Among them is one that occurred only two months after the Arellano family slayings in 1968, when a vacationing family of six was killed in a Michigan cabin. Rangers tracked down the ranch hand who found the bodies, but he had nothing new to add. Leticia died two days later. A man connected to the case, still living in Edwards County, but Volkmann said DNA tests were inconclusive. His penis had been also chopped off. In most of these cases, the murders remain unsolved. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Biden rallies House Democrats to tout their legislative success to voters, Caregiver accused in Manhattan Beach child sexual abuse case believed to be in Philippines, Prosecution presents closing arguments in Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Intel agencies say theres no sign adversaries were behind Havana syndrome, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Spain approves menstrual leave, teen abortion and trans laws. [34][35], On November 26, 1989, a young Hispanic woman was found in a supine position in the street near the driveway of a residence in Houston, Texas. Starr County Special Crimes Unit announced it began investigating cold cases last year, including the 20-year-old unsolved murder of 45-year-old Dario Salmon. He and Elaine rented the land it sat on from a nearby farming couple. x. Before this April 12 sentencing, prison sentences handed down had ranged from 84 to He is currently slated for another extraction. "Initially he was skeptical. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date on current events in the 830. DRPD Detectives discovered a third person Under HB 8, crime labs must test kits within 90 days, and agencies are prohibited from destroying rape kits related to a case that has sat unsolved for up to 40 years. [28], In May, 2019, the DNA Doe Project was asked to assist with the victim's identification. Investigators believe that the skull belonged to the unidentified woman, however when DNA testing was done on the skull in 2015, it was determined that it belonged to a different person. Other distinctive details regarding this decedent include two sets of distinctive earrings she had worn which contained beads and shells, a tattoo of the letter 'V' on her upper left arm, and a scar resulting from her gallbladder being removed. Some two weeks after his attack, the boy was able to tell authorities about a white man, a big cowboy, who was helping them, then killed his father. When asked how Elaines body was positioned, he answered that incorrectly, before finally guessing the position correctly. [20], On March 26, 1986, a black woman was shot multiple times and left near a railroad. "It seemed like a ghost thing they were talking about, or something like that," said Finegan, whose store is the lone oasis on the winding 90-mile highway between Del Rio and Sonora. Several people were brought in for questioning. Fred and Edwina's son, 43-year-old Charles Rogers, disappeared right after, and remains the only suspect in a case that is officially unsolved. His hair was dark brown with some gray visible. It was all kinds of people saying, we think this is who it is, but nothing ever came of it, said Letsinger. The body had gone undiscovered for approximately three weeks to three months. This page was last edited on 10 October 2021, at 23:52. Were hopeful of a chance.. He was found wearing a pair of blue Levi brand jeans, a brown short sleeve sports style shirt with a tag having the name "Wilson" written on it, and an earring of unknown description. Thats how it stayed until 1999, when a caller told the Texas Department of Public Safety he knew the identity of the killer. Three alarm fire forces elders from their four-story apartment building, Wear the Gown: Avoiding dehydration which can have devastating effects, Near 90 Wednesday, chance for severe weather later in the week | FORECAST, 'I was devastated': Portland woman who abandoned car during snowstorm shocked by $787 bill from tow company, Meghan describes anguish about hurtful discussions about son's skin color, 750+ tips received about Boulder party that turned destructive; police want help to ID suspects, With virus aid in sight, Democrats debate filibuster changes. Manuel Jr. survived, and underwent multiple brain surgeries. Example video title will go here for this video. He was estimated to be between 20 and 35 years old, was approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighed between 130 and 140 pounds. On January 19, 2022, at about 6:00 pm, Victor Garcia was taken into custody at the Del Rio Police Department. [12], A teenage female whose body was discovered approximately six hours after she died on October 31 or November 1, 1980. Cause of death could not be determined, however investigators are treating the case as a homicide. He is a person of interest in the murder of Sandra De la Cruz. This article "List of unidentified murder victims in Texas" is from Wikipedia. The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office in the primary department investigating this unsolved crime. [52] She was clothed, wearing a dark top, multicolored shorts with star decorations and bikini underwear, along with a sanitary pad. The infant had recently died, and most likely was not born in a hospital. It was daylight on April 16, 1968, when the Arellano family piled into the blue four-door 1958 Buick Special for a 190-mile drive to San Angelo from Villa de Fuente, just inside the Mexican border south of Piedras Negras, to visit a relative who had just given birth. [9] DNA testing conducted in 2008 did not match any missing person report. I couldnt give you a numerical value on our chances of solving it, said Sgt. He gave a kind of description about a tall cowboy, with a cowboy hat and high top boots with his pants inside his boots, said Letsinger. Detectives eventually dismissed the caller as an unreliable source, but the tip renewed interest in the case. They relied on a good Samaritan to take them about 30 miles up the lonely road to Sonora to get that tire repaired and return them to their car. Few in the sparsely populated area remember the case, though it seems to have spawned a legend from Sonora to Mexico. Olguin was arrested on an unrelated charge, but officials are questioning him about the murder of 27-year-old Sandra De la Cruz. She was estimated to be between 15 and 22 years old, was 4 feet 11 inches tall, and weighed between 78 and 95 pounds. The Orchard Apartment The decedent was dressed in pink pants, a gray shirt, and a black belt with spikes. It is known that he suffered from a mild form of spina bifida. Although one of the investigators spoke Spanish to the little boy, Volkmann still believes a language barrier may have misled investigators on other leads. [45], On December 12, 2002, a survey crew discovered seven garbage bags full of various body parts in a construction site in Irving, Texas. He had been stabbed to death. He had been shot and his genitals were mutilated. They were killed approximately two months earlier and left in Houston. He was estimated to be about 30 years old and was approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall. She was estimated to be between 12 and 16 years old, was approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed between 90 and 100 pounds. Investigators werent even certain how many suspects to hunt. They wanted to move somewhere safer for their children. A retired San Antonio police officer seeks justice for the lone survivor. [18], On May 13, 1983, the decomposing remains of a young white female were discovered by a group of schoolchildren in a wooded area behind a 76 truck stop on US Route 59 in New Caney, Texas. Romeo Sanchez, was accused of stabbing the victim to death while fighting with the victim inside of the bar. Someone from Elaines past, her stalker, or someone she refused had killed their family. He did, however, lift his shirt and show Long the five or six scars from stab wounds he suffered, Long said. Henry Lee Lucas has been named as a potential suspect in this case,[13] although a bite mark found upon the decedent's shoulder was inconsistent with Lucas's dentistry.[14]. Investigators said Salmon was stabbed to death in his front yard in 2001, adding that the defendant in the case, Luis Carlos Marez, is currently serving a sentence in the Texas Department of Corrections. Elaine suffered a blow on the right top of her head that fractured her skull and 2-year-old Peter suffered numerous abrasions and contusions, his skull was also fractured.. Most of the unsolved murders pending have no conviction - no closure.The Dunn case brings to light 36 unsolved murders in the area. That's how it stayed until 1999, when a caller told the Texas Department of Public Safety he knew the identity of the killer. It is unknown if the girl had actually been conventionally raped, although she had been viciously sexually assaulted with a large foreign object. The Del Rio Police Department is asking the public for assistance in the arrest of Victor Garcia. He's now about 42 years old, married, a father, and working in the financial industry. On November 4, 1986, the skeletal remains of a teenage white/Hispanic female were discovered by a telephone company repairman, in a grassy area alongside US Route 77, seven miles south of Rockdale, Texas. Plus, he said there were three miles between where the bodies were found, the car also believed to have been moved after the first two murders. But I can tell you this: In 1998, law enforcement wasnt even in the ballpark. The trailer was nestled among woodland beside Route 37, just outside of Ina, Illinois, and they lived there with their 2-year-old son. Three miles down Hwy. A Texas man accused of murdering and sexually assaulting two San Antonio women, in 2005 and 2011, was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday. "I couldn't give you a numerical value on our chances of solving it," said Sgt. La comunidad de Weslaco se reuni para su Valley cotton farmers concerned over low water McAllen interim fire chief offers spring break McAllen airport looking for new airline to McAllen airport looking for new airline to offer direct flights to Mexico. Arellano was familiar with the United States, spoke fluent English and had been a migrant farm worker in Iowa. Keiths mother discarded his claims and said Keith was far too protective of his family to do such a thing. He had dark brown hair and a possible case of mild spina bifida. He was the guy who fixed the flat in Sonora, said Volkmann. He said its something he takes home with him at night. When her body was found it was determined she had only been dead for several hours. They went to California and got his DNA, it did not match anything that was in the evidence.. Im not able to sleep at night, sometimes I walk the floor, and I keep playing these photographs in the back of my mind, said Volkmann. Los testigos informaron que un hombre conocido, cuyo nombre se proporcion a los oficiales de investigacin, fue el que abri fuego en el lugar. After her body remained unidentified, she was buried in an unmarked grave in a potter's field. So far, he has gone multiple rounds of DNA extraction and sequencing, with unusable results. On October 10, 1987, the decomposed body of a young white male was found in a field in an unincorporated area of Tarrant County, Texas, close to Benbrook Lake. He had been shot to death and had been dead for about a week. The Sheriffs Office is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Victor Garcia, a suspect in a capital murder case. She had claimed to a waitress that she was 19 but the waitress did not believe her. On December 10, 1980, a young African American female was found lying under a mattress, under Interstate 45, about six miles north of downtown Houston, Texas. [29], The skeletal remains of a male between the ages of 27 and 38 were found on October 3, 1988, in Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas, near an RV park. Investigators say that without these two bones, a traditional 3D reconstruction cannot be made. The killings are among more than 900 mass slayings in the 20th century and several remain unsolved, according to Grant Duwe, a senior research analyst with the Minnesota Department of Corrections who has studied the subject. 2022 by Del Rio & Eagle Pass News Leader. She was estimated to be between 19 and 21 years old, was between 4 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed between 95 and 105 pounds. Of the thousands of people murdered each year in the United States, many decedents remain unidentified. A sketch could still be made of the victim based on the incomplete skull, and DNA Phenotyping may be able to provide a digital likeness of the girl. WebThe Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created on September 1, 2001 by the 77th Session of Texas Legislature. All of the individuals here were more or less executed.. Cause of death was not determined, but is believed to be a homicide, as she was found with her hands bound behind her back. Investigators believe he had been killed elsewhere and deposited at the location. And the The woman identified as Amanda Riojas, 27, was declared dead at the Hospital. Autopsies of the bodies were not enough to conclude who was killed first, it was determined that they were all killed within an hour or two. When the tire on their 10-year-old Buick went flat in this rugged, isolated stretch of West Texas about 40 miles north of the Mexican border, it seemed merely an inconvenience for Manuel Arellano and his family. The woman wore a white gold ring, a striped blue short skirt, and a flannel jacket, which was also striped. So was her brother, Manuel Jr., also shot in the head and stabbed. [48][49] Submission into the Kendall County morgue records department filed as CASE# A31Z6 (STATUS: PENDING). Investigators could not find a conclusive cause of death. Long believes more than one person was involved in the slayings, which differs from the beliefs of his peers decades ago. And get information about All of Del Rios events delivered directly to your inbox! Long said Manuel Jr. wasnt sure what to make of authorities contacting him decades after he lost his family. He was estimated to be between 35 and 45 years old, was approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed between 150 and 165 pounds. And the description the boy gave to authorities, wasnt too unusual in this rural county. DRPD recovered several The woman's death is considered to be due to foul play and a "suspicious" white-colored "powder" was found on the face region. The cause of death was strangulation, which may have been done with pantyhose. They were convinced that this individual was part of it, said Letsinger. Henry Lee Lucas claimed to have been responsible for the murder, however his confession is not considered to be plausible. Volkmann said road crews discovered the massacre that had happened overnight. [44]. The most promising lead came in 2000, when serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells was arrested for cutting the throats of Kaylene Harris, 13, and Krystal Surles, 10 near Del [3] This youth is the only still-unidentified victim of serial killer Dean Corll, who, together with two teenage accomplices, killed at least 28 boys and young men between 1970 and 1973. [43]. His memory of the incident was basically nonexistent, except for what he has been told or read, Long said. [3], This youth is the only still-unidentified victim of serial killer Dean Corll, who, together with two teenage accomplices, killed at least 28 boys and young men between 1970 and 1973. Keith was sexually mutilated, and investigators ruled out sexual motivation. Ive never seen anything like this in the 33 years Ive been doing this job, said Volkmann. Among them is one that occurred two months after the Arellano family slayings in 1968, when a vacationing family of six was killed in a Michigan cabin. Transcripts from the boys interview outlines the little boys confusion. 277, they found the bodies of Manuel Sr., his wife, and sister. [22][23] The DNA Doe Project was asked to assist with identifying the body in January, 2020. It wasn't expected to be a difficult journey. Although there was no clothing on the body, a pair of underwear and a hat were nearby. Investigators could not find a cause of death, however, have deemed it a homicide due to the fact that he was found wearing clean socks in a grove of mesquite bushes. [47]. A pair of socks was under the shirt, likely used to mimic breasts. "We came to realize this is a case that needs to be looked at" again. "I think now we put that reversed. Keiths friend told that Kieth had become very protective of his family that once when a girl asked to use their phone he didnt let her in, maybe that girl has something to do with the murders. The Sheriffs Office is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Victor Garcia, a suspect in a capital murder case. "And if it was just a one-time event in some individual's life, that's questionable how somebody rational could do something like this and just carry on with his normal routine in life.". Her remains were exhumed in 2006 for analysis, however the maxilla and jaw bone were not found in the grave. We dont have a bad crime that happens here about once every three years, said Volkmann. CCR: 96-24404 Date Reported: August 24, 1996 VICTIM DETAILS. [30][31][32], The DNA Doe Project was asked to assist with identifying the body in May, 2019. And today were on third base.. WebLearn about unsolved mysteries and cold murder cases in Austin, TX. I really feel that it's contaminated because in 1968, law enforcement didn't handle that type of evidence like we handled it today, he said. She had red/dark auburn hair, and had evidence of previously healed fractures to her ribs, breastbone, and toe area. The woman identified as Amanda Riojas, 27, was declared dead at the Hospital. Its the oldest unsolved mass murder, said Volkmann. A witness transported the woman to the hospital after being shot outside a local convenience store. The DNA Doe Project was asked to assist with the man's identification in May, 2019. I always thought there were at least two that were suspects. Her sister-in-laws body was in some brush a few feet away. [36] She was estimated to be between 17 and 30 years old, was approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 111 pounds. The show, however, was unable to generate any new leads. ", Family's slaying remains Texas' longest unsolved mass killing, Castillo game-winner sends Floydada to regional semi-finals, Rare endangered animal seen running across Texas road. Prior to this position, she covered upstream oil and gas news for a drilling contractors' association. It is unknown how both victims were placed at the scene. He was found wearing a pair of Levi brand jeans, a pair of jockey shorts, and a pair of clean white socks. Cash and jewelry were equally accessible in another room. Over the last few months, several cities Sea Turtle Inc. hosting Saturday beach cleanup. arrested at his residence located at the Villas De Val Verde, also for the offense of Capital Murder, The motive for the murder was apparently an argument. "If anything this case did do, it showed me the importance of how not to quit," Long said. 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