Every day for the past three years, a framed picture of Katie Sepich has smiled back at customers at El Sombrero Patio Cafe.

Katie worked as a waitress at the Las Cruces restaurant while attending class at NMSU, until her life was cut tragically short in August 2003. Her body was found raped, strangled and partially burned.

Katie's friend and colleague, Veronica Cordova, remembers Katie as someone who brought joy to everyone she knew.

"She was very intelligent and could hold a good conversation. That last night we talked for about an hour, just talking about life."

That conversation Katie had with Veronica would be one of the last she ever had.

After police announced Friday that they had found the killer, 27-year-old Gabriel Avila, Veronica said she felt a lot of anger and a whole ball of emotions came together.