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Texas woman killed while out for morning run

Sarmistha Sen was a scientist, an avid runner and a mother of two

Photo by: Arindam Roy/CaringBridge

A Texas runner was killed on August 1 while out for her morning run, as reported by CNN. Sarmistha Sen, a 43-year-old scientist with a focus in cancer research, was found dead near her daily running route in her hometown of Plano. A Plano Police Department press release states that Sen’s death is being classified as a homicide, and a suspect is in custody at the Plano City Jail. The investigation is ongoing. Sen is survived by her husband and two children, aged 12 and six. 

Sen’s family set up a CaringBridge page to share her story. She was born in Sindri, India, but moved to Texas in 2004. She studied at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and she worked in cancer research for the majority of her professional career. The site says she was an avid runner, and on Saturday morning, “she went for her regular [run] and never came back home. She was brutally killed by a stranger for no apparent reason.” 

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The CNN report notes a 2016 survey which found that 43 per cent of women “at least sometimes experience harassment on the run,” compared to just four per cent of men. Friends of Sen and other Plano residents have been leaving pairs of running shoes near the site of her death to pay tribute to the late runner, who “lived a free and fearless life, inspiring many with her infectious energy and carefree smile.” In addition to the CaringBridge site, Sen’s family has created a GoFundMe page where donations can be made to “charities that are devoted to issues that Sarmistha deeply cared about,” including cancer awareness and research and the protection of the environment. So far, $25,000 has been raised, and her family has pledged to match every dollar donated up to $50,000.

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