SAN ANTONIO – It's been four years since Martha Batchelor was killed inside her North San Antonio apartment. Her killer has managed to avoid arrest -- despite a grim warning from a police detective that the suspect "will strike again."
Batchelor, 53, was found dead by a maintenance worker inside an apartment on the 4900 block of Woodstone Drive on July 6, 2013. Details of the crime were first revealed to KSAT-12 in 2014 in hopes of catching the killer.
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SAPD Detective Mark Duke said he believed Batchelor was awakened around 4:30 in the morning by someone knocking at her door or coming in the apartment.
"There was no sign of forced entry, so it’s likely that she may have known the person. We don’t believe it’s someone that she knows real well or has had an extended relationship with," Duke said.
Duke said Batchelor tried to call 911, but she was overpowered by the man in her bedroom. That’s where Batchelor was murdered and sexually assaulted.
To see a dramatization of this case, click here
The scene was described as "heinous." A fire extinguisher was sprayed, leaving behind a white dusting.
"It’s likely that the person -- the offender, in this case -- may have known where the fire extinguisher was kept," Duke said. “We believe this was a crude attempt to destroy evidence like fingerprints and things of that nature. We see that from time to time on burglaries where the burglar will use a fire extinguisher to try and cover up evidence."
SAPD has entered information into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, or ViCAP, a database used by law enforcement to look for leads in unsolved or cold cases.
Police believe the suspect is Hispanic. In June 2016, police said they believed a woman may have been involved in the crime.
Anyone with information on the crime can make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP. There is a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the case.
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