Homicide victim's family speaks out

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The family of homicide victim Esme Barrera is pleading for the public to help bring her killer to justice.

Barrera, 29, was found inside of her rental home around 3 a.m. New Year's Day. Her friends said she was ringing in the 2012 at the 29th Street Ballroom just two blocks away and was supposed to walk home with a friend.

On Tuesday, Barrera's family from El Paso came back to her home in the 3100 block of King Street along with homicide investigators.

Barrera's younger sister, Marlene, is pleading with the public for help.

"There is a killer out there who took my sister and he took away probably one of Austin's best residents," said Marlene Barrera as she choked back tears. "So, at this point, if anyone has any information and can come forward to police, there is a composite or just any tip that could help the cops find my sister's killer it would be greatly appreciated just to lay her to rest, which is what she really deserves."

The suspect is described as a black male in his 30s, about 6 feet tall, with a muscular build, dark eyes and a shaved head. He was also wearing a gray sweatshirt.

The description was provided to police by a 21-year-old woman who said she was attacked in front of Barrera's home about 30 minutes before Barrera's body was found.

"Suddenly, he was behind me, grabbed me, wrestled me to the ground, hit my head against the ground and I screamed really loud and he ran off and then I got help," said the 21-year-old woman who spoke exclusively to KXAN, but asked that her identity not be revealed for safety purposes.

Police suspect the same man that attacked the 21-year-old is responsible for Esme Barrera's  death and could be behind another attempted attack on the same block around 5 a.m.

The woman who reported she was assaulted was also out celebrating New Year's Eve like Esme Barrera.

Marlene said Esme Barrera was in contact with her family via text message on New Year's Eve.

"Her last words to me were, 'You're the best XOXO,'" Marlene Barrera recalled.

Marlene Barrera said her sister was happy and even spoke with her mother, telling her she loved her and would see her soon.

Esme Barrera was a teacher aide at Casis Elementary and had a love of music. She also worked part-time at Waterloo Records.

"I am just shocked beyond words," said friend Heidi Knape, who worked with Esme Barrera at Casis. "She was just the most energetic, fun girl that would help anyone out on campus."

"She had a sole purpose of making the world better and she did that by helping with special needs kids," Marlene Barrera said. "She started at 19. She focused on kids with autism and birth defects and everything.  She was small, but her heart was the size of her body."

She was also volunteer for Girls Rock Austin, a camp for young female musicians.

Friends and family held a vigil for Esme Barrera and have dropped flowers, notes and CDs on the porch of the home she lived in. A blog has been set up for friends who want to help defray her family's expenses.

Marlene Barerra said Esme Barrera moved to Austin on an adventure and never came back to her home in El Paso.

"She loved this city and the city loved her. We are sad that it happened like this, in a place that she loved so much, but it did. El Paso was her home, but Austin was her life," Marlene Barrera added.

Anyone with information about the attacks is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS (8477).