Roberto Dominguez Soto
ROSWELL, Ga. - Roswell police have officially closed the investigation into the Christmas Eve 2024 murder of Blanca Sauer after confirming the suspect died by suicide in Mexico.
What we know:
Roswell police ended the murder investigation into the death of 47-year-old Sandy Springs resident Blanca Sauer.
Passersby found her body in a ditch near Azalea Drive and Atlanta Street near the Chattahoochee River on Dec. 24, 2024.
Investigators determined Sauer was shot and discarded in the area.
Police identified her boyfriend, 49-year-old Roberto Dominguez Soto, as the suspect.
In mid-2025, detectives received information indicating Dominguez Soto died by suicide in Mexico.
Authorities coordinated with federal and international partners to verify he acted alone before closing the case.
What we don't know:
Police have not released details regarding the specific motive behind the shooting.
Authorities previously noted that Dominguez Soto was also wanted by Interpol on charges related to firearms possession.
The backstory:
Sauer was a mother, grandmother, friend, aunt and business owner who built her restaurant from the ground up.
Her family described her as a kind person who loved hiking, photography and feeding homeless people who visited her restaurant.
Following her death, her family launched a GoFundMe campaign for funeral expenses that raised over $10,000.
Roswell Police Chief James Conroy called the killing a senseless act of targeted violence.
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The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official updates and incident reports provided by the Roswell Police Department, as well as statements from victim family members via GoFundMe fundraisers.