Police Confirm Sex Assault in No. Libs Murder

Victim's family plead for help in finding Sabina's killer.

By VINCE LATTANZIO and KELLY BAYLISS

Updated 9:39 PM EDT, Sat, Jun 5, 2010

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In front of a growing memorial to her late daughter Rachel O'Donnell begs for help finding the person responsible for Sabina Rose O'Donnell's brutal murder.

"My daughter Sabina was a beautiful, magical woman," she said. "Our family is pleading with the public to cooperate and apprehend her killer."

Early Wednesday morning, the 20-year-old was dragged from the doorway of her apartment building along the 1200 block of N. 4th Street. into an adjacent lot, stripped of her clothes, sexually assaulted, beaten and then strangled to death, police say. A source says the male attacker used the woman's bra to end her life.

Friends, family and local businesses have put up a $25,000 reward leading to the suspect's arrest.

Murdered NoLibs Woman's Mother Asks for Justice

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Murdered NoLibs Woman's Mother Asks for Justice

WATCH

Photo of Sabina Rose O'Donnell, added to Facebook...

"Sabina was very loved and it feels very good to know she had a lot of people who cared about her," the mother said clutching a doll and teddy her only daughter used to sleep alongside.

With news of a reward came word that new clues had been uncovered. DNA evidence was retrieved from the scene and was being analyzed Thursday, sources told NBC Philadelphia.

Sources also claim that investigators are looking into reports that an intruder entered Sabina's apartment building in the hours after the attack.

The young woman had just made the short trip home from a friend's apartment only four blocks away when she was assaulted minutes after midnight. Her naked body was found by a neighbor walking their dog that morning.

Police are warning women in the Northern Liberties neighborhood to be sure to walk in pairs and be aware of their surroundings.

"What we need now, are prayers. Just prayers and for everyone to just love one another because you don't know when you're not gonna see that person again," family friend David Rodriguez said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Commission Tipline at 215.546.8477 (TIPS).