A Ciudad Juárez judge has ordered Héctor Zenón M.M. to stand trial after prosecutors say he opened fire on a father and his 9‑year‑old daughter on Thursday, May 21, leaving the girl mortally wounded and her father injured as he tried to flee.
The child was airlifted to an El Paso hospital, where she later died while receiving care. Her father survived after crashing his car during the escape attempt. The suspect remains behind bars while authorities work to shore up their case.
According to Fiscalía General del Estado de Chihuahua, prosecutors presented evidence tying Héctor Zenón M.M. to the May 21 attack, and on Friday, a Control judge formally linked him to the case. He was charged with homicidio calificado en grado de tentativa, or attempted aggravated homicide. The court granted prosecutors three months to carry out complementary investigations and ratified preventive detention, keeping Zenón locked up while investigators gather more documentation.
How authorities say the attack unfolded
As detailed by El Diario del Noroeste, investigators say the gunman arrived in a 2010 orange Jeep Wrangler and parked along Valentín Fuentes near Simona Barba in the Atenas neighborhood. From there, he allegedly opened fire on a black 2018 Chevrolet Camaro where the father and daughter were inside.
The father, identified in court documents only as Samuel R.J., hit the accelerator in an apparent attempt to shield his daughter and get away, prosecutors said, but crashed into a gray Chevrolet Traverse. According to investigators, the attacker then stepped out of the Jeep and fired additional rounds before taking off. Authorities later located the Wrangler abandoned in a shopping center parking lot near Avenida Tecnológico and Aguirre Laredo.
Local coverage identified the girl as Megan and reported that she was first treated in Juárez before being transferred to the Children’s Hospital of El Paso, where she was later pronounced dead, according to Noticias El Paso. The state prosecutor informed the court of her death during the May 29 hearing, and investigators say they are now compiling medical and other documentary evidence.
Legal status and what comes next
Because the original charge was attempted homicide, the Fiscalía noted that the legal classification could change if official medical records confirm the girl’s death was directly caused by the gunshot wounds she suffered. Prosecutors told the judge they are in the process of obtaining those records and have a three‑month window to complete the investigation.
English‑language outlets, including KTSM and local Spanish‑language media, have tracked the hearings and the child’s death. Court documents show Zenón remains in pretrial detention while investigators continue to build the case file. Prosecutors have not said when they will move to set a trial date, and the case remains under active investigation.
