Brother of Woman Fatally Struck by Cuban Woman 19 Years Ago Shares Heartfelt Story

For nearly two decades, Joaquín Freire carried a promise deeply etched in his memory: to find the woman accused of causing his sister's death, Gloria Hall, in a hit-and-run incident that occurred in August 2006 in Hialeah. This week, that promise began to be fulfilled with the arrest and extradition from Mexico of Leydis Menéndez Abdala, the main suspect, who had been a fugitive for 19 years.

Freire, who serves as a police officer in South Florida, channeled his grief over his sister's loss into an relentless pursuit that eventually bore fruit. Although he acknowledges that the arrest does not erase the pain, it marks a crucial step toward justice. "It has been 19 years of not stopping the search for this person," he stated in an exclusive interview with Telemundo 51.

The Long Escape and Silence

On the day of the accident, Menéndez Abdala was taken to the hospital, where a blood sample was drawn for toxicology analysis. The Hialeah Police had a court order to send the sample to the lab, but according to the prosecution, the accused had a relationship with a police officer, which allowed her to learn about the proceedings against her and flee the state.

Since then, her whereabouts were unknown. Her eventual location and capture in Mexico were the result of years of investigation, family pressure, and international cooperation.

A Mixture of Relief and Sorrow

The moment when Freire received the call informing him of the suspect's arrest was, in his words, an experience filled with conflicting emotions. "A lot of emotions. Joy because we reached this point after 19 years, and then the pain of the emotions I had gone through," he admitted.

While the arrest is a relief for the family, it also reopens wounds that never healed. Gloria Hall had a promising future when she was hit. Since then, absence and silence have marked her family. "She has never faced what she did," Freire remarked.

This Tuesday, Menéndez Abdala appeared in court in Miami and pleaded not guilty. The judge denied her bail, and a new hearing was scheduled for Thursday. For Freire, the denial to acknowledge the facts was expected. "I see it as something that doesn't surprise me. She has never faced what she did, accepting responsibility for killing another person, my sister, and going on the run," he stated.

Seeking Justice for All Involved

Freire also called for an investigation and accountability for those who helped Menéndez Abdala evade justice for so long. "Let her accept the consequences of what she did because everything has its consequence for what a person does [...] I hope any accomplice faces justice," he argued.

The case was not just another one for Freire. He lived it as both a brother and a police officer. "It's something that happens quite a bit in my profession, but I never thought it would happen to me. That they would knock on my door and tell me my sister had died," he reflected.

The Promise That Fueled the Search

The vow that Joaquín Freire made to his sister shortly after the funeral became the driving force of his life for nearly two decades. "I once told her at the cemetery that I would never stop until the day I found her, or they found her," he concluded.

And he fulfilled it. Thanks to his persistence and the efforts of the authorities, the accused is now in the hands of justice. However, the Hall family is aware that the judicial process is just beginning. The extradition is not the end, but the start of a new chapter that may be long, but is now on the correct legal path.

In the meantime, Joaquín Freire remains steadfast, with the same conviction that has sustained him for 19 years. The memory of his sister and the pursuit of truth continue to guide his journey.