Bakari Abiona Moncrief (Plano Police Department).
A Texas court has sentenced a man for murdering a cancer researcher who had been out jogging.
Police in Plano reported that Bakari Abiona Moncrief, 33, attempted to break into a local residence before fatally attacking Sarmistha Sen, 43, on a nearby trail on the morning of August 1, 2020.
“I ain’t a coward,” he told an officer.
Police had noted blood on his shirt and DNA on his body.
Moncrief pleaded guilty on December 2, 2024, and received a life sentence on December 16, 2024. However, authorities closed the case just recently, revealing that he might be eligible for parole in 2050 based on prison records.
Sen’s husband organized a GoFundMe campaign and ultimately raised $51,515 in her memory.
A GoFundMe page was created in memory of Sarmistha Sen to support causes close to her heart, such as Cancer Awareness, Cancer research, healthy living, and environmental protection.
There are large memorials at Chisholm Trail Park off Legacy Dr in Plano for Sarmistha Sen, a 43-year-old mother and UT Southwestern researcher who was killed while out jogging. Police say the attack was random. A man arrested for a burglary nearby is a person of interest. (@wfaa) pic.twitter.com/0eJcgTUqx5
— William Joy (@WilliamJoy) August 2, 2020
Police said Monday that the Collin County District Attorney’s Office faced many challenges to close the case.
“Their efforts were supported by the unified teamwork of personnel from various units within the Plano Police Department,” the statement said, and listed half a dozen agencies, adding that they all “played vital roles in achieving this outcome.”
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
