El Paso, TX — El Paso Police have identified 28-year-old Melanie Christine Cuellar as the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of 77-year-old Maria Lopez last month in South-Central El Paso.
Cuellar is now wanted for a collision involving death, and authorities say she is actively evading arrest. Police confirmed her connection to the case on Monday, following growing public pressure and a viral plea from the victim’s family.
Crash Killed Mother and Grandmother in Broad Daylight
The incident occurred on July 19 as Maria Lopez was crossing the 6800 block of Alameda Avenue. According to investigators, she was struck by a light-colored SUV traveling westbound, whose driver never stopped after the collision.
“Lopez died at the scene,” El Paso Police said at the time.
On July 24, police said they had located the vehicle involved and identified a suspect, though they declined to release a name then as the investigation continued.
Cuellar was featured in the “Most Wanted” list over the weekend, but her direct connection to the fatal crash was not made public until now.
Victim’s Family Demands Justice
Over the weekend, Viviana Lopez, the victim’s daughter, took to social media, sharing a photo of Cuellar and pleading with the public to help bring her mother’s killer to justice.
“We just buried my mother. I say buried, because she is not at rest,” Viviana said in an emotional video. “She will rest when we catch the driver.”
“She is hiding, and I need your help to find her,” she added.
Her video has since been shared widely throughout the El Paso community, amplifying calls for Cuellar to surrender or be apprehended.
Police Seeking Public’s Help
Cuellar remains at large, and El Paso Police are asking the public to come forward with any information about her whereabouts.
Tipsters can contact Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 (TIPS) or submit information anonymously online.
As the investigation continues, the community mourns a woman remembered as a loving mother and grandmother, taken too soon in a hit-and-run that shocked her neighborhood.
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