Arlington restaurant employee murdered after man followed her from bank, police say

ARLINGTON, Texas - A restaurant employee in Arlington was murdered right in front of her place of work.

Police say a man followed her from a bank, robbed her and then ran her over with his vehicle.

On Friday around 10 a.m., police say someone called 911 to report they saw a woman struggling with a man outside Pho Son Nam Vietnamese Restaurant in Arlington. When police got there, they found a 56-year-old woman dead on the ground.

Police believe the woman was robbed and that she fell while trying to fight off her attacker. They say he hit her with his car when he drove off. 

As the news spread Friday, a small memorial started outside the restaurant. 

People like Jeannette Flores brought flowers. 

"She just loved everyone. This is just horrible," she said. "Because she was my friend. She’s been my friend for years. That’s what friends do." 

Flores says her friend was an employee there.

"I’ve been knowing her for years. We’d get out of church and come here every Sunday," she said.

Detectives learned the woman came to work after stopping at a local bank. They believe the attacker may have followed her from the bank.

"It is my understanding that he made away with at least some of the victim’s possessions," said Tim Ciesco with Arlington PD. 

Flores wants her friend to be remembered as a giver.

"She’s such a good person, a godly person. And she just gives," she said. "Like when her machine wasn’t working and you didn’t have cash, she said, ‘You can come back.’"

Flores says she will be missed. 

"She has a big, beautiful family, wonderful kids, grandkids. It’s just sad, and it’s really mean. It’s just horrible," she said.

The victim's name hasn't been released.

Police are asking anyone with information to give them a call. Right now, they don’t have a good description of the attacker or his car.