A former McMurry student was found dead in a San Antonio park on New Year’s Eve.
The body of 24-year-old Lauren Michelle Bump was found inside O.P. Schnabel Park with multiple stab wounds. Bump’s death was ruled a homicide by the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office according to San Antonio’s news station KENS 5.
29-year-old Christian Ivan Bautista was arrested on Jan. 4 by SAPD homicide and faces a murder charge for the death of Bump. Police arrested Bautista at the same park three days after Bump’s death. Police told the news station there doesn’t appear to be any connection between Bump and Bautista.
Bump graduated from McMurry University in 2010 with a B.S. in Biomedical Science. She was in her final year as a Physician’s Assistant at Harding University.
A run in Abilene’s Red Bud Park and two runs in San Antonio were organized in memory of Bump.
Kimberly Salazar from San Antonio, organized a silent run in O.P. Schnabel Park. Salazar said she decided to put on the run spur of the moment and the amount of people who participated amazed her.
“When I heard about the tragedy, it hit close to home,” Salazar said. “Me and lots of friends run at OP Schnabel Park. At first I was sad and afraid, and then quickly realized that wasn’t going to help. I didn’t know Lauren or anything about her but when I saw how many people showed up to honor her life, I knew God had bigger plans.”
Salazar also created a Facebook page, Live Like Lauren. The page includes posts from Bump’s family and friends, stories related to Bump, prayer requests and giveaways with the condition the winners do a good deed in honor of Bump.
“It has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the kind of person Lauren was and the way she lived her life,” Salazar said.
The page has more than 1,400 likes
Gabriella Jimenez, a close friend of Bump from San Antonio, said Bump’s story has continued even after her death and has touched many people.
“Lauren was a lot of things, loving, caring, compassionate, kind and silly…the list goes on, but one thing you were able to notice right away was her fire and passion for the Lord,” Jimenez said. “Her life reflected how God wants us to be. She cared for people and genuinely wanted to help everyone.”
Bump’s obituary remembered her as a loving person who often volunteered her time to Guatemalan mission work and multiple charities.
A service for Bump was held at Community Bible Church in San Antonio on Jan. 9. More than 700 people were in attendance.
