Jaylou Pineda Lopez Remembered After Tragic Hamilton Avenue Shooting Leaves Daughter Behind

 Atlantic City is mourning the loss of 22-year-old Jaylou Marlenne Pineda Lopez, a young mother who was fatally shot inside an apartment on the evening of April 22. Police responded to a 9:30 p.m. report of gunfire at 2202 Hamilton Avenue, Apartment D, where officers found Pineda Lopez suffering a gunshot wound to the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind a three-year-old daughter and a grieving family searching for answers.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has charged a friend, 26-year-old Franklin J. Felipe De La Paz of Atlantic City, with first-degree aggravated manslaughter and fourth-degree possession of a large-capacity ammunition magazine. Authorities say the shooting occurred shortly after Pineda Lopez, De La Paz, and a third friend finished eating dinner together in the apartment, turning an ordinary evening into an irreversible tragedy.

According to prosecutors, De La Paz initially told investigators the gun "discharged" while he was handling it inside the residence. He later admitted that he waved the loaded firearm in Pineda Lopez's direction and pulled the trigger, killing her. The admission shifted the investigation from a possible accidental discharge to a criminal act, leading to formal charges filed by prosecutors.

De La Paz was taken into custody on April 30 in Pleasantville during a joint operation involving the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Atlantic City and Pleasantville police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. He remains in custody as the case moves through the Atlantic County court system and awaits initial hearings.

Family and friends remember Jaylou as vibrant and full of personality despite the challenges of starting over. According to her obituary, she had immigrated from the Dominican Republic about a year earlier and worked as a skilled nail technician to support her young daughter, Nairelys Sophia. Loved ones say she loved to laugh, was sarcastic, and had a dark sense of humor that made people feel at ease.

She enjoyed romantic music, loved watching "Stranger Things," and counted Bad Bunny among her favorite musical artists. Those small details paint a picture of a young woman building a life in a new country while balancing work and motherhood, finding joy in music, television, and time with family and close friends.

In the wake of her death, friends and family organized a GoFundMe to help care for her daughter and support funeral expenses. The fundraiser reflects both immediate need and long-term concern for Nairelys Sophia, who now faces life without her mother. Community members have shared the page widely, offering donations, prayers, and messages of support for the grieving family.

Jaylou is survived by her daughter Nairelys Sophia, her partner Naibel, her parents, siblings, grandparents, and other loved ones who are now planning services while processing profound grief. As Atlantic City grapples with another act of gun violence, those who knew her are focusing on remembrance, justice, and ensuring her child is cared for. May she rest in peace, and may her family find strength in the love surrounding them.