Mystery surrounds death of 20-year-old Massachusetts woman as loved ones remember her heart, kindness, selflessness

A young Massachusetts woman who died after being shot and involved in a car crash is being remembered.

Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker confirmed last week the death of two individuals following an incident that took place Thursday night at approximately 9:21 p.m. near 63 Erving Avenue in Lawrence.

Police responded to a motor vehicle crash involving a 2014 Jeep Cherokee at that site. One of the vehicle occupants, 20-year-old Nayeli Liriano of Lawrence, was found with an apparent gunshot wound and was transported to an area hospital. She was pronounced deceased the next morning, Tucker confirms. The other vehicle occupant, 20-year-old Alexander Carvajal Mendez of Lawrence, was also found with an apparent gunshot wound and was transferred to an area hospital in critical condition. On Saturday evening, he was also pronounced deceased.

According to her brother and a GoFundMe fundraiser, Liriano “was a light in the lives of everyone who knew her. She had a genuine smile and a beautiful way of making people feel seen, valued, and loved. No matter what she was going through, she always found a way to lift others up and bring positivity into any room she walked into. One of her most special qualities was her heart. Nayeli was kind, selfless, and always willing to help anyone in need. She loved her family deeply and cherished every moment spent together. She was strong, resilient, and full of dreams—always believing in a brighter future.”

The incident, including the circumstances of the shooting and crash, and the nature of the relationship between the two vehicle occupants, is currently under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to Tucker’s office, the Lawrence Police Department, and the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.