NC Caty Lopez, 5, COLD CASE-- murdered during home invasion in 2006 (Duplin County)

[Kermitskorner]

Victim is five year old, Caty Lopez, living with her two parents in Duplin County, North Carolina. I stumbled upon her in an NC Cold Case forum and notice how little attention her case has gotten.

Caty Lopez Cold Case blog found

Quotes from the provided link above:

"Caty Lopez, 5, was sitting on her living room floor drawing of her Duke Street mobile home when two men ripped open the screen door and opened fire. Caty’s father pushed her mother out the back door, grabbing Caty on the way. He was hit in the arm, ribcage and took a glancing shot to the forehead."

"When the shooting stopped and the smoke cleared, the two gunmen were gone.
It was then her father realized Caty had been hit in the head. She died at Duplin General Hospital."

"The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Wallace Police Department with the case. The suspects are described as two black males, ages 20 to 25 at the time of the event. Before jumping to conclusions, know that investigators have determined the attackers were at the wrong house when they killed Caty. Her father is a hardworking landscaper with no criminal record. Caty died in a case of mistaken identity."

"Anyone with information can contact the Wallace Police Department at 910-285-2126 or the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation at 910-346-2121."

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Date of Death: August 4, 2006
Miss Caty Lopez was only 5 years old when she was shot and killed during a home invasion on Duke Street in Wallace. The armed gunmen, described as two black males in their early 20’s, barged through the front screen door and demanded money. They opened fire in the home and bullets struck both Caty and her father, who was holding her in his arms. The gunmen left without taking anything. Similar home invasions happened in Beulaville around this time but police couldn’t find a conclusive connection. Please contact the Wallace Police Department at 910-285-2156 or the North Carolina SBI at 910-346-2121 with any information regarding this case

Cold Cases | Duplin County Sheriff's Department

The Duplin Times newspaper published a series of stories on unsolved murders and missing person cases that occurred in the area that are featured on this we ...

www.duplinsheriff.com

Lopez’s life came to an end on Aug. 4, 2006 when two armed men barged into her home on Duke Street in Wallace and demanded money.

“The whole incident happened very quickly. They asked for money and then started shooting. It only took a few seconds to a minute or so,” Said SBI Special Agent Scott Kennedy.

Lopez was with her mother, father and a family friend. The 5-year-old jumped off the couch and ran to her father’s arms. By that time, Salvadore Lopez had already ushered his wife down the hall to safety, but he couldn’t do the same for his daughter.

“They opened the door and started firing. I didn’t have time to think. I just heard them enter and I got up immediately,” Salvadore Lopez said

NC Wanted: Police search for men who shot 5-year-old girl in head

Lopez's life came to an end on Aug. 4, 2006 when two armed men barged into her home on Duke Street in Wallace and demanded money.

www.wral.com

 

[Ladyotm]

Terribly sad what happened and that justice has not been served. It's reported that:
*perps were at the wrong house
*similar crimes happened around the same time in the city, but police don't know if they were connected.
Questions:
1- Who were they targeting? A neighbor or previous tenant. That person or persons may have information on who or what "kind of people" would target him.
2- Who was the friend that was visiting?
3- Who were the victims in the similar crimes?
4-Were any composite sketches put out at the time? I know things happened quickly at Katy's home and the other victims and neighbor likely didn't get a good look at the perps. But were sketches put out based on descriptions from the other invasion and shootings that happened at the time.

I believe someone other than the two men involved know whose responsible. How are they living with themselves.
Here's an article that revisited the story after 10 years. I'd love to see them feature her story when they start covering back to school news.

NC Wanted: Police search for men who shot 5-year-old girl in head

Lopez's life came to an end on Aug. 4, 2006 when two armed men barged into her home on Duke Street in Wallace and demanded money.

www.wral.com

Edited to add this article, in which police believe all the bullets were meant for her father and they don't believe this was drug or gang related. I wonder if he was known to keep large amounts of cash on hand. I also wonder about the victims in the other cases. What nationality were they, what kind of work did they do (construction?) and were they known to keep large amounts of cash in the home?

Clues are few in girl's killing

It's been nearly seven weeks since 5-year-old Caty Itzanamy Lopez was shot to death in a mobile home off N.C. 11 in Wallace. The little girl is at rest now in her native Honduras, but law enforcement…

www.starnewsonline.com

 

[Kermitskorner]

Terribly sad what happened and that justice has not been served. It's reported that:
*perps were at the wrong house
*similar crimes happened around the same time in the city, but police don't know if they were connected.
Questions:
1- Who were they targeting? A neighbor or previous tenant. That person or persons may have information on who or what "kind of people" would target him.
2- Who was the friend that was visiting?
3- Who were the victims in the similar crimes?
4-Were any composite sketches put out at the time? I know things happened quickly at Katy's home and the other victims and neighbor likely didn't get a good look at the perps. But were sketches put out based on descriptions from the other invasion and shootings that happened at the time.

I believe someone other than the two men involved know whose responsible. How are they living with themselves.
Here's an article that revisited the story after 10 years. I'd love to see them feature her story when they start covering back to school news.

NC Wanted: Police search for men who shot 5-year-old girl in head

Lopez's life came to an end on Aug. 4, 2006 when two armed men barged into her home on Duke Street in Wallace and demanded money.

www.wral.com

Edited to add this article, in which police believe all the bullets were meant for her father and they don't believe this was drug or gang related. I wonder if he was known to keep large amounts of cash on hand. I also wonder about the victims in the other cases. What nationality were they, what kind of work did they do (construction?) and were they known to keep large amounts of cash in the home?

Clues are few in girl's killing

It's been nearly seven weeks since 5-year-old Caty Itzanamy Lopez was shot to death in a mobile home off N.C. 11 in Wallace. The little girl is at rest now in her native Honduras, but law enforcement…

www.starnewsonline.com

I know my mind went crazy when I found it -- I figured I'd post the profile since nothing came of my first search. But imo all those questions are exactly what I think the case lacks in attention as well as circulating around my mind for the day. The suspect identifiers based on Mother and Fathers word was Black males in the ages of 20 to 25 (during 2006, when the crime occurred).