EL PASO, Texas – Phoebe Copas, the woman charged with shooting and killing her Uber driver, Daniel Piedras Garcia, in June 2023, has died, according to her former attorney.
Copas, a Kentucky resident visiting El Paso, claimed she acted in self-defense, believing that Piedras Garcia was kidnapping her and taking her to Mexico. However, authorities found no evidence that the driver intended to cross the border.
Her former lawyer, Matthew James Kozik, released a statement reiterating her innocence, claiming they had uncovered evidence that Copas attempted to exit the vehicle, but the locks and windows were not operational. He also alleged that law enforcement made false statements about the case.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Copas’ jury trial was scheduled for April 28 after she previously fainted in court during proceedings in December. The trial was postponed due to defense experts being unavailable at the time.