Family and friends of Dallas dentist killed in murder-for-hire plot speak out

Friends and family of pediatric dentist Kendra Hatcher, who was shot dead in 2015 in a horrific murder-for-hire plot, are revealing how they first found out about her tragic killing. 

Kendra Hatcher, 35, was shot in the head in September 2, 2015 in the parking garage of her apartment building in Dallas, Texas. 

The bloody killing was planned by jilted woman Brenda Delgado out of envy because Hatcher was dating her ex-boyfriend Ricardo Paniagua, prosecutors said.

She was accused of hiring two people to kill Hatcher and rob her to make it look like a random violent crime. Delgado was found guilty of capital murder in June 2019 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In the case Kristopher Love was found guilty of capital murder in October 2018 for firing the shot that killed Hatcher and Crystal Cortes was also convicted for driving the getaway car.  

Friends and family of pediatric dentist Kendra Hatcher, 35, who was shot dead in 2015 in a horrific murder-for-hire plot in Dallas, Texas are revealing how they first found out about her tragic murder

Hatcher's brother Neil Hatcher he was in California for work when he learned of her death. 'The call came in around 10.30 Pacific [time]. I didn't sleep that night. And then the ride home was long and tearful,' Neil said in a sit-down interview with Dateline in a new special entitled 10 Minutes to Sunset that will air Friday

News of Hatcher's murder started making headlines across the country the night of her death.

Her brother Neil says he was in California on business when the call about her death came in. 

'The call came in around 10.30 Pacific [time]. I didn't sleep that night. And then the ride home was long and tearful,' Neil said in a sit-down interview with Dateline in a new special entitled 10 Minutes to Sunset that will air Friday. 

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In Maryland Hatcher's friend Dr. Tami Pantano was with a patient when she received the devastating call about her death. 

'I picked up my phone and I just kept pressing her name, and pressing her name and hearing the voicemail over and over again. Just praying for her to pick up, that this was some kind of horrible mistake.'

Pantano said she couldn't believe that her friend had been murdered.

'I didn't see how that could even be possible. Like, people like Kendra don't get shot. They don't. They're not murdered. It was devastating,' she said. 

The bloody killing was planned by jilted woman Brenda Delgado (above) out of envy because Hatcher was dating her ex-boyfriend Ricardo Paniagua, prosecutores said. Delgado was found guilty of capital murder in June 2019 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In the case Kristopher Love (left) was found guilty of capital murder in October 2018 for shooting Kendra Hatcher and sentenced to death.  Crystal Cortes (right) was also convicted for driving the getaway car and was sentenced to 35 years in prison

Kendra Hatcher (left) started dating Ricardo Paniagua (right) after he broke up with Brenda Delgado 

Meanwhile Hatcher's other friend Kim Bahn in Texas said she raced to her friend's house after hearing the news. 

'I didn't know what to think or what to do. All I could do was sit on the floor and cry,' she said. 

Love's trial in 2018 heard how Delgado and Paniagua began dating in 2012 and were an item for two-and-a-half years before Paniagua decided to break it off.

But Delgado 'could not let go', prosecutors said, and began following Paniagua around and became obsessed with his new relationship with Hatcher. 

In Maryland Hatcher's friend Dr. Tami Pantano was with a patient when she received the devastating call about her death. 'I picked up my phone and I just kept pressing her name, and pressing her name and hearing the voicemail over and over again. Just praying for her to pick up, that this was some kind of horrible mistake'

Hatcher's other friend Kim Bahn in Texas said she raced to her friend's house after hearing the news. 'I didn't know what to think or what to do. All I could do was sit on the floor and cry,' she sai

Paniagua told the court at the time he was unaware Delgado was obsessed with him and they kept in touch before and after Hatcher's murder.

He said: 'About every seven to 10 days I would pass her running on the Katy Trail [a jogging and running route]. At the time I thought it was just coincidence.'

Prosecutors alleged Delgado shopped around for someone to kill Hatcher, before landing on Love and her friend Cortes, who was to act as the driver. 

The pair went to confront Hatcher at her apartment on September 2, 2015, the day before she was supposed to leave for a romantic getaway in Mexico with Paniagua.

Lawyers said Love walked up to Hatcher and shot her in the head with a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson which was later found stashed in his car.

Paniagua was waiting inside the apartment as she was killed.

In the case Delgado was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list before she was finally arrested in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico in April 2016 after seven months on the run.   

Love was sentenced to death in the case and Cortes to 35 years in jail in a deal for testifying against Delgado. 

Dateline’s 10 Minutes to Sunset airs Friday, November 13 at 9pm/8pm CT
 

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