TX - Elizabeth Barraza, 29, murdered setting up garage sale, Harris Co, Jan 2019 #4

[HousewaresAisle3]

I think there is being too much made about the relative shooting skills and experience of the killer.

Recently a 6 year old took a gun to a school and shot their teacher.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume the shooter could have had any range of prior firearms knowledge and skill.

 

[fridaybaker]

One aspect of this that is particularly perplexing to me is the fact that the shooter seems to brandish something with his left hand before pulling the gun out. Was it a message? Was it just a blank, or essentially blank, piece of paper to get Liz's attention so the shooter could have time to pull the gun, aim, and fire without Liz having the opportunity to become a moving target?

There are a couple of ways to read this: First, that it was a message to Liz, so that she would know the who/why behind her death. This could apply whether or not it was someone she knew or a hired killer. If someone she knew, he would have wanted her to recognize him, but wasn't sure she would without making it obvious since he was wearing a disguise. If a hired hit, for obvious reasons.

Second, and this seems quite likely to me, is that it was simply a distraction to give the shooter the best opportunity to get a good shot/shots in. The reason I lean toward this is that the moment that she looked at it was incredibly brief. It seems like it wouldn't have given her even time to process anything appearing on the paper, or register the object, whatever it was. This would seem to support a hired killer?

 

[Chelly]

Agree - even a mild flinch by the target could move chest to neck pretty easily I think. I don't know how the recoil of a .380 feels, but shooting other revolvers, if I had never fired a weapon before and tried shooting a person even at close range like this one handed with the shots in rapid succession I'm not optimistic I would have hit all three times.

On the grip question, one counter point, the stoner video infers that the shooter had their mask in the other hand, so that might have forced the one handed grip. So many factors!

On man vs woman, the running to me looks like it's awkward because of the boots, which makes analyzing the gait a little fuzzy to me..

I was surprised the shooter was able to run so fast and with long strides in those boots and coat. My first thought after seeing the video was...I bet the shooter practiced running wearing that outfit.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

One aspect of this that is particularly perplexing to me is the fact that the shooter seems to brandish something with his left hand before pulling the gun out. Was it a message? Was it just a blank, or essentially blank, piece of paper to get Liz's attention so the shooter could have time to pull the gun, aim, and fire without Liz having the opportunity to become a moving target?

There are a couple of ways to read this: First, that it was a message to Liz, so that she would know the who/why behind her death. This could apply whether or not it was someone she knew or a hired killer. If someone she knew, he would have wanted her to recognize him, but wasn't sure she would without making it obvious since he was wearing a disguise. If a hired hit, for obvious reasons.

Second, and this seems quite likely to me, is that it was simply a distraction to give the shooter the best opportunity to get a good shot/shots in. The reason I lean toward this is that the moment that she looked at it was incredibly brief. It seems like it wouldn't have given her even time to process anything appearing on the paper, or register the object, whatever it was. This would seem to support a hired killer?

I agree - there doesn't seem to really have been enough time for the killer to 'savor' whatever reaction they hoped to induce by showing Liz whatever they showed her. The killing seemed all business to me.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

I think there is being too much made about the relative shooting skills and experience of the killer.

Recently a 6 year old took a gun to a school and shot their teacher.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume the shooter could have had any range of prior firearms knowledge and skill.

Agree pretty much everything is on the table . I'm sure the police have profiled the shooter better than we can hope to as well...

 

[KindMind1ofA]

Purely speculating let’s say your partner’s parent was involved in some various unethical behaviors. You confront that person and make it an issue. Perhaps this person is quite worried about some threats made regarding exposing them or making some sort of formal or legal action. This is motive. This person and their associate(s) in their unethical dealings have a reason to be rid of you.

This is the leading theory imo.. it's the only one so far that doesn't seem to weaken under scrutiny. ...obviously that doesn't mean it'll be correct in the end, but it fits with all the facts I'm aware of about the case so far. Would love to integrate some counter-points tho if anyone can think of some.

 

[Cedars]

This is the leading theory imo.. it's the only one so far that doesn't seem to weaken under scrutiny. ...obviously that doesn't mean it'll be correct in the end, but it fits with all the facts I'm aware of about the case so far. Would love to integrate some counter-points tho if anyone can think of some.

IMO, even the Godfather would never kill his son's wife. In the case of the mafia, the son would be told to make it clear to her some things were none of her business, this was his father.

She played Star Wars characters, I've never heard anything to indicate she was a crusading, journalistic truth-teller.

JMO

 

[KindMind1ofA]

IMO, even the Godfather would never kill his son's wife. In the case of the mafia, the son would be told to make it clear to her some things were none of her business, this was his father.

She played Star Wars characters, I've never heard anything to indicate she was a crusading, journalistic truth-teller.

JMO

Counterpoint taken . Isn't it really odd, though, that Sergio would suspect this person? Like super bazarre - ...unless there's something to it. I can't imagine any scenario where I'd come up with my own father as a potential suspect - I'm guessing that's the same for virtually everyone - but it wasn't the case for Sergio.

 

[Cedars]

Counterpoint taken . Isn't it really odd, though, that Sergio would suspect this person? Like super bazarre - ...unless there's something to it. I can't imagine any scenario where I'd come up with my own father as a potential suspect - I'm guessing that's the same for virtually everyone - but it wasn't the case for Sergio.

I don't know where the father link came from, or what lead up to it. There's no actual statements where S says 'I suspect my Dad', right?

 

[KindMind1ofA]

I don't know where the father link came from, or what lead up to it. There's no actual statements where S says 'I suspect my Dad', right?

Actually there is specifically that.. and that Liz was "very upset" that his father's infidelity was impacting her family. It's in the Paula Zahn special. Sergio brought it up to police.

 

[realanastasia]

Actually there is specifically that.. and that Liz was "very upset" that his father's infidelity was impacting her family. It's in the Paula Zahn special. Sergio brought it up to police.

This is a rough transcript starting at 32:00 here:

SB says “I was having issues with my dad, his financial stability was kind of not working out, so we were having issues with my paychecks and stuff.”

PZ says “But it was the cause of his father’s money woes that really troubled Sergio. He believed that the problem stemmed from his parents’ marital issues at the time.”

SB says “My father had been cheating on my mom with multiple women.”

PZ says ”Sergio told detectives that Liz had also been very upset about how her father-in-law’s infidelity had been impacting her family.”

Then it’s explained that, relative to Sergio’s bounced paycheck from his dad, Liz didn’t understand why she and Sergio were suffering so her father-in-law could pay for his many girlfriends.

Detective says: ”It did come up that Liz did possibly confront Oscar about this.”

(But this last point isn’t elaborated on in the special, so viewers remain unaware of who actually said that Liz confronted Oscar, or any further details of their conversation.)

 

[KindMind1ofA]

Actually there is specifically that.. and that Liz was "very upset" that his father's infidelity was impacting her family. It's in the Paula Zahn special. Sergio brought it up to police.

This is a rough transcript starting at 32:00 here:

Thanks!! I was just in the process of typing all that. And additionally, this person waved away the issue saying the money problems were an accounting issue - but we see now that in May of 2022 this person is being sued by the county (for delinquent taxes if I understand the records correctly).. I'd propose that you don't have a lawsuit filed against you for missed taxes until you've had money problems for a long time.

Like I say, this is the one theory I'm aware of that keeps getting stronger the more you look at it.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

This is a rough transcript starting at 32:00

...But this last point isn’t elaborated on in the special, so viewers remain unaware of who actually said that Liz confronted Oscar, or any further details of their

And I'm just now realizing - this was Sergio's *last paycheck*.. right before they go on their vacation, that bounced.. and Liz has a garage sale to make some extra cash... *Right after this paycheck bounced.*. It's almost like the garage sale was Liz sticking it to 'this person' for having failed the financial obligations to her family... Not so much for the money, but to show how much his indiscretions were impacting them! Wow! If it wasn't primarily for extra money, that'd explain why it didn't need to be very well advertised.. could the sale and statements around needing to make extra cash have been, at least partially, a big ole middle finger to this person?? ....Which also makes it the perfect place for this person to settle the score.

All MOO.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

super bazarre

That would be ..."bizarre".

 

[scruffydog]

It was about infidelity and pay; two touchy topics and the sense I got was that it was heated. Combine that with Sergio no longer associating with that other person, and it sounds like there's something of interest there.

Exactly where my thoughts are. And absolutely nothing to do with the Star Wars group.

 

[scruffydog]

Thanks!! I was just in the process of typing all that. And additionally, this person waved away the issue saying the money problems were an accounting issue - but we see now that in May of 2022 this person is being sued by the county (for delinquent taxes if I understand the records correctly).. I'd propose that you don't have a lawsuit filed against you for missed taxes until you've had money problems for a long time.

Like I say, this is the one theory I'm aware of that keeps getting stronger the more you look at it.

Maybe the money problem wasn't women..maybe its was something else and his dad was not the only person with the problem..

 

[arielilane]

@KindMind1ofA you're understanding the records correctly...in addition, there have been ongoing financials issues for awhile too. imo.

 

[arielilane]

Perhaps LE will be making another trip to Miami? moo

 

[fridaybaker]

Maybe the money problem wasn't women..maybe its was something else and his dad was not the only person with the problem..

?

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

Below is an old post of mine that supports this topic from a different angle.. I wanted to move it here.

For some time , I was thinking about Sergio’s not showing obvious grief and looking motionless when he was at the crime scene. I somehow had got the feeling that his motionlessness may not be becaouse he was involved but rage and anger overtook grief as something dawned on him there . Maybe something he feared for a period happened to his wife and he was shocked and freezed , was afraid of this coming . He had a possible scenario and suspect in his mind there at the crime scene and maybe was blaming himself and anger towards the person in his mind etc.that made him freezed .
After reading that S pointed finger to his father on P.Zahn’s Show maybe the father was whom he suspected from day 1
Just a thought .