Thousands of miles from her home in Guatemala, a devastated mother confronted the man responsible for her son's death.
Speaking through an interpreter, Fabiana Lopez shared what she missed about her youngest, Eli Lopez.
"He would tell me, 'Mommy, you're beautiful.'" said Fabiana. "Every morning, he would send me a message and now, I don't hear that message anymore."
The last time Fabiana was in the United States was in October 2024. She was visiting Eli, who had moved to Kingsburg in hopes of starting a better life.
As the evening wrapped up, Eli said his goodbyes to drive his girlfriend back to Orange Cove.
"He gave me two kisses on the forehead and he told me 'I love you very much Mom.'" said Fabiana. "I never imagined that those would be the last words that my baby would tell me."
While at a stop sign on Manning and Hill Avenue, the then 24-year-old Jesus Zeferino slammed into their car, which burst into flames.
Eli was killed and his girlfriend was badly injured, leaving scars she carries to this day.
"I wake up in sweats because I have nightmares of my skin blistering and me not making it out alive."
Zeferino had a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit. He took a plea deal for vehicular manslaughter, accepting a 13-year sentence.
In almost a whisper to his translator, he offered an apology to Eli's family.
"I know that I am facing many years in jail, and I know not even that will return their child back," said Zeferino.
After court, Eli's older brother, Orlando, stood outside the courthouse, disappointed by the sentence.
Eli had worked alongside Orlando at his Taco Truck and was starting his own company.
Just before his death, he made business cards and t-shirts to promote his new business.
Now, Orlando mourns all the dreams that will never be.
"Now that he's not here, I am very sad. There are times I cry at home because I miss him," said Orlando. "He was 27, very young. He had a lot of future ahead of him."
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