Barry University Murder; Police Examine Badly Burned Car

MIAMI GARDENS, FL — Miami homicide detectives are examining a badly burned car that was found near an elementary school in Miami Gardens to determine if it is the missing Nissan Sentra driven by murdered Barry University student Priscilla Torres. The car was found on Tuesday not far from Myrtle Grove Elementary School. The school is located at 3125 NW 176th St.

"The vehicle closely matched the vehicle that we're looking for," Officer Michael Vega of the Miami Police Department told Patch on Wednesday. "Homicide detectives responded to check on the vehicle."

Torres died of multiple gunshot wounds early Saturday morning in the area of NW 29th Avenue and 12th Street. Miami Police were not immediately able to identify her body but released a police sketch that was recognized from a missing person flyer issued by the Miami Shores Police Department on Sunday.

Torres was found around 4:30 a.m. when someone heard shots and called police. She was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center by Miami Fire Rescue where she was pronounced dead.

Police have been searching for the Nissan Sentra that Torres had been driving. The Sentra has a Florida tag number of HZBU86.

Vega said that detectives should be able to identify the Miami Gardens vehicle through its Vehicle Identification Number regardless of how much fire damage the car suffered.

"You can't even tell what color it was," said Vega, referring to the car found in Miami Gardens. "There's hidden VIN plates all over on the car, about five or six different places. Many people don't know that."

Photo courtesy Miami Shores Police Department