Dallas

Woman Killed in Uptown Garage Identified; Driver of Jeep Cherokee Wanted by Dallas Police

Police searching for the driver of an older model Jeep Cherokee with paint damage and paper tags

A killer remains at large after a woman was gunned down inside a private, residential Uptown Dallas parking garage Wednesday night, police say.

In a news conference Thursday afternoon, Dallas police said 35-year-old Kendra Hatcher pulled into the garage at her residence, the Gables Park 17 apartments on Cedar Springs Road, and parked her vehicle at about 7:45 p.m.

Sometime before Hatcher arrived home, the driver of a Jeep Cherokee followed another driver into the garage and parked, according to Sgt. Max Geron, with the Dallas Police Department's Crimes Against Persons Division.

While Hatcher parked, Geron said, someone got out of the Cherokee and appeared to approach Hatcher. Police said witnesses then described hearing a gunshot and the person who exited the Cherokee then returned to the vehicle and drove away.

A killer remains at large after a woman was gunned down inside a private, residential Uptown Dallas parking garage Wednesday night, police say.

Hatcher, Geron said, was found deceased next to her car.

"We believe that the occupant or occupants of that vehicle have information that would be of benefit to detectives investigating the case," Geron said. "I'll stop short of even saying that that individual was the one that fired the shots. We simply don't know -- we don't have a motive at this point."

Geron would not specify how many shots were fired and would not comment on what gender the person who exited the Cherokee appeared to be.

"At this point we're asking for the public's assistance in identifying and locating that vehicle and any occupants that may have been in that vehicle at the time," Geron said.

The Jeep is described as an older-model Cherokee with damaged or faded paint on the hood and a paper license tag. Anyone with information is asked to call the Dallas Police Department at 214-283-4818.

Dallas Police Department, NBC 5 News
Dallas police are searching for the driver of this older model Jeep Cherokee in connection with a woman's murder in an Uptown parking garage.

NBC 5's Meredith Land spoke with Hatcher's brother, Neil, by telephone Thursday afternoon. He said that his sister was one of five children and had recently visited San Francisco where she planned to buy a home. Neil said it's "absolutely unfathomable" what's happened and that his sister was a pediatric dentist who "liked to travel, loved her family and loved working with children."

Others who knew her are in disbelief.

"You don't ever think it's going to be somebody you know," said Christine Foley, a close friend of Hatcher's. "You don't ever see somebody you know on TV in a situation like that."

"She doesn't have a mean bone in her body at all," said Foley. "She would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. That's why I don't understand. I'm trying to put two and two together."

A killer remains at large after a woman was gunned down inside a private, residential Uptown Dallas parking garage Wednesday night, police say.

Neil Hatcher added that the family has been asked to not discuss the investigation.

Dallas police have increased patrols in the Uptown area and remind everyone to remain vigilant as they come and go.

NBC 5's Meredith Land and Johnny Archer contributed to this report.

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