Love triangle eyed in murder of Dallas dentist as police question boyfriend's dental hygienist ex-girlfriend 'who used iPhone to track victim's movements before her death' 

• The 33-year-old ex-girlfriend has not been arrested or charged with any crime as of Wednesday morning 
• Crystal Cortes, 23, was arrested Friday and charged with capital murder in Dr Kendra Hatcher's slaying 
• Cortes implicated the dental hygienist ex, telling police the woman offered $500 to bring her back Hatcher's driver's license
• Affidavits state the unnamed woman ended a two-year relationship with Hatcher's current boyfriend earlier this year 
• Cortes also said she was paid $500 to drive a man to Hatcher's parking garage so he could rob her - she said the same man shot Hatcher    

By Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com

Published: 07:32 EST, 9 September 2015 | Updated: 10:16 EST, 9 September 2015

Police in Dallas are questioning an ex-girlfriend of slain dentist Kendra Hatcher's boyfriend after she had allegedly tracked the victim's movements using an iPhone and offered a suspected accomplice $500 for the victim’s driver’s license.

According to newly released search affidavits in the case, the unnamed 33-year-old dental hygienist ended a two-year relationship with Hatcher's current boyfriend earlier this year, suggesting a possible romantic rivalry between the two women with may have led to the dentist’s death.

As of early Wednesday morning, the woman has not been charged with any crime.

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Love triangle? Police in Dallas now believe a romantic rivalry between Dr Kendra Hatcher and her new boyfriend Ricky Paniagua's ex-girlfriend may have resulted in her death 

Crystal Cortes (left), 23, was arrested last week after she admitted to being involved in the murder of 35-year-old Dr Hatcher (right), who was shot dead September 2. Cortes was charged with capital murder

During questioning, Cortes revealed that a 33-year-old dental hygienist, who ended a two-year relationship with Hatcher's current boyfriend earlier this year, had offered her $500 to bring her Dr Hatrcher's (pictured) drive's license

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

The news comes just days after investigators arrested 23-year-old Crystal Cortes on capital murder charges after she admitted that she was paid $500 to drive a man to Hatcher's apartment building, where he killed and robbed the 35-year-old popular pediatric dentist.

Police said two days after the slaying at the high-end Gables housing complex, they got a call from a man who said he had recognized his 1996 Jeep Cherokee from news reports about the murder, reported WFAA. 

The tipster further revealed that prior to Hatcher’s killing, he had loaned his vehicle to the ex-girlfriend of Hatcher's current boyfriend.

During an interview with detectives, the 33-year-old woman confirmed that she had borrowed the man's Jeep but said that she then let Crystal Cortes use it.

When questioned by police last week, the 23-year-old Ms Cortes claimed to have conspired with the boyfriend's ex to drive the unknown man to rob Kendra Hatcher. 

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 Cortes admitted to driving the Jeep

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

The 23-year-old murder suspect admitted that she had taken the man to the parking garage and watched him shoot Dr Hatcher and rob her before the two of them fled the scene.

Ms Cortes further implicated her alleged female co-conspirator by telling police that the dental hygienist had used an iPhone to follow Hatcher and offered to pay her $500 to bring her the dentist's driver's license, according to reporting by the Dallas Morning News. 

Police have executed a search warrant at the unnamed ex-girlfriend’s apartment and seized a laptops and some documents.

Crystal Cortes voluntarily told detectives Frdiay that she was behind the wheel of the Jeep Cherokee that had been seen by witnesses and was caught on surveillance tape the night Hatcher was killed, the arrest warrant affidavit said.  

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

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.  

Dallas Police department major Max Geron said of the September 2 slaying: '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.'

'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 to Hatcher's profile show that she appeared to be an avid yogi and enjoyed 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, laugh and enjoy themselves while taking goofy selfies together

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

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.

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.'

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

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'

Sato told The State-Journal Register earlier 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.' 

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