NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- She was a promising college student , a young woman with talent whose brutal killing shocked a campus community . Her name is Samantha Michelle Nance . Unlike the recent high-profile homicide of Yale University graduate student Annie Le , the death of the 20-year-old Dallas woman , known as Shelley to her friends , has captured virtually no media attention outside Texas . Nance , a third-year student at the Art Institute of Dallas , was found stabbed to death Saturday in her apartment . She was majoring in animation , with about a year to go before getting her bachelor 's degree , said Sarah Stockton , public relations director at the school . The institute is `` a design , media arts , fashion and culinary post-secondary school , '' according to its Web site . `` She was a very talented animation student , '' Stockton said . `` She actually won a scholarship for her work when she was still in high school . '' Nance beat out about 60 other applicants to win the partial scholarship to the institute , Stockton said . She was a fan of Vincent van Gogh and author Frank Beddor , according to her personal Web page on the deviantArt site . Her apartment was in Dallas ' northeastern Lake Highlands neighborhood in a building complex home to dozens of students from the institute . `` They have security there , '' Stockton said . Dallas police said officers were asked to investigate after Nance had not been seen for several days . Sgt . Eugene Reyes said officers entered her apartment Saturday and found her body . `` She had multiple stab wounds , '' Reyes said . The police report indicates Nance was `` stabbed with an unknown cutting tool . '' Nance , who was from Italy , Texas , will be laid to rest Thursday . The school will hold a memorial service Friday . In a statement , the institute said that `` Samantha made many close friends during her time at the Art Institute , and she will be missed very much by students , faculty and staff . '' Reyes said officers are in the process of interviewing people . `` We have a couple of people we are pretty interested in , '' he said . `` We are waiting for DNA . '' He also revealed that while police have n't identified a suspect , homicide detectives believe the killer knew the victim . The Art Institute is making grief counselors available to students , noting , `` This is a hard time for everyone and there can be a range of emotions that are felt . '' Stockton added a bulletin board has been set up for anyone to post memories of Nance . She said the remembrances will be given to her family . `` She was a great student , always came to class , always involved on campus , '' Stockton said . `` It 's just a tragedy . ''
Samantha Michelle Nance , 20 , stabbed to death in Texas . She was a third-year student at Art Institute of Dallas . Nance 's case has received little attention outside Dallas .