Merced County teen arrested for fatal stabbing during fight at Keyes house party
Detectives have arrested a 16-year-old girl from Los Banos in last week’s stabbing death of Emily Lopez, 20, during a brawl at a house party on Jennie Avenue in Keyes, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Stanislaus sheriff’s detectives took the teenager into custody Tuesday afternoon at the Los Banos Police Department. She was booked into Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of homicide and assault with a deadly weapon, Detective Raj Singh told The Bee.
Detectives still are looking for additional people who may have taken part in the fight, so “are not releasing details of what led to the incident while witness interviews are ongoing,” Singh said.
Several partygoers reportedly recorded the fight, which investigators are reviewing. Lopez died after deputies found her and another woman with stab wounds just before 10:40 p.m. Friday. The second woman survived.
Lopez’s older sister, Carla Barajas, created a GoFundMe campaign titled “Honoring Emily’s Life After Tragic Loss.” As of Wednesday morning, the fundraiser had collected about $4,000 from nearly 80 donations.
“Emily — Emy, as so many lovingly called her — was one of the kindest, most caring souls you could ever meet,” Barajas wrote on the page. “She had a gift for making people feel seen, heard, and loved … She was so close to finishing her degree and had dreams of building a better future, not just for herself, but for all of us.”
Barajas said the family recently endured another tragedy when youngest sister Ariana died two years ago. Funds will cover Emily’s funeral and burial costs as the family plans “a service where her loved ones can come together, remember her, and celebrate the beautiful person she was.”
Anyone who attended the party, has cellphone video or other information is asked to call Detective M. Wyatt at 209-525-7091. Anonymous tips can be left with Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at 866-602-7463.
This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM.
