Murder of Alexandra Flores

{{Short description|Child strangulation in Texas, USA}}

{{Distinguish|Alejandra Flores|Alejandro Flores}}

{{more citations needed|date=May 2020}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = Murder of Alexandra Flores

| location = El Paso, Texas, U.S.

| date = {{start date and age|2001|11|18}}

| caption =

| type = Child murder by strangulation, child abduction

| victim = Alexandra Flores, aged 5

| perp = David Santiago Renteria

| motive = Unknown

| verdict = Guilty

| convictions = Capital murder{{Infobox event

| title =

| child = yes

| sentence = Death

}}

}}

Alexandra Flores was a 5-year-old girl who was murdered by David Santiago Renteria (November 22, 1969 – November 16, 2023){{cite news|title=David Santiago Renteria|url=http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/texas-prisons/inmates/david-santiago-renteria/67616/|access-date=May 31, 2020|work=The Texas Tribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124020201/http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/texas-prisons/inmates/david-santiago-renteria/67616/|archive-date=November 24, 2011|url-status=dead}} on November 18–19, 2001, in El Paso, Texas, after being kidnapped. She was last with her parents in a local Walmart. Flores's body was found naked and slightly burnt by employees of a doctor's office, {{convert|18|mi|abbr=on}} away from the place of abduction.

== Cause of death ==

The medical examiner testified that Flores had two bruises to her skull, which indicated that she was struck on both sides of her head. A burned plastic bag was also found covering Flores's head. The examiner concluded that Flores died from "asphyxia due to manual strangulation" and that "she was dead when she was burned." He also found no evidence of sexual assault but did not dispel the possibility that she was touched.

== Evidence against Renteria ==

DNA sampling of the blood that was found in Renteria's van was the same as Flores's DNA.{{Cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/court-of-criminal-appeals/2011/20992.html|title=DAVID SANTIAGO RENTERIA v. THE STATE OF TEXAS (Original) (original)|website=Justia Law|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Missing-5-year-old-girl-found-dead-in-El-Paso-2060045.php|title=Missing 5-year-old girl found dead in El Paso|date=November 20, 2001|website=Houston Chronicle|access-date=February 6, 2020}}

== Background of Renteria ==

Renteria had a history with law enforcement before the Flores murder. In 1992, he was convicted of the offense of indecency with a child. In the course of the Flores trial, the victim of the 1992 incident testified that Renteria molested her at the age of 7. Renteria was a convicted sex offender on probation when he was seen on a Walmart security video leaving the store with Flores.{{Cite web|url=https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/business/condemned-killer-of-el-paso-girl-loses-appeal/article_aa98a405-409b-5d23-96d4-a588325c9f4a.html|title=Condemned killer of El Paso girl, 5, loses appeal|last=Graczyk|first=Michael|date=May 4, 2011|website=The Victoria Advocate|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230613070204/https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/business/condemned-killer-of-el-paso-girl-loses-appeal/article_aa98a405-409b-5d23-96d4-a588325c9f4a.html|archive-date=June 13, 2023}}

== Conviction ==

Renteria was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in September 2003. He appealed his sentence multiple times, and each time his sentence of capital murder was upheld. Renteria was executed by lethal injection on November 16, 2023, at 7:11 PM CST.{{cite news|last1=Lozano|first1=Juan A.|last2=Graczyk|first2=Michael |date=November 16, 2023|title=Texas man executed for 2001 killing of 5-year-old girl abducted from a store|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/texas-execution-el-paso-5b4d2f1a66e3050dcecfd2fd10e546f3 |access-date=November 17, 2023}}