Wendy Melissa Godoy

Wendy Melissa Godoy, a 26-year-old mother with a second child on the way, was looking forward to the future with her family. That future was stolen in an instant on the afternoon of December 8, 2021, when a single, random bullet tore through the wall of her apartment in Far North Dallas, tragically ending her life. Wendy was a beloved partner to her companion, Chino, and a devoted mother to their six-year-old daughter.

The fatal shooting occurred around 2:48 p.m. at an apartment complex on the 8500 block of Lazy Acres Circle, near Spring Valley Road and U.S. 75. Dallas Police officers were dispatched to the location for a disturbance call. When they arrived, they found Wendy lying facedown on the ground outside her second-floor apartment. Officers immediately cleared the apartment to ensure there were no other victims or suspects before beginning to administer CPR. Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics soon arrived and continued the life-saving efforts as they rushed her to a local hospital. Despite their work, Wendy was pronounced deceased.

Homicide detectives investigating the scene quickly determined the tragic randomness of the event: the bullet that killed Wendy had been fired from an adjacent apartment. The investigation, led by Detective Jacob White of the Dallas Police Department's Homicide Unit, moved swiftly. Within a day, authorities had identified a person of interest who lived next door to Wendy and her family.

Police developed probable cause and obtained an arrest warrant for 30-year-old Noe Leon-Claudio in connection with Wendy's death. An official bulletin was released asking for the public’s help in locating him. Despite the warrant being issued shortly after the shooting, Leon-Claudio was not immediately taken into custody and has successfully evaded capture. As of late 2023, he remains a fugitive from justice, wanted for the murder of Wendy Godoy.

In the devastating aftermath of Wendy's death, her partner's employer organized a GoFundMe campaign to support the shattered family. The organizer described Chino as a hardworking member of their small landscaping company who was now facing the unimaginable crisis of losing his partner, the mother of his young daughter, and their unborn child. The community responded with an outpouring of support, raising over $10,000. The funds were intended to help with funeral costs, living expenses, and the expense of transporting Wendy’s body back to her home country of Honduras for burial.

The case remains an open and active investigation, pending the arrest of the primary suspect. The Dallas Police Department continues to ask for the public's assistance in bringing justice to Wendy Godoy and her family. Anyone with information regarding the shooting or the current whereabouts of Noe Leon-Claudio is urged to contact Detective Jacob White at [email protected] or to call Crime Stoppers at 214-373-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and indictment in this case. Please reference case number 221643-2021.