Neighbors say woman killed in murder-suicide was caring

ABC-7 continues to learn more about the victim of a murder suicide earlier in the week.

El Paso Police say 30-year-old Frank Aparicio was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound behind a store in the Lower Valley. Police say Aparicio shot a El Paso Police officer Mike Garcia on Monday night, then murdered 61-year-old Cecilia Diaz before killing himself.

ABC-7 went back to the apartment complex in East El Paso where Diaz lived on Thursday, and it was apparent speaking with neighbors that Diaz left an impression on just about everyone.

“She was very caring of other people,” neighbor Irene Martinez said of Diaz, who was a teacher’s aide at Ysleta Pre-K for a dozen years. “She used to help the kids with their homework sometimes.”

A cross equals heart symbol that still hangs on Diaz’s apartment door is from Abundant Living Faith Center, where ABC-7 has confirmed she was a member of the congregation. Neighbors say she was a “good Christian woman” who would often be seen sitting at a table on her balcony in the morning, reading her bible.

A spokeswoman for the church said they have not been able to reach members of her family, but she said the pastors at Abundant Living Faith Center are deeply sorry about what happened and their hearts and prayers go out to Diaz’s family.

Diaz was found dead at a home in the 12,000 block of Sal Rasura early Tuesday morning.

“Back when we had the floods, the water came in to some of the apartments down there and she would offer to buy pizza for them,” Martinez said. “She was always looking out for everybody else.”

The woman who Diaz helped did not want to give her name, but she said Diaz had a place in her heart and time for everyone in need.

“She was always singing, always praying and when our other neighbor that lived over here, he was military, when he was deployed, she spent at least a good 15 to 20 minutes with him before he was deployed and prayed with him for him to be safe,” the neighbor said. “There was no reason for him to kill her, no reason. She was not a threat to anybody. All I can say is I know that she’s in heaven now.”

Officer Garcia remains in stable condition at Del Sol Medical Center.