In the early morning hours of April 9, 2021, a night out for 22-year-old Kelly Lucio and her friends in Oklahoma City ended in tragedy. As they were leaving a bar near Northwest 50th Street and Classen Circle, they were ambushed in a sudden and violent attack. Lucio, a young woman, was fatally wounded by gunfire in the parking lot. Another individual with her, a 44-year-old man named Lorenzo Ramirez, was also shot and critically injured but ultimately survived the encounter.
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investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to two individuals who had been lying in wait. Authorities identified Emilio Ybarra and Diana Perez as the suspects. It was revealed that they had been positioned in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant, across from the bar. Ybarra allegedly concealed himself behind a pillar while Perez waited in a vehicle. As Lucio and her friends made their way to their own car, Ybarra reportedly opened fire on the group. The motive for this targeted act of violence remained a lingering question for those who knew and loved Lucio.
Thanks to surveillance footage from the area, law enforcement was able to swiftly identify and apprehend both suspects. Emilio Ybarra was charged with the serious crimes of first-degree murder for the death of Kelly Lucio and shooting with intent to kill for the injuries sustained by Lorenzo Ramirez. Diana Perez faced a charge of accessory to murder for her role in the fatal ambush. In March 2023, a jury found Emilio Ybarra guilty on both counts, and he was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Diana Perez entered a guilty plea to the charge of accessory to murder.
