Officials with the Houston Police department are asking for the public’s help in solving a murder case spanning almost eight years.
Shelbey Thornburgh, 20, was found brutally murdered in her southwest Houston apartment on November 4th, 2015.
Krystina Scott told KPRC 2′s Bill Barajas that her sister was a small-town girl who dreamed of becoming a model.
“Shelbey was a very loving, very kind, very generous person,” said Scott.
Detectives told KPRC 2 they believe Thornburgh met her killer through an escort website and arranged to meet him at her 3rd-floor apartment.
“She kept telling me she wasn’t prostituting she wasn’t doing anything nasty with nobody. She was just going out on dates with rich people looking for companionship,” Scott said.
The man believed to be responsible for Thornburgh’s death was spotted on surveillance video leaving the Conquistador high-rise apartment moments after slashing her throat.
“He came into the apartment after texting her on the burner phone that he was there. He had to be let into her elevator, I believe at the time. I think he was only in there for 17 minutes, so in 17 minutes he managed to, we believe have intercourse, kill her, and leave the apartment,” said Detective Dustin Crowder.
Detective Crowder said his department has followed numerous tips over the years and even asked for assistance from the FBI.
“Their analysis unit said that there’s a likelihood this guy was a serial killer based on the factors of who the victim was and how meticulous in concealing his identity,” Crowder said.
HPD said they do not believe the killer is from the Houston area.
They are asking anyone with information on the man seen in the video to come forward and report it.