Shivangi Sinha
In September 2015, Kendra Hatcher was found fatally shot in the parking garage of Gables Park 17 in Dallas, Texas. Police reviewed surveillance footage showing a man exiting a black Jeep to carry out the shooting. Investigators soon arrested Kristopher Love, the shooter, and Crystal Cortes, the getaway driver. It was later revealed that Brenda Delgado had masterminded the entire plot out of jealousy. NBC’s ‘Dateline: 10 Minutes to Sunset’ explores the motivations behind the murder and Delgado’s eventual arrest.
Brenda Delgado Was Deeply Disturbed After Her Breakup With Ricky Paniagua
Brenda Berenice Delgado Reynaga was the second of five children born to Luis and Maria. She was born on June 18, 1982, and spent the first few months of her life in Mexico, along with the rest of her family. After that, her parents decided to move to the US and eventually settled in Dallas, Texas, later in 1982. Brenda began to build her life there and went on to enroll at Skyline High School. People who knew her during those years described her as someone who was determined to have a career of her own and also noted that she was quite religious. After finishing school, she found employment as a dental assistant and also worked at a local spa. It was in 2012 that she came across Dr. Ricardo “Ricky” Paniagua through a dating app, and soon, the two began dating and entered into a romantic relationship.
Brenda and Ricky were quite close and she had envisioned building a future with him. In 2015, in an effort to pursue her professional aspirations, she enrolled at Sanford-Brown University to study dental hygiene. However, she struggled to keep up with the demands of the course and eventually dropped out. That same year, in February, Ricky ended their relationship. Despite the breakup, the two remained on friendly terms and continued to text each other. But evidence later revealed that Brenda had begun digitally stalking Ricky during this time. Since they were both on the same phone plan, she had access to his emails and closely monitored his activities, including who he was meeting and communicating with.
In June 2015, Ricky informed Brenda that he had started seeing someone new. She soon discovered that the woman was Kendra Hatcher. Fueled by jealousy and anger, she began asking people close to her, including her roommate, Jennifer Escobar, to help threaten and intimidate Kendra. She even promised favors in return if they assisted her in getting revenge. Disturbed by the request, Jennifer chose to move out but didn’t report the behavior to anyone. By August 2015, Brenda had formed a friendship with Crystal Cortes, a woman struggling financially and raising a six-year-old son.
Brenda Delgado Hired Two People to Kill Her Supposed Love Rival
Brenda Delgado began taking Crystal Cortes out to dinner and eventually offered her $500 to help murder Kendra Hatcher. The two women discussed several possible strategies before deciding they needed a third accomplice. That’s when they approached Kristopher Love, a small-time drug dealer with a criminal history. Brenda allegedly promised him that, through her supposed cartel connections, she could help him advance in the drug trade if he assisted with the murder. On August 3, Ricky informed her that he would be removing her from his phone plan. This seemed to be the breaking point for Brenda and she began actively executing her plan. She and Crystal had already been tracking Kendra’s routine and knew her schedule well.
On September 2, 2015, Crystal dropped Brenda off at a library to help establish an alibi. She then drove a black Jeep Cherokee that Brenda had borrowed from a friend named Luis Ortiz. Their initial plan was to attack Kendra outside her workplace, but due to a change in schedule, they missed the opportunity. Instead, they followed her to her apartment complex. Once in the parking garage, Crystal gained access, and Kristopher Love shot Kendra before the two fled the scene. The first major lead the police followed was the car spotted at the crime scene. Luis soon came forward, informing investigators that Brenda had borrowed the vehicle from him.
However, when questioned by police, Brenda presented a restaurant receipt as her alibi, claiming she had been studying and had no connection to the crime. Meanwhile, investigators recovered the murder weapon and arrested Kristopher. Crystal, who initially gave conflicting statements, eventually confessed that Brenda had orchestrated the plot and hired both her and Kristopher to carry out the murder. Despite this, authorities had no solid physical evidence tying Brenda directly to the scene. When first confronted, she denied all involvement. She was briefly arrested for an outstanding parking violation but paid the fine and was released. The investigation continued, and on April 6, 2016, the FBI declared Brenda a fugitive, added her to their Ten Most Wanted list and confirmed that she had fled to Mexico.
Brenda Delgado is in Custody Today
Due to the $100,000 cash reward offered by authorities, numerous tips began pouring in, leading to Brenda Delgado’s arrest in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, on April 8, 2016. She was extradited to the US on October 6, 2016, under the condition that she would not face the death penalty. Brenda’s trial began in June 2019, when Crystal Cortes testified against her, claiming she had been hired by Brenda to help carry out the murder. However, the defense argued that Crystal’s multiple inconsistent statements made her an unreliable witness. Despite this, prosecutors presented a crucial piece of evidence. It was a video Brenda had taken of a sunset while driving. In the background, Crystal’s voice could be heard negotiating the purchase of a gun, directly linking them to the murder plot.
After a brief deliberation, the jury found Brenda guilty of capital murder. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Now 42 years old, she is incarcerated at the William P. Hobby Unit in Falls County, Texas. Her appeal was rejected in 2021, and another request was denied in 2022. Despite the verdict and failed appeals, she has continued to maintain her innocence, insisting that she is wrongfully imprisoned.
Read More: Ricky Paniagua: Where is Kendra Hatcher’s Boyfriend Now?
