When 19-year-old Daisy De La O stepped out of her family’s apartment in Compton on a Tuesday night in February 2021, she thought she was just going to have a quick talk. She told her family she’d be right back. She never came home.
The next morning, a maintenance manager found her body. She had been brutally stabbed and left in an alleyway near Long Beach Boulevard, wrapped in a piece of carpet. It’s the kind of story that usually ends up as a cold case file gathering dust in a basement, but Daisy’s story took a turn that basically changed how people look at "citizen sleuthing" today.
Most people think the police just solved it. Honestly? That’s not what happened.
The Night Everything Changed for Daisy De La O
Daisy was at a high point in her life. She was about to finish her associate degree, she’d just landed a new job, and she’d saved up enough money to buy herself a car. She had big dreams—makeup artistry and tattoos. But then came the text message.
It was from her ex-boyfriend, Victor Sosa.
They had been in a relationship that family and friends described as toxic and physically abusive. Daisy had finally broken up with him about a month prior, but he wanted to meet. When she stepped outside to see him, the situation turned fatal.
Police later found a bloody knife near her body. The details were gruesome: her throat had been slashed with a laceration so deep it was several inches wide. The brutality of the attack shocked even veteran investigators, yet for months, the trail went cold.
When the System Stalled, TikTok Took Over
Here’s where things get interesting. For weeks, Victor Sosa was nowhere to be found. He didn't have a car—he usually got around on a skateboard or took the bus. You’d think a guy on a skateboard would be easy to spot in L.A., right?
Wrong.
📖 Related: Joe Biden Keep Yapping Man: What Most People Get Wrong About That Viral Debate Moment
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department named him as the primary suspect, but the search seemed to hit a wall. Daisy’s mother, Susana Salas, was terrified her daughter’s case would be forgotten. She famously asked, "She’s a Mexican-American girl. Who is going to care about her?"
She wasn't wrong to worry. Statistically, cases involving women of color often see lower clearance rates.
But Daisy’s friends weren't having it. They didn't wait for a press release. They started a massive social media campaign, flooding TikTok and Instagram with Sosa’s face. They used the power of the algorithm to push his photo into every corner of the internet.
The strategy was simple: make him too famous to hide.
The Rosarito Tip
It actually worked. In July 2021, a tipster in Mexico saw the viral posts. They recognized the guy with the distinct look from the TikTok videos.
Victor Sosa wasn't hiding in a hole; he was working at a tourist bar called Papas & Beer in Rosarito, Mexico. He was literally serving drinks while a manhunt was underway. Because of that Instagram DM from a stranger, Mexican authorities were able to pick him up and hand him over to U.S. Marshals at the border.
✨ Don't miss: Gun Policy in Canada Explained (Simply): Why Everything Changed in 2026
The Trial and the 26-Year Sentence
The legal battle that followed was heavy. During the hearings, the court saw surveillance footage that detectives believed showed Sosa dragging Daisy’s body into the alley. It was a chilling piece of evidence that countered any "I wasn't there" defense.
In May 2022, a jury found Victor Hugo Sosa guilty of first-degree murder.
He didn't get off easy. By October 2022, he was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.
For Daisy's mom, the sentence was a relief but not a cure. She’s been very open about the fact that no amount of prison time brings back her daughter’s laugh or those dreams of a tattoo shop. She often says she’s just going through the motions of life now, carrying an empty space that can't be filled.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Case
There's a common misconception that "true crime fans" are just hobbyists. In the Daisy De La O case, they were a functional arm of the justice system.
- The police didn't "find" him. They processed the paperwork, but the legwork was done by 20-somethings with smartphones.
- It wasn't a random attack. This was the culmination of domestic violence. It's a reminder that the most dangerous time for a victim is right after they leave.
- The "body dump" theory was partially true. He didn't kill her in that alley; he killed her and moved her there to hide the crime, showing a level of calculation that moved the charges to first-degree murder.
Why This Case Still Matters in 2026
We see cases like Daisy’s more often now, but hers was a pioneer in using TikTok as a tool for international capture. It set a precedent for how families can bypass traditional media to get results.
However, there’s a flip side. The "Daisy Link" trial that popped up recently in 2025 often gets confused with this case because of the name. While Daisy Link’s trial involved a "toxic relationship" shooting in Florida, Daisy De La O’s case remains the definitive example of a community-led manhunt ending in a conviction.
🔗 Read more: Why Chlamydia in Koala Bears is Way More Complicated Than You Think
If you or someone you know is dealing with a situation that feels like it’s escalating, don’t wait for the "right time" to get out. Daisy tried to move on, but the persistence of an abuser is a real threat.
Practical Steps for Safety and Advocacy
- Document Everything: If you're helping a friend in a toxic relationship, keep a digital trail of threats. Daisy's friends had enough background info to know exactly who to point the finger at immediately.
- Use Social Media Wisely: If a case goes cold, high-engagement platforms like TikTok are better for reach than stagnant Facebook posts. Use clear, high-contrast photos of suspects.
- National Resources: The National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-7233) is still the gold standard for creating a "safe exit" plan that accounts for the period immediately following a breakup.
The legacy of Daisy De La O isn't just the tragedy in that Compton alley. It's the fact that her friends refused to let her become a statistic. They proved that when the system moves too slowly, a motivated community can move much faster.
Justice was served, but the cost was a life that was just getting started.
To stay informed on victim advocacy or to support local organizations working with domestic violence survivors in Los Angeles, look into the work of the National Center for Victims of Crime or local Compton community outreach programs. Awareness is the first step toward preventing the next "Tuesday night" from turning into a tragedy.