here in laredo. >> as soon as law enforcement identified the victim as melissa ramirez, investigators notified her mother, maria cristina benevides. >> two detectives go to your front door. what do they say? [ speaking in a global language ] >> i grew up with melissa since we were little. we were best friends, so i knew her since she was a baby. everybody just loved being around her 'cause she was always joking around, singing and dancing. and she was a human being, a beautiful human being. >> i spoke to my mother, and i was very relieved that it wasn't her, and she did share with me that somebody from sanber had been murdered. >> the community itself in san bernardo, everybody knew each other and they would watch out for each other. >> what was her relationship like with melissa? >> they were very close. they would protect each other in the streets. >> no one knew what happened, how it happened. it was just a waiting game. >> but it wasn't long before investigators get a break in the case. >> a vehicle had been seen leaving the scene of the crime in a suspicious manner. >> witnesses