NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – New Braunfels police said the woman who was found shot dead near Interstate 35 and Walnut Avenue Thursday morning has been identified as Samantha Miranda, 23.
The New Braunfels resident was lying on the sidewalk in front of LoneStar Fiberglass Pools when officers found her shortly before 1 a.m., according to a news release.
The release stated that officers were in the area responding to a call they had received about shots fired.
Joe Espinoza, who lives just steps from the murder scene, said even though he heard the shots, he didn't think much about it at first.
"I thought it was fireworks," he said. "I didn't think nothing of it because we haven't had anything like this happen this close (to our home) before. So it's sad that it was gunshots. If I would've known, I would've called it in. "
Espinoza said he was lying in bed when he heard six shots ring out.
The sound of sirens, though, is what caused him to get up and investigate.
"I saw tons of cops and detectives," Espinoza said. "I just sat here and watched everything until about 3 (a.m.)."
Early on, investigators did not know who the dead woman was. They released a picture to local media outlets of a tattoo she had on her wrist, showing the name "Elijah."
A short time later, they identified her as Miranda.
Records show the victim had her own run-ins with the law. She was arrested in 2013 on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.
As of noon Thursday, police had not made any arrests in this case.
(Below is a picture of Miranda courtesy of family members.)
