JERSEY CITY -- An 18-year-old woman found beaten to death beneath a pile of rocks in a Jersey City cemetery in 2006 would have celebrated her 28th birthday this past Saturday.

While homicide investigators are still trying to bring Catrina Hinton's killer to justice nearly 10 years after her grisly murder, her family continues to grapple with the tragedy.

"It could easily be your sister, your daughter and if anyone out there knows anything please come forward -- make the call," said Douglas Harmon, whose sister's body who was found in New York Bay Cemetery on Feb. 6, 2006.

"She was a princess in our family and someone killed her and left her in rubble like garbage," Harmon said. "Help us get past this."

That day, a worker at the Garfield Avenue cemetery was confronted with the gruesome sight of Hinton's hand seemingly reaching out from the rocks, beside a toppled tree and railroad tracks at the rear of the cemetery.

An autopsy revealed the Ocean Avenue resident was beaten to death, and possibly sexually assaulted and choked. Based on the position of her clothing at the time of the autopsy, Hinton may have been undressed and redressed by her attacker, officials said at the time.

"We have not forgotten," Chief Homicide Assistant Prosecutor Michael D'Andrea said today. "We continue to use advances in forensic science to move the investigation forward."

Harmon said his sister graduated high school in Virginia and came to Jersey City to attend New Jersey City University but was killed before she could begin classes.

Hinton was last seen leaving her job at Mandee's clothing store on Broadway in Bayonne the evening of Jan. 14. Investigators ruled out robbery as a motive for the killing, saying jewelry and other items of value were found on her body, officials said.

"I believe that someone out there knows what happened to this young lady," Homicide Detective Scott Jeffrey said. "It has been too long that her death has remained unsolved. If anyone has any information that can assist in bringing the suspect(s) to justice, please contact our Office. I am confident that someone in the community can help bring this investigation to a close."

Harmon said Hinton was born with a tumor but doctors were able to remove it and then replace her eye with a glass eye. As a result, the family always worried for her and feared she would die at a young age, but not by violence.

"She was a wonderfully helpful person," Harmon said. "Everyone says that about their family, but she was. She hugged you whenever she saw you."

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's Homicide Squad at 201-915-1345.