On September 1, 2023, at approximately 2:41 a.m., officers from the Killeen Police Department responded to a report of a gunshot victim in the 800 block of Atlas Avenue in Killeen, Texas. Upon arrival, they discovered 22-year-old Hispanic female, Sergeant Valeria Favila, suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers immediately administered life-saving measures until paramedics arrived. Favila was transported to the Carl R.
Darnall Army Medical Center in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead at 3:57 a.m. by Justice of the Peace Gregory Johnson.
Sergeant Valeria Favila, a 22-year-old Hispanic female, served as a Human Resources Sergeant in the 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Cavazos. She had joined the U.S. Army in 2019. Her untimely death marked the ninth homicide in Killeen for the year 2023.
The Killeen Police Department's Robbery/Homicide Unit, with assistance from community members and numerous Crime Stoppers tips, identified 32-year-old Angelica Sharice Lamar Higgins as the suspect in the shooting. On September 6, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Lonestar Fugitive Task Force located Higgins at her residence in Harker Heights, Texas. She was apprehended without incident and transported to the Bell County Jail. Justice of the Peace Larry Wilkey arraigned Higgins, setting her bond at $1,000,000.
The motive behind the shooting has not been disclosed, and the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not released further details regarding the relationship between Higgins and Favila or the circumstances leading up to the incident. The Killeen Police Department continues to seek information from the public to aid in the investigation.
In honor of Sergeant Valeria Favila's service and memory, a candlelight vigil was organized by community members and fellow service members. The vigil took place on September 15, 2023, at Carl Levin Park in Harker Heights, Texas, providing an opportunity for the community to come together to mourn and pay tribute to the fallen soldier.
