The Murder of Kendra Hatcher: A Dallas Dentist Targeted by Her Boyfriend’s Ex

Kendra Hatcher was a 35 year old dentist living in Dallas, Texas, with a career she loved and a busy life outside work. She volunteered, enjoyed traveling, and had provided free dental care to children in Ecuador. By the summer of 2015, she was also excited about her relationship with dermatologist Ricardo Paniagua, who went by Ricky.

The couple planned to leave for Mexico on September 3. The evening before their trip, Kendra returned from work to her Uptown apartment building and was shot in the parking garage. In this episode, we follow the investigation that revealed why someone had been waiting for her.

A Borrowed Jeep and a Connection to Kendra’s Boyfriend

Kendra’s missing purse initially suggested that she might have been killed during a robbery. But surveillance footage showed a Jeep Cherokee entering the garage before she arrived. Police released images of the vehicle, hoping someone would recognize it.

Its owner contacted investigators and explained that he had loaned the Jeep to Brenda Delgado. Brenda said she had allowed her friend, Crystal Cortes, to use it. Police soon learned that Brenda was also Ricky’s former girlfriend, creating a connection between the getaway vehicle and Kendra’s personal life.

Crystal admitted driving the Jeep but initially described the attack as a robbery. Her account changed as the investigation continued. Phone information helped police identify Kristopher Love, and officers recovered a handgun from his car.

The Murder Plot and the Search for Brenda Delgado

Evidence presented at trial showed that the attack had been planned to look like a robbery. Crystal testified that she and Brenda had followed Kendra to learn her routine, and that Kristopher participated in planning the shooting. Prosecutors argued that Brenda wanted Kendra killed because she could not accept Ricky’s new relationship.

Brenda left the United States after police questioned her. The FBI placed her on its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in April 2016, and Mexican authorities arrested her two days later. She was extradited to Texas that October. Prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty as part of the extradition arrangement.

The Trials, Sentences, and Appeals

Crystal pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for a 35 year sentence and her testimony. In October 2018, a jury convicted Kristopher of capital murder, and he was sentenced to death. Brenda was convicted of capital murder in June 2019 and received life in prison without parole.

We also discuss the appeals that followed. Brenda’s conviction was upheld in October 2021. In April 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Kristopher’s case, despite a dissent raising concerns about racial bias during jury selection. Throughout the episode, we remember Kendra as a dentist, volunteer, sister, and friend whose life was taken because of a breakup she had no part in.

Sources:

https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/crime/2015/09/03/dallas-dentist-pleasant-plains-high/33588452007/ 

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