Authorities in Texas, United States, confirmed on Monday (April 1st) that Lucila Nahir Nieva, a 22-year-old Argentine woman, was shot and killed near a U.S. military base. The main suspect is her husband, Preston Sullivan, who has been arrested.
Lucila, originally from the province of Tucumán, had moved to the United States in June 2024 to work. She was living in Houston, Texas. The couple resided in Fort Cavazos, a military base near the city of Killeen, where Sullivan served in the U.S. Navy.
According to the police, the crime occurred outside the base, specifically on Bacon Ranch Road 2500, in the center of the city. The emergency 911 call was received at 10:48 p.m. on March 21. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Lucila unconscious with a gunshot wound.
Although Sullivan was arrested as the main suspect, authorities have not yet classified the case as femicide — a crime that, in Argentina, is defined as a homicide committed in a context of gender-based violence.
The investigation is being conducted by local police, with support from the Armed Forces, which are collaborating to help clarify the circumstances of the death. A military spokesperson confirmed cooperation with civilian authorities.
Lucila frequently shared her daily life on social media. In one of her most heartfelt posts, she wrote about her move to the U.S.:
“Packing your life in a suitcase to travel alone, far from your friends and family, not knowing what lies ahead, is complicated — but it’s a complication I would take on again and again (…). When you truly want to achieve something, you have to leave things behind.”
She also mentioned having a good relationship with her husband’s family and had adopted his last name on her social media accounts, identifying herself as Lucila Sullivan.
The case remains under investigation and has sparked reactions among Argentinians abroad and women’s rights advocates.
Source: La Nación. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
