Jenks Graduate's Life Cut Short In Downtown Tulsa Shooting

Witnesses say someone fired three or more shots into Cristal Guiterrez-Garza's car as she was driving in downtown Tulsa Thursday night.

Friday, May 1st 2015, 6:41 pm

By: News On 6


Tulsa Police are searching for the killer of a 19-year-old girl. Witnesses say someone fired three or more shots into Cristal Guiterrez-Garza's car as she was driving in downtown Tulsa Thursday night.

She was killed; her boyfriend in the passenger seat wasn't hit.

Cristal's family says she graduated from Jenks High School and was working at a local furniture store to earn money for college, because she wanted to become a nurse.

Her family says Cristal Gutierrez was always happy, always smiling and that's what makes her sudden death so hard, especially knowing she was shot to death.

"That's very stressful. You want answers, why? Why her? She was never into problems. She never did anything wrong, why her?" said cousin Daniela Marrufo.

Witnesses say Cristal was driving north on Houston in downtown Tulsa when someone in a car driving next to her, fired either three or four shots into the car then sped off. Several people at the bike shop nearby ran over to help but, say she had a hole in her chest and blood everywhere.

4/30/2015 Related Story: Police Identify 19-Year-Old Driver Killed In Downtown Tulsa

They say her boyfriend, who was in the car with her, was hysterical. Now, Cristal's loved ones are gathering at her parents' home, to console her mom, dad, younger sister and older brother.

"They were very close, that's what's really heartbreaking. She was really close to her dad, they were best friends," Marrufo said.

Police re-interviewed Cristal's boyfriend and are trying to figure out if someone targeted him or her, or if by chance this was a random shooting, which is much more rare. They say this type of crime in downtown Tulsa doesn't happen very often.

"Given that it happened at 4th and Houston by the Cox Business Center, that's very unusual," said Sergeant Shane Tuell, Tulsa Police Department.

Police are looking for a dark, two-door car that was seen in the area and want to talk to anyone who might know what was motive was behind this shooting.

Cristal's family is devastated by the suddenness of her death. While everyone else is enjoying a beautiful weekend, they'll be at home, planning a funeral.

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