SAN ANTONIO – Natasha Epstein, 28, has become the fifth person to face criminal charges in the case surrounding the murder of Russell McKinley, whose body was found in Salado Creek last year.
Unlike the other suspects in the case, who all are charged with murder, Epstein faces a charge of concealing a corpse.
The 29-year-old victim washed up in the creek near Eisenhauer Road in May 2014. San Antonio police, at first, thought he might be a victim of recent flooding.
However, they soon determined there was foul play involved and began making arrests later that month.
By September, they had four suspects in custody: Allen Fluitt, 28; Jose Francisco Gonzalez, 26; Jacobo Palestrant, 32; and Taylor Martin, 24. All are awaiting trial.
Police said McKinley had been "choked until he couldn't breathe," stuffed into a mattress and tossed into the creek.
After Palestrant's arrest last June, they said it appeared the murder was drug-related.
However, Woody Halstead, a prosecutor with the Bexar County District Attorney's Office, said Monday that it had more to do with a woman's anger.
Halstead said Martin was upset with McKinley about a woman he was dating and recruited the other murder suspects to "teach him a lesson."
He declined to comment on how Epstein, who is scheduled to stand trial in late August, allegedly became involved.
Click through the slideshow below to see the mugshots of all five suspects.