Police: American art teacher beaten to death in Nepal

KVUE-TV, Austin

Show Caption Hide Caption U.S. teacher murdered helping Nepal earthquake victims An art teacher who went missing in Nepal last month was beaten to death by someone she met through the Couchsurfing website, according to The Himalayan Times. Friends of the 25-year-old remember her as kind and creative person.

AUSTIN -- An Austin woman has reportedly been beaten to death in Nepal after she went on a backpacking trip to help in the aftermath of the country's deadly earthquake in April, according to CNN.

Dahlia Yehia, 25, arrived in Nepal on July 20, where she was killed by another teacher named Narayan Paudel, CNN reports. She went missing last month; concerned about her whereabouts, her friends and family contacted the U.S. Embassy in Nepal.

After an investigation, police said Paudel confessed to beating Yehia to death, putting her body in a sack and dumping it in the river. Yehia's body has not been recovered, according to CNN.

She met Paudel through the Couchsurfing website, which connects travelers with local hosts for accommodations, CNN reports.

A Facebook memorial honoring the 25-year-old describes her as a quote "special spirit" and "a giver, a lover, and humanitarian, who devoted her life to others less fortunate both domestic and abroad."

Hundreds of thousands were left homeless in that April earthquake, and more than 8,000 people were killed. Friends and family said Yehia was hoping to make a difference when she tragically lost her life.

According to the Facebook memorial page, Yehia worked at Sci-Tech Preparatory as an art teacher.