Albany police investigate murder of 37-year-old woman

ALBANY, Calif. (KGO) -- A Bay Area community, known for its low crime rate, is trying to solve the mysterious murder of a dental student was found dead in her apartment.

Randhir Paul, 37, was studying dentistry at the University of California in San Francisco. She was about to complete her final semester. On Monday, she failed to show up for an appointment with a patient, so her cousin was asked to go to her apartment in Albany.

A witness said he opened the door and found the body on the floor. Paul was lying in a pool of blood. A bullet casing was found on the ground and the paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

"I've just learned of this," said Paul's neighbor David Arkin. "This is shocking news. This is a very safe neighborhood. I'm surprised to hear of it."

Paul had been living alone in her apartment for five years. Her next-door neighbors say they never met her.

"Somebody across the street actually mentioned they heard a gunshot around 9:30, 10 o'clock," a neighbor said.

It was Sunday night, but nobody reported it to police because they didn't realize it was a gunshot. Neighbors say the sound of gunfire is rare.

"I certainly hope it's not a trend and there's nothing else I've seen recently that would suggest that," Arkin added.

Neighbors say they fear for their safety because there's a killer on the loose. Meanwhile, police declined to comment on the case saying it's an ongoing investigation.

This is the first murder in Albany in more than a decade.

The UCSF School of Dentistry released a statement Tuesday evening that said, "We are saddened at the tragic loss Randhir... Our hearts go out to her family and friends."