Age: 26
Born: April 18, 1965
Killed: Feb. 28, 1992
Hometown: Goleta

Life: Esther worked at Sears as a credit clerk, but aspired to be an executive secretary. She was killed one day before she was to graduate from Westmont College. Esther had planned to get a better job and rent a nice home for herself and her two daughters, Angelica, 9, and 3-year-old Vanessa. Esther attended Goleta Union Elementary and Goleta Valley Junior High schools. After high school, she got jobs at places like K-Mart and Jack-in-the Box and worked her way up to manager. She loved to take her children to Goleta Beach. Esther would have been 36 years old this year.

Death: Esther took her two children and moved away from her husband two weeks before she was killed. After a 10-year-marriage she finally told Mario Soto Taboada, 33, that she wanted a divorce. He was waiting for her in the La Cumbre Plaza parking lot the night of Feb. 28, 1992, when she got off of work. Esther got into his truck, and he allegedly stabbed her in the neck. Esther stumbled across the parking lot to the Sears automotive bay, bleeding profusely. Before she collapsed, she said: "My husband did this to me!" Esther died minutes later. Police believe the suspect fled to Mexico where he has since been hiding out.