Hospital worker and mother of 5 dies in DV incident. ‘We are devastated’
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- Family raised nearly $10,000 via GoFundMe to support six children, ages 6–22.
- Benton County labels the rural incident a suspected domestic violence case.
- Ruvalcaba-Barrera, a hospital worker, lived for spending time with her children.
A mother of five who died Saturday during a domestic violence incident near Prosser placed her family at the core of her life.
Annie Ruvalcaba-Barrera, 39, lived to spend time raising her kids and a granddaughter – whether that was playing outside with her boys or shopping with her girls, said her sister-in-law Seirra Goble.
“She’s going to be missed by the community because so many people knew her,” Goble told the Tri-City Herald.
Ruvalcaba-Barrera worked at Prosser Memorial Hospital as a cardio pulmonary technician. She’d worked there for five years, starting out in housekeeping, said Goble.
“She was the face of cardio-pulmonary because of her infectious smile and laugh... people loved being around her,” she said.
Goble organized the family’s GoFundMe, describing Ruvalcaba-Barrera as a “silly, life of the party, person who worked hard to provide for her family.”
Over $16,000 was raised by noon Tuesday to help Ruvalcaba-Barrera’s eldest children as they work to take care of their younger siblings.
Her children are ages 6 to 22. The youngest was in the car with Ruvalcaba-Barrera at the time of the shooting.
“I think it’s amazing, any way that we can make sure that they’re going to be taken care of. A financial burden is going to be off their head,” she told the Herald.
“They are both gone, and we are devastated,” Goble wrote on GoFundMe.
Prosser Memorial Hospital issued a statement Monday, saying Ruvalcaba-Barrera’s absence will be “profoundly felt.”
The hospital will accept donations to benefit her family at its gift shop.
“This colleague was more than just a skilled professional; they were a cherished member of our family, admired for their dedication, kindness and the compassion they showed to patients and coworkers alike,” the hospital’s statement read.
“Our hearts go out to their loved ones, friends and all who are mourning during this difficult time. We stand together as a community, offering support and care to one another as we navigate this tragedy,” the statement said.
Deadly confrontation
Saturday evening, Ruvalcaba-Barrera and her husband, Jose Barrera, were found shot at a crash near Rothrock and Evans roads, north of Prosser.
Benton County sheriff’s officials said Monday they are still investigating what happened and did not release the identities of the two who died until Tuesday, calling it a tragic, isolated incident of domestic violence.
Deputies were called to investigate reports of two cars crashing, followed by some yelling and gunshots near the rural intersection.
They found one person dead, and called for a medical helicopter for a second person. Despite CPR efforts, they could not save the second individual, said officials.
On Tuesday, officials said Barrera and Ruvalcaba-Barrera were in two separate cars and one deliberately struck the other. Investigators declined to say yet who caused the crash.
Investigators confirmed a 6-year-old was inside Ruvalcaba-Barrera’s car and was not physically injured in the crash or shooting.
The county’s Major Crimes Unit is still investigating the incident. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call non-emergency dispatch at 509-628-0333.
The Benton County Coroner’s Office has scheduled autopsies for Wednesday.
If you or somebody you know is living with an abusive partner, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 800-799-7233. The StrongHearts Native Helpline can also be reached at 844-762-8483.
This story was originally published November 17, 2025 at 2:17 PM.
