Jasmine Estrella Adame was a 16-year-old Hispanic girl from El Paso, Texas, remembered by her family as a fun, loving, and free-spirited person who lit up every room. Her loved ones described her as a wonderful child who dedicated her life to making people laugh. A talented athlete, Jasmine played soccer and volleyball and was also a gymnast. Her parent, Yvette Villarreal, recalled the beautiful smile that was always on her face. As the oldest daughter in her family, her loss left a profound void in the lives of her parents, siblings, and all who knew her.
On the evening of February 16, 2023, police responded to a report of a shooting in a far east El Paso neighborhood. They discovered Jasmine’s body in an alley near the 14300 block of Coyote Trail. She had been killed by a single gunshot wound to the back of her head. The discovery was made around 9:30 p.m.
in a dark drainage alley between Coyote Trail and Apache Point.
The investigation into Jasmine’s death revealed the tragic circumstances of her final moments. According to court documents, Jasmine had used Instagram to arrange a meeting to purchase marijuana through an intermediary. Investigators learned that her plan was not to buy the drugs, but to steal them during the transaction. She and her friends went to meet the seller, a man later identified as 23-year-old Cesar Alejandro Roa.
During the encounter, Roa shot Jasmine in the back of the head. Detectives from the Narcotics Unit and the Homicide Division worked the case, corroborating events through witness statements, social media communications, and by having an undercover officer purchase drugs from Roa. On March 3, 2023, Cesar Alejandro Roa was arrested and charged with murder, along with several drug-related offenses. Following a trial, Roa was convicted for the fatal shooting. In May 2025, he was sentenced to prison.
