ZOE HASTINGS, 18 -- MURDERED, TEXAS

[HairOfTheDog]

Zoe Hastings, 18, went missing after leaving her home Sunday afternoon, October 11^th. Her family reported her missing a short time later, when she did not arrive for a 5:00 p.m. church class.

Hastings’ family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Lake Highlands, near Dallas, Texas. She was on the way there when she disappeared.

The next day, a resident called police to report a white minivan hanging off the embankment at nearby creek. The minivan is the vehicle Zoe was driving. She was dead inside the van. Officers noted immediately that Zoe did not die in the accident and stated that she obviously died of homicidal violence. The cause of death has not be released.

The teen’s home, the church, and the creek where she was found are located within a mile of each other.

RIP Zoe Hastings.

[HairOfTheDog]

Zoe Hastings was a 2015 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

The tragic discovery – and mystery surrounding the death – left many families in the neighborhood heartbroken, and shocked.

Neighbors describe this as a safe area, where people look out for one another. Many strangers stopped by to comfort the loved ones of Hastings after Zoe's body was discovered.

“We’ve been here thirteen years and never had anything like this happen. It’s just shocking,” said Joe Noriega, who lives in the area.

Noriega was driving his own daughter to school at Booker T. Washington this morning, when he says a man flagged him down, saying a girl in the creek needed help. “When I saw the scene I just knew it was foul play.”

Noriega says he backed away from the crime scene and called police. He says the man who flagged him down, disappeared – information which he reported to Dallas police.

Police launched a murder investigation immediately and a Crime Stoppers tip line was also established.

On Tuesday, Dallas police said they were seeking a “person of interest” in the case. A witness reported seeing a man speaking with a woman matching Hastings’ description and getting into a minivan like hers. Another witness reported seeing the minivan strike a speed limit sign.

Dallas PD announced this morning that they will hold a press conference to update the case later today. I'm hoping they will announce an arrest.

Ref: http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2015/10/...case.html/

[HairOfTheDog]

ARREST MADE

There's been a big break in the murder case of 18-year-old Zoe Hastings. U.S. Marshals arrested Antonio Lamar Cochran early Saturday morning after detectives matched DNA found at the crime scene with a criminal database.

Cochran, 34, was apprehended at an apartment in Northeast Dallas. He was charged with capital murder. Bond was set at $1 million.


"He's obviously a sexual predator that's been taken off the streets, hopefully not to do this ever again," said Dallas police spokesman Maj. Max Geron (pictured above).

Police said Cochran has a criminal felony record in Texarkana and Bowie County of offenses including theft and drug possession.

Turns out, Zoe had stopped at Walgreens to return a Red Box movie on her way to church. A witness reported seeing a man matching Cochran's description getting into Hastings' minivan in the parking lot of the drugstore on the day she disappeared.

"The family of Zoe Hastings is extremely grateful to the Dallas Police Department for their swift action in making this arrest," said family spokeswoman Shonn Brown. "Zoe's family would like to also thank those in the community. Because of the way that you came together, the police were able to act quickly and swiftly in arresting this suspect."

No word as to whether Zoe knew her alleged killer. I will post the alleged killer's mugshot when it's available.

Ref: http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/dal.../74537714/

[HairOfTheDog]

The Suspect


Antonio Cochran, 34

Major Geron said Cochran did not know Zoe prior to the abduction, and police do not know a motive (however, Geron said earlier that Cochran is obviously a sexual predator).