The family of a Cedar Hill woman is pleading for the man who killed their loved one to turn himself in.
Gina Elder is a 40-year-old mother of four and in the early morning hours on Tuesday she was beaten to death in the parking lot of the Super 7 motel on the 4200 block of Independence Drive in Dallas.
Graylanda Elder spoke of her baby sister, her only sister, Gina. She learned of the news Tuesday afternoon.
“I buried my mom five years ago and I’m still dealing with that," she said. "And for somebody to take my sister away from me, it’s not like she was sick and gradually died and you expect that, but for somebody to just take her life like she was trash or something-- it hurts."
Dallas police are looking for 36-year old Leonard Jerome Sowell. Sowell is wanted for murder after he fled the location on foot prior to the arrival of officers.
“It’s in his best interest to turn himself in,” Elder said. “God says vengeance is mine, so he’s going to take care of the vengeance, but as long as he’s out in the streets, his life is in danger and it’d be in his best interest to surrender and turn himself in.”
Kiara Ali, Gina’s oldest daughter compared the loss to when her grandmother passed away.
“It’s like when I went through the loss of my grandmother that was one half, now this, that’s all of it. I ain’t got nothing left,” Ali said.
Dallas police are asking anyone with information regarding the location of Sowell to call 911. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Loeb with the Dallas Police Department at 214-671-3702.
Crime Stoppers is also offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
A GoFundMe has been set up to raise money for Gina's funeral arrangements.
