all been shot. The person responsible for this act was identified as the children's father and Cassandra's estranged husband, 28-year-old Ruben Armendariz.
Investigators determined that Ruben Armendariz had shot his wife and three children before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide. While Cassandra and two of the children were pronounced dead at the scene, Hillary's brother Matias and Ruben Armendariz were transported to a local hospital, where they both later succumbed to their injuries. Before taking his own life, Ruben reportedly called his father-in-law and chillingly stated, 'I messed up.'
The motive for the horrific act remains unclear to investigators, who noted that there had been no prior calls for domestic disturbances at the home. The couple was married but separated at the time of the incident. The loss of the entire family sent shockwaves through the community, leaving friends and family to mourn the senseless deaths of a mother and her three young children.
