Scientist and mom-of-two, 43, is murdered and her body dumped in a creek while on her daily run

A successful cancer research scientist and mother-of-two was murdered and her body dumped in a creek while out on her daily run in Texas at the weekend.

The body of Sarmistha Sen, 43, was found dead near a creek at Legacy Drive and Marchman Way in Plano Saturday morning less than two hours after she went out on her regular run along the Chisholm Trail.  

Plano police have named a 29-year-old burglary suspect as a person of interest in the slaying.  

Bakari Moncrief, an out-of-state resident said to be visiting relatives in Plano, was arrested for a burglary Saturday morning at a property close to where Sen’s body was found.  

Plano police spokesperson David Tilley told DailyMail.com Wednesday afternoon that Moncrief has been charged with burglary but that he has not yet been charged over Sen’s killing. 

Scientist and mom-of-two Sarmistha Sen (left) was murdered and her body dumped in a creek while out on her daily run in Texas at the weekend. Plano police have named burglary suspect Bakari Moncrief (right) as a person of interest in the slaying

Keen runner Sen was killed when she went out on her regular early Saturday morning jog. 

A passerby discovered the victim’s body about 20 to 25 feet below the trail near the creek at around 7 a.m.

Sen’s cause of death has not been released but police confirmed it is being investigated as a homicide. 

Police said around the same time as her murder, a home was broken into nearby on the 3400 block of Michael Drive. 

Moncrief was arrested and charged with the burglary Saturday and was named a person of interest in Sen’s murder.   

‘No charges have been filed on Mr. Moncrief related to the murder,’ Tilley told DailyMail.com Wednesday.

‘He is considered a person of interest and is in the Collin County Jail on Burglary charges.’ 

Moncrief is being held on a $1 million bond for the burglary charge.  

Sen was found dead near a creek at Legacy Drive and Marchman Way in Plano Saturday morning less than two hours after she went out on her regular run along the Chisholm Trail (pictured)

Police told Plano Star Courier that the ‘close proximities and very close time frames’ of the cases have raised suspicions about Moncrief’s possible involvement in Sen’s death.   

‘Due to the fact that we had these close proximities and very close time frames of two offenses occurring, this individual became a person of interest in this murder investigation,’ said Tilley. 

‘Obviously, we’re wanting to collect evidence to either determine whether he is or he is not the person responsible for this.’ 

It is not clear if Sen and Moncrief have any prior connection but a website set up by the victim’s family said ‘she was brutally killed by a stranger for no apparent reason’. 

The local Plano community has rallied around Sen’s devastated family following the brutal attack, with dozens of pairs of running shoes left in tribute to the keen jogger near the site of her death. 

Neighbors have also planned a memorial run in her honor in the local area for next Saturday morning. 

The local Plano community has rallied around Sen’s devastated family following the brutal attack, with dozens of pairs of running shoes left in tribute to the keen jogger near the site of her death

Sen grew up in Sindri, India, and moved to Bangalore to study before moving to Plano in 2004, according to a Caring Bridge page set up by her family. 

She studied at UT Dallas and University of Birmingham, Alabama and worked on cancer research for most of her career most recently as a clinical research manager at U.T. Southwestern Medical Center. 

‘She was passionate about cancer care and was a lifelong supporter of cancer research,’ the page reads. 

The scientist was also an ‘avid runner’ as well as a ‘gardener and a great cook’.

‘Sarmistha lived a free and fearless life inspiring many with her infectious energy and carefree smile,’ the page reads.  

She leaves behind her husband Arindam Roy and two sons aged 6 and 12.