Police Seek Person of Interest in Hit and Run Homicide

             Police say they're investigating this woman's death as both a hit and run and a homicide.

They say it's clear she was hit by a moving vehicle, but whether that's what killed her and if the driver of the car may have struck her on purpose is still under investigation.

             Capt. Greg Stevens with the Lubbock Police says, "It is a very suspicious death. It goes beyond what is a typical hit and run accident or something like that."  So, around 11 Saturday morning, homicide detectives went out to this hit and run scene at Southeast Drive and the Loop.  A passer-by had found 25-year-old Kristine Bufkin dead in the middle of the road.  Stevens says, "Initially at the scene it was very clear the victim had been struck by a motor vehicle."  But, within just a few hours police say they realized this investigation had a twist.  Bufkin was found dead under the loop overpass, but hours earlier, Sheriff's deputies had found her wrecked vehicle twenty miles away on FM 1729 near East 50th street.  "It seemed obvious that she could not have made it that far on her own," Stevens says.  So, Sunday night they were still trying to figure out how Bufkin got from point A to point B, and when she was struck by a vehicle.  They're convinced two people can give them some of the answers.  Sunday afternoon they picked up Erasmo Rodriguez to question him in the investigation, but they're still looking for Karen Dee Follis.  Stevens says, "She is a primary person of interest in this homicide investigation."

             Police say they impounded a car that may be involved in this case, but could not comment on whether it belonged to either Follis or Rodriguez.  They're also still trying to put together a timeline of Friday night into early Saturday morning to figure out how Bufkin became the victim of this mystery.  Stevens say, "Those are things detectives are working through to see who last saw the victim alive ... We are handling it like a homicide as well as a hit and run so, regardless of how it turns out, we'll be ready to go when we have a case prepared to hand to the District Attorney's Office."

         Again police are still trying to track down Karen Dee Follis.  They believe she could be in Midland or somewhere in Lynn County.  She has a felony warrant out for her arrest in a forgery case and she is also wanted for questioning in this homicide investigation.  If you know where she is or have any information on this hit and run call Cimeline at 741-1000.