Dallas police are investigating claims that a woman killed in a shooting at an Uptown parking garage last week may have been the victim of a plot involving her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, according to new police documents obtained by NBC 5's media partners at The Dallas Morning News.
Kendra Hatcher, 35, was fatally shot in the parking garage of her residence, the Gables Park 17 apartments, on the 1700 block of Cedar Springs Road, shortly after arriving home Sept. 2.
The ex-girlfriend, who has not been arrested, dated Hatcher's boyfriend for two years before the relationship ended earlier this year, the police documents say.
Dallas police said 23-year-old Crystal Cortes, the alleged getaway driver arrested last week on a capital murder charge, admitted her involvement and said the ex-girlfriend used an iPhone to track Hatcher's location prior to the shooting.
Cortes told detectives the ex-girlfriend promised to pay her $500 to steal and bring her Hatcher's driver's license.
Cortes claims she thought it was just a robbery and drove an unidentified man to Hatcher's apartment that night. She also said the man she drove is the shooter and took several items from Hatcher.
With these revelations, there could be two more people involved in the murder who have not been arrested – the ex-girlfriend and the mysterious man who Cortes claims killed Hatcher.
Police say they have confirmed parts of Cortes' story by looking at surveillance video and talking to witnesses.
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Hatcher's family released the following a statement Wednesday about her life and calling for justice:
Kendra is from Central Illinois. She attended college in Indiana, dental school in Kentucky, and settled in Texas.
She was an intelligent, hardworking, fun-loving daughter, sister, and aunt. Kendra was salutatorian of her high school senior class and graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana on a service scholarship. While attending DePauw, Kendra studied Spanish so she could extend her love and outreach to many, including spending a semester serving in Spain.
Kendra always wanted to serve in the medical field and settled on dentistry at the University of Kentucky. She especially loved working with children. She regularly sent stories home about her pediatric patients. Kendra helped many kids. She and her entire family are very proud of her work.
We want people to know that Kendra was not only beautiful on the outside, beauty also flowed from Kendra's heart She helped so many: friends, family, and others. Kendra loved to exercise, travel, and spend time family, especially nieces and nephews.
Kendra had so much to give, and we are so thankful her 35 years were lived to the fullest. We will miss Kendra tremendously, especially her laugh and smiles. But we cannot fully mourn and celebrate her life until the authorities apprehend the person(s) responsible for committing this senseless act.
We ask that everyone share the pictures of the suspect vehicle and get the word out. And we urge ANYONE who has any information to please come forward immediately. This is how we can honor her best right now.
If you would like to help with this cause for justice, friends of the family have set up a Go Fund Me account at: www.gofundme.com/justiceforkendra
Thank you for the outpouring of support and love. It is deeply felt by Kendra's family and is carrying them through this difficult time.
Hatcher's funeral services will be in Farmingdale, Illinois later this week.
