Funeral Remembers Grapevine Lake Victim Ava Moore With Full Military Honors
Moore's funeral took place at The Met Church in Fort Worth at 3:30 p.m. on May 31, according to a statement from Amanda McNew, media manager for Grapevine Police. Since Moore was preparing for the Air Force Academy, as The Dallas Express previously reported, the United States Air Force gave her '[f]ull military honors' outside the church at the end of the service.
'The family has asked for privacy as they grieve the loss of their daughter,' McNew wrote in the statement. 'Ava's loss has been deeply felt throughout our community.'
Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne, a Republican, posted on X in honor of Moore. 'Ava Moore's Coming Home memorial was held today along with full military honors,' the congresswoman wrote. 'May she rest in peace and her family be blessed by her wonderful memory.'
Kayakers met on Grapevine Lake on May 31 to remember Moore, scattering pedals on the water in her honor. Soon after the tragedy, Moore's family emphasized faith and forgiveness, as The Dallas Express reported.
'This is a difficult time for all involved, but also an opportunity for our beautiful girl to continue to impact our community,' her family said in a statement at the time. 'Out of this tragedy, God will make good, and that only can be accomplished through forgiveness.'
While Moore was kayaking on Grapevine Lake during Memorial Day weekend, she was struck and killed by a jet ski allegedly operated by Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Venezuela, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The man who allegedly helped her flee the scene – committing a hit-and-run in the process – is Maikel Coello Perozo, another illegal alien from Venezuela. Under former President Joe Biden's administration, they unlawfully crossed the border in 2023, and officials captured and then released both of them.
Gonzalez and Perozo fled the scene, sparking a multi-day manhunt. As The Dallas Express previously reported, police arrested them May 27 in Dallas. ICE lodged immigration holds with the suspects, who are now 'in removal proceedings.' They were initially held at the Grapevine Police Department but have since been transferred to the Tarrant County Jail.
Gonzalez faces a manslaughter charge with a $500,000 bond, according to jail records. Perozo faces a charge of collision involving damage to a vehicle with a $2,500 bond and a charge of hindering apprehension/prosecution with a $750 bond.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott previously suggested the death penalty for the suspects, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary, emphasized in an email to The Dallas Express that 'Texans deserve protection from unchecked criminal activity.'
'The State of Texas has no tolerance for heinous criminals who kill Texans,' Mahaleris said in an email. 'The victim's family deserves swift justice, and the criminal illegal immigrants should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.'
McNew asked the media to respect Moore's family and their privacy during this difficult time.
'We ask all media outlets to honor that request with care and sensitivity,' she wrote. 'The Grapevine Police Department remains committed to supporting her family and thanks members of the media for their continued compassion and respect.'
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