SAN ANTONIO — When 55-year-old murder victim Connie Tatum was found in deep south Bexar County two years ago by a man walking his dog, the family said they were told that only some of her remains were recovered.
They said that, until last week, they didn't know any details about the cremated remains they received.
The family said they just learned only her burned arms and legs were recovered in a remote area on Spanish Grant.
Her torso, they say, was found about 80 miles away in Blanco County, shortly afterwards, but somehow they never got the news.
Another sister, Monica Evans, said "Last week we found out that the rest of her remains, her torso, was discovered 80 miles out of town. That is so gruesome. For someone to have to die that way."
Evans said "When they contacted us they were like 'Do you want us to just dispose of them?' and I'm like 'Oh God no!' We want those remains back here in San Antonio. We want to know what's being done about this. She had people that loved her. She wasn't just someone you could just discard like that."
With a sense of fiery indignity, Tatum's sister Grace McKenzie said "She had four strokes. So I don't see how anyone could harm her. She barely walked or talked, so whoever did this took advantage of my sister."
"Let's think and be quiet for a second," McKenzie implored, adding "This was a mother, a sister, a grandma, an aunt with a lot of family members and we are hurt!"
McKenzie said even though the murder was two years ago, the new revelation about the violent nature of her death and the mystery around her remains being so widely scattered is a brutal heartbreak.
"Justice has to be done! This was too much! It was more than murder, it was brutal!" McKenzie said.
"She couldn't hurt nobody. She just recently got out of the hospital. Why would you hurt her?" McKenzie implored, adding "We loved her. We miss her. She was so sweet and we think whoever did this just took advantage of her."
Evans said dealing with the new details is almost more than she can endure.
"It's very painful but I have to get myself together to do this, to get the message out to the public to let us know if they heard someone or seen someone or somebody knows something about this. Would you please come forward?" Evans said.
Tatum's son, Stephon, said the loss has been hard and he is grateful to have the support and love of his mother's sisters. Stephon said he hopes someone will provide the clues they need to move a murder case forward.
A Blanco County spokesman said even though the torso was found there, the case remains in the hands of the Bexar County Sheriff.
Javier Salazar said of the case "It's egregious. It's extremely disturbing to the nth degree. I can't even begin to imagine what the family has gone through and is continuing to go through."
Salazar said his investigators continue to work the case. "We've continued to do awareness with regard to this case, trying to solve it and now working with an outside agency to do our best to work together to bring closure to the family. And hold those responsible and accountable if they can be found," adding, "The more time that lapses, the more challenging it becomes for law enforcement but just as this new development came about, it just goes to show that families should never really lose hope."
Salazar said they won't stop looking for answers.
"Two years, five years, ten years down the road, we've still got to continue to work the case," Salazar said.
The case has been featured in the Crime Stoppers program, and a reward is listed on the web posting related to the case.
The anonymous tips line for Crime Stoppers is 210-224-STOP.
