27 Oct Zapata stabbing victim, 16, dies; suspect now charged with murder

A 16-year-old girl from Laredo has died after being stabbed Sunday in Zapata County, and the man in custody now faces a murder charge, the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Her mother and aunt identified her as Abigail Lizette Flores, according to the Laredo Morning Times. They said Flores had traveled to Zapata before the attack and confirmed that the suspect, 20-year-old Francisco Javier Torres Jr., was her boyfriend.

The sheriff’s office said deputies were sent to the 2400 block of Carla Street in Zapata around 8:18 p.m. Sunday and found Flores with life-threatening injuries. She was hospitalized, and her condition was first reported as critical but stable. She died Monday.

Torres was taken into custody right after the stabbing. Capt. Andrew Treviño said he was first charged with aggravated assault of a family or household member with a weapon, causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. The charge was raised to murder after Flores died. Authorities have said the two knew each other.

Texas Rangers with the state Department of Public Safety are helping the sheriff’s office investigate. No motive has been released, and authorities have offered no further details on what led to the stabbing.

Flores’ family has started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs. Her obituary lists visitation and services for Nov. 2 and 3 in Laredo, with burial Nov. 3 at Laredo City Cemetery.

Torres is presumed innocent unless a court finds him guilty.