EL PASO, TEXAS — A woman from Kentucky has been accused of fatally shooting her Uber driver in West Texas under the mistaken belief she was being kidnapped and transported to Mexico. Phoebe Copas, 48, is currently in custody in El Paso, charged with the murder of Daniel Piedra Garcia, 52.
On June 16, while being driven to a location in El Paso’s Mission Valley, Copas allegedly shot Garcia due to a belief she was being diverted into Mexico. However, police investigations revealed no evidence to support her kidnapping concerns or that Garcia had deviated from her desired destination.
Originally arrested and charged with aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, the charges were upgraded to murder following Garcia’s death. His life support was withdrawn after doctors confirmed he would not recover from his injuries.
Copas, a resident of Tompkinsville, Kentucky, was in El Paso visiting her boyfriend. During her Uber ride, she reportedly noticed signs pointing to “Juarez, Mexico”, causing her to think she was being kidnapped. Police reports suggest she retrieved a handgun from her purse and shot Garcia, causing their vehicle to crash.
Contrary to her beliefs, the crash site was not near a border crossing point into Mexico. It’s alleged that Copas took a photograph of Garcia post-shooting and texted it to her boyfriend before calling 911.
Garcia’s niece, Didi Lopez, described him as a hardworking and cheerful man. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by his family, highlighting that he was their primary provider. The family is seeking justice for Garcia’s tragic end.
“I wish she would’ve spoken up, asked questions, not acted on impulse and make a reckless decision, because not only did she ruin our lives, but she ruined her life, too,” Lopez said. “We just want justice for him. That’s all we’re asking.”
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