ROCKWALL —
Homicide is a tragedy that rarely touches Rockwall County. Rockwall Police Department Sgt. Jeff Welch could only recall two such incidents in the past three decades, one dating back to the mid-80s.
But when RPD responded to a call in the 300 block of Lynne Drive in the Lake Rockwall Estates Tuesday night, they found 15-year-old Surie Baeza dead with multiple stab wounds to her torso. Her body was taken to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office, and preliminary autopsy reports have confirmed that it was indeed a homicide.
“I am just in shock that something like this happened so close to home,” Evelia Salazar, one of Baeza’s neighbors, said. “I’ve lived here all my life; things like this just don’t happen in Rockwall. They just don’t. It’s so tragic. She was so young. I feel so bad for her family, that they are having to go through something like this.”
When Baeza’s mother checked on her daughter that afternoon, she thought she was asleep. It was until approximately 7 p.m. that evening that RPD discovered that Baeza, who was a ninth grader at Rockwall-Heath High School, was dead.
The case is currently under investigation by the RPD, who are following up several leads in the case according to Welch. However, there are no suspects and the investigation is in its early stages. Wednesday afternoon Welch said it was too early to determine whether Baeza knew her attacker, but there was no sign of forced entry.
Rockwall Independent School District’s Executive Director of Public Relations and Marketing Sheri Fowler said that the ISD’s counseling department was made aware of the incident Tuesday morning and counselors were available for RISD students and staff.
According to Welch, the most recent homicide in the city of Rockwall was six to seven years ago. This incident is unique in that both of the previous homicide victims were adults. Keep up to date on this story at www.rockwallheraldbanner.com.
Emma Mills contributed to this report.
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