Selena Felix, a 30-year-old mother of five from Avondale, Arizona, tragically lost her life in a shooting in Phoenix on December 22, 2025, in what authorities have classified as a murder-suicide involving her ex-boyfriend. The incident began late Sunday night when 23-year-old Alexis Torres took one of Felix’s young children, a three-year-old boy, from a home in Avondale around 10 p.m.
Hours later, in the early morning darkness, Felix was found dead in the roadway near 67th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds that proved fatal at the scene. Phoenix Police responded around 3:30 a.m. after a call reporting the woman appeared deceased, and the Phoenix Fire Department pronounced her dead upon arrival, marking a devastating end to a night of escalating violence that unfolded across the Valley.
The sequence of events tied back to an earlier traffic stop around 2:30 a.m. near 7th Avenue and Dobbins Road, where officers attempted to pull over a vehicle driven by Torres. He fled the scene, barricaded himself inside a nearby home, and during negotiations with the Special Assignments Unit, he inflicted a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Torres was transported to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries, confirming the murder-suicide nature of the case. The three-year-old child, who had witnessed his mother’s shooting and was then taken by Torres, was discovered unharmed in the suspect’s vehicle and safely returned to family members, though the emotional trauma from the ordeal remains profound for the young boy and the entire family.
Selena Felix was a devoted mother raising five children, a role that defined much of her daily life in the Avondale community west of Phoenix. Family members described the immense pain of her sudden loss, with her mother Sandra Saldivar expressing the heartbreak of trying to reach her daughter without response during those final hours.
Felix’s life centered on her children, providing the care and stability that young families depend on in the everyday rhythm of suburban Arizona living. Her death has left five children without their mother just days before Christmas, amplifying the sorrow that ripples through extended family and friends who are now navigating grief in the quiet neighborhoods where they once shared moments together.
The Phoenix Police Department continues its investigation, with no further suspects sought since Torres’ death closed the active threat. The case highlights the tragic consequences of domestic disputes turning deadly, particularly when children become involved, and underscores the challenges first responders face in rapidly unfolding situations. The child’s safe recovery offers a small measure of relief amid the devastation, allowing family to focus on healing while honoring Felix’s memory as the loving parent she was.
This heartbreaking event has touched many in the Phoenix metropolitan area, where communities often rally around grieving families during times of unimaginable loss. The timing during the holiday season adds an extra layer of pain, as loved ones remember Felix through the joy she brought to her children’s lives and the strength she showed in raising them. Her story serves as a somber reminder of the importance of safety and support in relationships, leaving those who knew her to hold onto the warmth she provided even as they mourn her absence.