Coroner rules young mother’s death a homicide

The death of Luisa Garcia Farias was ruled a homicide by Benton County Coroner John Hansens after an autopsy was conducted Tuesday morning.

She died of a gunshot wound, but the number and location of her injuries are being withheld from the public as the investigation by the Kennewick Police Department continues, Hansens said in a statement.

Garcia Farias, 21, was found bleeding in the 600 block of North Tweedt Street in Kennewick about 11:20 p.m. Christmas Eve. Witnesses said she had been pushed out of a car, according to police reports.

Garcia Farias is a native of Pasco, where she lived at the time of her death. She worked in security for Walmart. She leaves a 20-month-old daughter.

Francisco Javier Munoz-Quintero, 20, is being held at the Benton County jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. The prosecution has until Wednesday to file charges.

Munoz-Quintero told police that the two were arguing in Garcia Farias’s car, when he pulled out a gun, according to a court document. They struggled and the gun went off, Munoz told police.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Coroner rules young mother’s death a homicide."