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Decade-long hunt for Marietta murder suspect
Twelve years after the Marietta teacher's murder, the top suspect in the case remains on the run.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - "Kindness and compassion was who Elizabeth was," Becky Bowie said, as she sorted through pictures of her daughter on mission trips around the world.
It is that kindness that Becky believes cost the 28-year-old school teacher her life.
Elizabeth Bowie was strangled to death in her Smyrna apartment in 2008. Her former boyfriend, Juan Lazaro-Abrego, has been indicted for her murder but never held accountable.
Becky Bowie shows the last picture taken of her daughter before she was murdered in 2008.
"She saw the needs that people had, and she may have seen one ounce of goodness in him and wanted to help him be better," the grieving mother said.
Becky told FOX 5's Emilie Ikeda the former couple met through one of Elizabeth's students, who sought her help during a family health crisis.
Elizabeth went on to donate supplies to the family and sometimes looking after the children, according to her mother.
The Cobb County District Attorney's Office described Elizabeth and Abrego's eventual relationship as textbook domestic violence.
Becky recalled one time her daughter threw herself from the car, down an embankment on Interstate 75, after Abrego reportedly threatened to kill them both while driving.
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Detective Mitch Plumb has since retired from the Smyrna Police Department but was the lead investigator on the murder case for years. Following her death, Plumb learned of a prior incident where Abrego allegedly tried blowing up Elizabeth's apartment.
But Becky said her daughter never reported anything to police because Abrego was living illegally in the U.S. -- something that aided in his later disappearance, according to investigators.
Twelve years later, Cobb County Sheriff's Office continues to list Abrego as one of their most wanted. Elizabeth's alleged killer and former boyfriend has earned the attention of federal authorities as well.
Investigators believe Abrego is hiding out in Mexico, where he was a former law enforcement officer.
Investigators believe Abrego fled Cobb County to the Guerrero region of Mexico, evading U.S. Marshals for more than a decade in a cartel-heavy portion of his home country.
"Since he's from Mexico and he was a law enforcement officer there, he knows the area, he has contacts there, he knows where to go," said Inspector Frank Lempka with the U.S. Marshals Office.
The renewed push for information is purposeful. Lempka told FOX 5's Emilie Ikeda they have practically exhausted all existing tips.
"When we're looking for fugitives, it's very important for us to have the public help us out in certain cases," Lempka added. "This is one of those cases where he's been on the run for a very long time, he did something really awful."
Becky is convinced Elizabeth wasn't the first woman Abrego abused, adding "I have no question that he's probably done it again."
The Bowie family fears, without new leads, Elizabeth's case will "become just a box on the shelf collecting dust."
But Cobb County Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney, Jesse Evans, assures her case was top of mind for him in 2008 and remains that way today, more than a decade later.
"We know this perpetrator brutally took the life of this young lady, and we have an obligation to try to bring the offender to justice," Evans added.
Evans said he's maintaining an optimistic attitude towards achieving justice and is confident Abrego will make a mistake resulting in his capture.
Evans said he is in annual contact with his Washington, D.C. counterparts to assure, should Abrego ever get arrested in Mexico, he can quickly be extradited.
Anyone with leads or information is asked to contact the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office at (770) 499-4633.
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