Hired for $500 to help kill an innocent woman: 23-year-old arrested for being gunman's getaway driver in the murder of Dallas dentist

• Crystal Cortez, 23, was arrested on Friday and charged with capital murder
• She admitted to being involved but said another man shot Kendra Hatcher 
• Hatcher, 35, was fatally shot after she pulled into her parking garage inside of the Gables Park 17 building on Wednesday
• Police say that prior to her arrival, an older model Jeep Cherokee followed another car into the garage
• Cortez admitted to driving the Cherokee and said a man paid her $500 to drive him there for a robbery, adding that the same man killed Hatcher  

By Kelly Mclaughlin For Dailymail.com

Published: 07:54 EST, 5 September 2015 | Updated: 18:50 EST, 5 September 2015

A 23-year-old woman has been arrested in a shooting that left a popular pediatric dentist dead as she parked at her luxury apartment building in Dallas.

Crystal Cortez was arrested on Friday night and charged with capital murder in the death of 35-year-old Kendra Hatcher, who was fatally shot in a parking garage under her building on Wednesday, Dallas Police said.

Cortez voluntarily admitted to being involved in the murder and told detectives that other people may have been involved, police said. She told detectives that she was paid $500 to drive a man to the garage for a robbery, adding that the same man was the shooter who killed Hatcher.

Crystal Cortez, 23, was arrested on Friday after she admitted to being involved in the murder of 35-year-old Kendra Hatcher, who was shot dead on Wednesday night. Cortez was charged with capital murder

Tragic: Kendra Hatcher (above) was shot and killed in the garage of her apartment complex in Dallas on Wednesday night

Heartbreaking: Hatcher (above) was a 35-year-old pediatric dentist who her family say enjoyed working with children

Boyfriend? Just days before announcing on Facebook in June that she was in a relationship, Hatcher uploaded a photo of her and this man, who was later identified Ricky Paniagua. He has not been named as a suspect

Searching for suspect: Police announced a public search for the driver of the older model Jeep Cherokee (above). Authorities say the driver of the Jeep approached Hatcher when she parked her car in the garage. Crystal Cortez admitted to driving the Jeep

The young woman told detectives that she was behind the wheel of the Jeep Cherokee that had been seen by witnesses and was caught on surveillance tape then night Hatcher was killed, the arrest warrant affidavit said.

Surveillance footage led police to Cortez. Someone saw the video still on the news and told detectives that it was their jeep and that they had loaned out for the day, according to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.

Police have not released the identity of the man who Cortez claims she was with or said whether he’s in custody. Cortez is being held on a $250,000 bond and the investigation is ongoing.

Hatcher - whose family have described her as a 'a very smart, driven, beautiful and a loved person' - was shot dead as she left her vehicle.

Family members said earlier this week that they didn't believe Hatcher's death was random and that the killer could possibly have been a former boyfriend.

Horrific: Hatcher, who was a University of Kentucky College of Dentistry graduate, was found dead of a single gunshot wound next to her car

Murder scene: Police say that witnesses heard a single gunshot. The shooter got back into the vehicle and fled the scene, according to police

Safety: Police say they have increased patrols in the area and are reminding everyone to be vigilant about their surroundings

Looking for answers: Dallas Police Department Major Max Geron (above) said that it's unclear why Hatcher was killed and that they are searching for a motive

According to her Facebook, Hatcher has been in a relationship since June and has uploaded several pictures with Ricky Paniagua. Paniagua has not been named as a suspect.

Dallas Police Department Major Max Geron said of Wednesday's incident: 'Sometime prior to her arrival, a vehicle of interest described as an older model Jeep Cherokee with damaged or faded paint on the hood and displaying a paper buyer tag, pulled into that garage - following another vehicle through the gate,' Dallas Police Department Major Max Geron told reporters on Thursday.

Hatcher parked her car inside of the Gables Park 17 garage when someone got out of the Jeep and approached her.

Witnesses told police that they heard a single gunshot.

Police say the suspect got back into the Jeep and drove out of the parking garage.

Hatcher, who was a University of Kentucky College of Dentistry graduate, was found dead next to her car.

'We believe the occupant or occupants of that vehicle likely have information related to the offense and are asking for the community's help in locating the vehicle and any occupants,' Geron said.

'Beautiful': Kendra Hatcher's family describes her as 'a very smart, driven, beautiful and a loved person'. They say she will be buried in her hometown of Springfield, Illinois

Fit: Facebook photos uploaded on to Hatcher's profile show that she appeared to be an avid yogi and seemed to enjoy spending time on the beach

Adventures: Hatcher and Paniagua have several photos together on Facebook, dating back to June of this year, that seem to be located in both San Francisco and Dallas

Having fun: Hatcher and Paniagua, who she appeared to have started dating in June, seemed to laugh and enjoy themselves while taking goofy selfies together

Appreciated: Hatcher seemed to be quite loved at her work, having received a letter from coworkers thanking her for all that she does

'Detectives continue to follow up searching for additional evidence and are canvassing the local businesses for any leads.

'Additionally we have increased patrols in the area and remind everyone to be vigilant about their surroundings and to report any suspicious behavior to 911.'

It is unclear why Hatcher was killed and police are searching for a motive.

Geron added that the shooting does not appear to be random.

The victim's brother, Neil Hatcher, told KXAS that his sister was one of five children and her murder is 'absolutely unfathomable.'

He added that his sister was a pediatric dentist who 'liked to travel, loved her family and loved working with children.'

Suspects: Family members said they believe the killer could have been a former boyfriend. Hatcher is pictured here with Paniagua, who has not been named as a suspect

Lots of laughs: Hatcher and Paniagua took a picture with a selfie stick while riding what appears to be a tandem bicycle

Relationship? In one photo shared on Hatcher's Facebook, she's pictured with Paniagua, along with the quote 'The flower doesn't dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes'

Neil Hatcher stated that she had recently visited San Francisco and planned to buy a home in the city.

Lisa Sato, Hatcher's aunt, told The State-Journal Register that the family plans to have her buried in her hometown of Springfield, Illinois.

'The detectives called and told us they thought it was her, but we were still holding out hope it wasn't going to be her,' Sato said the Register.

'Since we found out (late Thursday afternoon), it's brought on another wave of shock and sadness.'

A group of co-workers and friends gathered at the parking garage in which Hatcher was killed to hold a memorial on Friday night.

Friends said that Hatcher was full of passion and she had a great kindness toward children.

'If she saw somebody that needed help, she would help them,' friend Rosie Torres told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. 'She would always do that extra.'

Flowers and posters were left outside the parking garage overnight.

Saddness: Lisa Sato, the victim's aunt, says that the family is shocked and saddened by her death

Unfathomable: The victim's brother, Neil Hatcher, says that his sister was one of five children and that her murder is 'absolutely unfathomable'

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