Victim of fatal shooting would do anything for kids, loved life, mom says

Published 6:06 pm Thursday, August 13, 2020

Diamond Samatha Cruz with her daughter 3-year-old Adali

Diamond Samantha Cruz would do anything for her kids and loved being a mom.

But that opportunity was taken from her on Sunday, when a fatal gunshot wound ended her life at her residence in the 8700 block of County Road 384 in Tyler.



She was just 21.

Catalino Castillo Marin Jr. is charged with murder in connection with Cruz’s death. He is the father of her children, 3-year-old Adali and 2-year-old Nathaniel, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.

Cruz’s mother, Dalila Lopez Morales, said she misses everything about Cruz, including hugging her, shopping, cooking and seeing her raise Adali and Nathaniel.

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“She was so young. She was a good mother who didn’t deserve what happened to her,” Lopez Morales said. “She deserved so much better.”

Lopez Morales said Diamond was very shy and she didn’t want to ask for anything.

She recalled Cruz being extremely happy to have a combined sweet 16 and quinceañera, a tradition celebrated among Latino families when a girl turns 15.

Cruz grew up in Florida before the family moved to Tyler seven years ago.

“She loved to go to the beach and be in the water,” she said.

Morales Lopez said her daughter also loved to dance. She was in the middle among her five brothers and one sister.

“She was so happy to be a mom,” Lopez Morales said. “She would do anything for them. She was always with them. She loved doing her daughter’s hair, and she was happy she had a boy and a girl. She was content with a pair.”

Currently, Lopez Morales is fighting for custody of her grandchildren. She says they are staying with Marin’s parents, and she’s worried the children won’t be able to say goodbye to their mother.

On Monday, Lopez Morales, organized a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses and care for Adali and Nathaniel.

“Please help share and whatever you can donate will be much appreciated,” Morales wrote in the fundraiser description. “Also pray for our family as this is a very tragic moment we have to go through and it won’t be easy!”

As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe has received nearly $4,000 in donations out of a $10,000 goal.

“I’m thankful and I appreciate every donor,” she said.

Visitation for Cruz will be held 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at Dale Chapel Baptist Church, 620 W. Glenwood Blvd in Tyler.

Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Dale Chapel Baptist.

Interment will be at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, 1310 W NW Loop 323 in Tyler.