Family gathers for Esme Barrera rosary

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Family and friends are gathering Monday to pay respects to Austin's first homicide victim of the year.

Police found Esme Barrera, 29, dead in her rental home at 3102 1/2 King St. on New Year's Day. Police found the music mentor and worker at Casis Elementary after they received a call to check on her at 2:49 a.m.

There will be a viewing and rosary for Barrera Monday night in El Paso. Her funeral is set for Tuesday.

Monday night, the Heritage Neighborhood Association will meet to talk about safety concerns. Most residents have been on high alert since Barrera's killing. The meeting will be held at First English Lutheran Church, located at 3001 Whitis Ave., starting at 7 p.m.

Police have not arrested anyone in the case, but they have released a sketch of a person of interest.

More than two Facebook pages have been created in Barrera's honor, as well as a Twitter account.

Both pages and the account have the sketch of the person of interest in the case and are relaying information of other attacks in the area. The page titled "RIP 'Esme' Barrera" was created by a woman who did not know her.

Also, an symbol was created of a hand -- of which the outline spells Barrera's name. The form of the hand is best known as the "rock 'n' roll" hand or "I love you" symbol in sign language. The logo was designed by Charlie Chauvin, the brother of one of Barrera's co-workers.