Two people have been arrested in connection with the death of military recruit Ava Moore, who was hit and killed by a jet ski while kayaking on a Texas lake during Memorial Day weekend.
Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, 21, struck Moore, an 18-year-old Air Force cadet candidate, with a jet ski while the teen was in a kayak on Lake Grapevine, about a 40-minute drive northwest of Dallas, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Tuesday.
Paxton’s office said that Gonzalez fled the scene with a man, later identified as Maikel Coello Perozo, 18, and then the two committed another hit-and-run.
Paxton’s office said that the two suspects are undocumented immigrants. They say that Gonzalez is from Venezuela.
The Independent has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to verify the immigration status of the two suspects.
“Ava Moore’s senseless death was caused by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country in the first place,” Paxton said, adding, “My heart breaks for Ava’s family and friends, and my prayers are with them as they face this tragedy.”
Gonzalez was charged with manslaughter and Perozo was charged with collision involving damage to a vehicle and hindering apprehension.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded to the news of the two arrests by suggesting the death penalty.
“Welcome to Texas. Here’s your Death Penalty,” he wrote on X on Tuesday.
Moore had just graduated from the Air Force’s Academy Preparatory School on May 19 and had been accepted to be part of the academy’s Class of 2029. The academy paid tribute to the aspiring servicemember in a Facebook post.
“We lost an exemplary teammate this weekend – Cadet Candidate Ava Moore, whose passion for leadership and service left an impact on everyone she met,” said Lt. General Tony Bauernfeind, the academy’s superintendent. “Ava’s constant happiness and attitude helped her squadron get through the challenges of the Prep School, and her drive to excel was on display as she sought out leadership positions to improve herself and her team.”
Moore played basketball for the Academy Preparatory School. Her coach, Ke’sha Blanton, said of her death, per NBC Dallas, “Broke my heart for our players, broke my heart for our parents and her family. And then it just broke my heart, because you don’t realize as a coach how much these players really impact you.”
She continued: “I was proud of everything that she was doing and how, no matter what the storm was, she made her way through it. So I think that would be the one thing that I wish I would have emphasized a lot more.”
Representative Beth Van Duyne, a Texas Republican, said that her office was “devastated” by Moore’s death.
“I was honored to have nominated Ava to join the ranks of patriotic young men and women who are dedicated to protecting the nation we love,” Van Duyne wrote on X on Wednesday, adding that Moore’s “qualifications, dedication, and leadership stood out.”
“Our office mourns for her loss and grieves with her family and friends. We ask for prayers for all of them,” she said.
Moore’s family expressed their gratitude for all the tributes that have been pouring in.
“We are so thankful for the countless messages and demonstrations of love and support, but most grateful for the many prayers we have received,” they said in a statement that was read by officials in a Wednesday press conference, NBC Dallas reported.
The statement continued: “This is a difficult time for all involved, but also an opportunity for our beautiful girl to continue to impact our community. Out of this tragedy, God will make good, and that only can be accomplished through forgiveness.”
