The murder case of Catherine Woods got a break when a woman who had read about the murder came forward to say Cortez had physically assaulted her a year before. 

Catherine Woods dreamed of dancing on Broadway as a child in Ohio, and she prepared to make it a reality. At the age of 17, she left home to pursue her goal in New York City.

Three years later, as she was advancing in her job, tragedy struck. Woods’ roommate, David Haughn, contacted 911 on November 27, 2005, to report that there was “blood all over” their Upper East Side walk-up apartment.

The police claimed that there was evidence of a fight. The mattress in the bedroom was on the floor, impeding EMS’s last-ditch efforts to assist Woods. Some witnesses reported hearing a commotion, including growing fighting and shouting, emanating from her apartment.