TX TX - Elizabeth Barraza, 29, murdered setting up garage sale, Harris Co, Jan 2019 #5

[AppleTreeGreen]

Objectively, I share your sentiments. I have limited on again, off again contact with another intensive, adult nerd hobby (War Hammer game with associated miniature painting. Others paint historical metal soldiers, play historical war game etc).

As you implied.... People whose social skills could use some uhmm...."enhancement"? We have those. People for whom the hobby is their sole consuming interest? Yes, they are there. Plain olde weirdos? Not unheard of- at all.

As you stated.... The group is nerdy but passive. None appear to have aggressive tendencies. They also accept all who have an interest in some aspect of their hobby.

I have seen an elderly religious conservative, a gender fluid person, and a guy whose T shirt implied that women are barbarian pillage prizes (wonders why he does not get second dates?) in the same small room.

Subjectively, however, I think there are some aspects of 501 Legion cosplay that could increase the chance of an unhinged participant:

- A former cosplay participant in a different genre stated that a when cosplayers get in deep, they get in very deep. A noticeable minority derived all their self respect, social status, friends, and even chosen family from cosplay.

- Dollar Cost. 501 Legion cosplay is expensive with the need for movie set costumes. If 501 legion ceases to "work" for somebody, they can be out what, thousands of dollars? And.... also out the prestige of being a member in the apex group. Other groups are out there, but are just not the same.

I have a friend who is interested in joining and along with the points you made, one of the things they were advised beforehand is that sometimes there can be drama around politics or leadership/leadership positions. I think my friend also mentioned that sometimes participants witness that other members or groups can be very cliquey. To be fair though in hindsight, if I think back to my college and grad school experience, those qualities may be common in a lot of the clubs or organizations.

 

[glassheater]

I Googled 501st Legion (sorry, didn’t watch Star Wars in childhood as it was not available where I grew up). But in general, be it the Marathon battle reenactment, or a knight tournament or something else, it is all the same. Bright people, very dedicated to their area of interests and… well, unusual. I knew some people who were making own costumes, they also had online stores where they’d sell “stuff for sensory people” before it became commonplace, so, bright.

If we are talking about the cost of the outfit, how much is it?

Also, I saw that they are invited to perform at hospitals, etc, so some $$$ ? Right? And there is a “trooper of the month”, so, not unlike Boy Scouts? There may be a lot of rivalry.

ETA. About the personalities. Not all are introverted. I'd say, "romantic". Here is an interesting story. A British jouster who was killed during a reenactment for TV. His wife, herself a reenactor, said he would not dream of a better death.

And I can imagine, people are people and may have issues, but I think this common shared obsession is a strong bond.

Jouster killed in freak accident when shattered lance spears him through the eye during Time Team re-enactment

Paul Allen, 54. was not wearing his shield properly when he took part in the joust, an inquest heard today.

www.dailymail.co.uk

BBM - take it with a grain of salt but someone on Reddit said they paid 6k for theirs. I see some on sale via Google search for 2k+.

 

[housewife]

BBM - take it with a grain of salt but someone on Reddit said they paid 6k for theirs. I see some on sale via Google search for 2k+.

These costumes and props are serious hobbies and major investments in time, creation, and $$$. I'm not surprised they cost in the thousands. They are customized, hand weathered, movie quality pieces of art (and highly valued by a specific audience).

This makes me believe that these cosplay items were likely NOT part of Liz's neighborhood garage sale. They are niche objects, and would likely fetch better offers when advertised online, in a specialized Star Wars forum or message board.

Not that it matters, really. I think the shooter was more interested in Liz herself than items for sale.

And I completely agree that Liz had no time to actually read or comprehend anything on that paper stuck in her face. It must have been a confusing, terrifying blur.

 

[JaneGaGa]

Guessing the paper said you’re dead.

 

[lonewanderer]

These costumes and props are serious hobbies and major investments in time, creation, and $$$. I'm not surprised they cost in the thousands. They are customized, hand weathered, movie quality pieces of art (and highly valued by a specific audience).

This makes me believe that these cosplay items were likely NOT part of Liz's neighborhood garage sale. They are niche objects, and would likely fetch better offers when advertised online, in a specialized Star Wars forum or message board.

Not that it matters, really. I think the shooter was more interested in Liz herself than items for sale.

And I completely agree that Liz had no time to actually read or comprehend anything on that paper stuck in her face. It must have been a confusing, terrifying blur.

I also think the picture being shown to Liz is not one of the items present. It would be informative to know what items were for sale.

One thing about the swiftness of the shooter, it doesn’t give the viewer an opportunity to read Liz’s body language as she takes a HUGE step back and then is shot basically the moment she leans in to look at what the shooter is showing her.

Liz is shot too fast to see her throw up her hands like “whooah!!! Wait! That’s not me!” Or make a one hand out “ok, I can explain” type movement OR roll her eyes like “ok, are you serious right now?”.

I think that could possibly give us a better idea of what to speculate the motive was for.

 

[acutename]

I googled searched trading cards 501st legion and wow, I didn't realize how popular the trading cards are! I took a dive in their reddit page and learned their costumes cost 1000s.There seems to be a significant investment in time and money to get approval for a trading card. I wonder if the perp held up a trading card to Liz.

this reminding me of James Holmes who said he was the Joker when he shot up the Aurora theater.... are there a few people so into their cosplay that they are insane?

 

[glassheater]

this reminding me of James Holmes who said he was the Joker when he shot up the Aurora theater.... are there a few people so into their cosplay that they are insane?

I think he was known to have psychiatric problems. The attack against LB seems to be of a very personal nature.

James Holmes' Psychiatrist Contacted University Police Weeks Before Movie-Theater Shooting: ABC Exclusive

The psychiatrist who treated suspected movie-theater shooter James Holmes made contact with a University of Colorado police officer to express concerns about her patient's behavior several weeks before Holmes' alleged rampage, sources told ABC News.

abcnews.go.com

 

[glassheater]

@lonewanderer a thought…

If it was someone in her legion who committed this heinous act, why wouldn’t Liz have recognized them?

 

[lonewanderer]

@lonewanderer a thought…

If it was someone in her legion who committed this heinous act, why wouldn’t Liz have recognized them?

I think she did recognize her.

Liz doesn't look very surprised initially when the person walks up. She isn't startled, isn't acting overly superficial friendly like someone might meeting a stranger at a garage sale.

Usually, when we interact with strangers, especially at garage sales and/or trying to get someone to buy things, we are all "heyyy!!!! how are you! Good morning!" and Liz didn't do any of that, neither did her body language look like she was confused as to why someone was walking up so close to her. Liz didn't appear to be like "uhhhh.....hi?"

The only time Liz looks startled is when the shooter appears to open up their robe-like sweater and appears to be showing Liz something with their left hand. Liz takes a HUGE step back, then leans in to get a better look at something.

I theorize that Liz was in shock when she saw the gun and/or at what the shooter extended to show her.

 

[Charlot123]

this reminding me of James Holmes who said he was the Joker when he shot up the Aurora theater.... are there a few people so into their cosplay that they are insane?

Every collector is “inappropriately obsessed”, and abbreviations like TDF, so often seen on message boards, testify to it. But to kill for a costume would still be uncommon. I think the flawed logic comes with grandiosity that makes people believe they will get away with it.

 

[Charlot123]

I think she did recognize her.

Liz doesn't look very surprised initially when the person walks up. She isn't startled, isn't acting overly superficial friendly like someone might meeting a stranger at a garage sale.

Usually, when we interact with strangers, especially at garage sales and/or trying to get someone to buy things, we are all "heyyy!!!! how are you! Good morning!" and Liz didn't do any of that, neither did her body language look like she was confused as to why someone was walking up so close to her. Liz didn't appear to be like "uhhhh.....hi?"

The only time Liz looks startled is when the shooter appears to open up their robe-like sweater and appears to be showing Liz something with their left hand. Liz takes a HUGE step back, then leans in to get a better look at something.

I theorize that Liz was in shock when she saw the gun and/or at what the shooter extended to show her.

You know when we might act slightly apprehensive? When we meet an ethnicity that is very rare for our neighborhood. It is an old behavior coming from tribal times, so I hope people understand me.

So I had to look up Harris Co, which ethnically is one of the most diverse in TX. Its trend in diversity is almost in opposite direction to my county, though. It is obvious that Liz won’t be surprised to see a Caucasian, a Latino, an African-American or a Native American person, but some groups are rare in her neighborhood. So I looked up demographics to see who, if not known to Liz, might look uncommon to her.

(Another thing - basically for every community in Harris County, English is cited as the language spoken at home, so an uncommon accent might surprise her, for example.) But I think it is the look. Might be also unusual clothes or rare tattoo.

Houston Public Health Data Portal :: Demographics :: County :: Harris :: Ethnicity

Informing Action with Health Data

www.houstonstateofhealth.com

Just one of the ideas.

 

[x_files]

I don't think they are related at all, and I do not believe Liz's killer is in disguise. I think Liz's shooter is a woman, a mother, and is in the 501st Legion with a particular tie to the Star Wars Jawa character. I think she is dressed like she is performing a morning activity such as walking the dog.

If you are looking for more similarites to Liz's case, check out Mo Wilson and Kaitlyn Armstrong. A woman, in Texas, is shot point blank at her home multiple times, with a fatal shot when she's on the ground. The shooter is caught on Ring doorbell camera circling the neighborhood and going back around to look at the victim. There is more too it, but MUCH more similar than Missy's.

Jealousy as a motive?

 

[x_files]

I rewatched the video the woman appears to either be in a bathrobe or possibly a Star Wars robe.
I think a bathrobe in the early morning would be less conscious unless she did invite cosplayers over early in the morning to her house. The woman appears to hold up something flat like a photo to her before she shoots her.
I didn't see the footage when she supposedly RETURNS to check if she is indeed dead. that to me is a weird detail. She feared being recognized if she survived. I think she knew the other person.

 

[Cryptic]

Who and where are these elaborate costumes created?

From a variety of sources. Evidently....

- Cosplay groups host "build parties" where members build their own costumes and gear while receiving assistance from experienced members. As @housewife mentioned, high end costumes and gear can be works of craft art in regards to effort, time and skill. I have seen this with scale models as well.

- Mix and mash: Cosplayer buys basic, but still costly basic shell components on line. Then... "scratch builds" (term scale modelers use) all add ons, paints it, and...."weathers it" to the required level. Still takes alot of time.

 

[Ajs1004]

Excellent points here. And that also leads thoughts in certain directions I believe. I’ve wondered who was it that was pushing to have the garage sale that day and morning? And in particular with a planned impending vacation that weekend.(Because that early garage sale preparation was what resulted in the victim being available outside at that time.)

Portions of this sure seem scripted. Maybe we just don’t know the author(s) and actor(s) yet. MOO

I think the only person who can truly answer on whose idea the yard sale was is dead. I wouldn’t trust S to answer honestly because his story constantly changes. And who knows what she told her parents. Her mom said she didn’t think that the yard sale was necessary. But maybe Liz said told them it was her idea because she didn’t want to put the blame on her spouse? We all do that, take the fault for decisions that our spouses have made.

 

[Cryptic]

Due to manufacturing licenses, no one in these groups area allowed to have any store bought components to their outfits.

That is interesting. Lets start with:

Participant with marginal social skills, a distant family and a low status job views cosplay as his or her "last chance" for friends, status, affirmation etc. Then...

They join the 501 Legion. They then obtain friends, status, affirmation etc. But.... the needed "investment" is big. Creating a passing costume takes large amounts of time, skill and money- especially for those with a limited income.

Person then becomes very protective regarding any "threat" to the status, affirmation and friends they derive from the group. Liz does something to anger them. Now, their whole "Galaxy" is endangered- not just a nerdy hobby interest that constitutes a small part of their life.

 

[x_files]

Did anyone else catch this?

"Sergio said he only watched the video one time to see if he could recognize the killer."

If your spouse is murdered and it is captured on video, wouldn't you want to watch the VIDEO a few times to see if you recognize the murderer?
I can understand NOT wanting to see the actual murder but before and after to see if the woman or truck looks familiar to HELP police?

Widower opens up 4 years after wife was shot to death while setting up for garage sale at Tomball home

Sergio Barraza said he knows a lot of people consider him the prime suspect in her death but says he's done everything he can to help investigators solve the case.

www.khou.com

 

[JaneGaGa]

From the video it looks like this person is wearing heels or boots? Does anyone else see it?

 

[Cryptic]

@lonewanderer a thought…

If it was someone in her legion who committed this heinous act, why wouldn’t Liz have recognized them?

She might of recognized them, but then took a few seconds to mentally process who the person was and why they would be at her garage sale.

There are also 451 Legionaires in Texas alone. Then factor in Legionaires in Louisiana and Arkansas. The perpetrator's rapid approach might have triggered a: "She looks familiar, but cant quite place them" reaction in Liz.

 

[JnRyan]

These costumes and props are serious hobbies and major investments in time, creation, and $$$. I'm not surprised they cost in the thousands. They are customized, hand weathered, movie quality pieces of art (and highly valued by a specific audience).

This makes me believe that these cosplay items were likely NOT part of Liz's neighborhood garage sale. They are niche objects, and would likely fetch better offers when advertised online, in a specialized Star Wars forum or message board.

Not that it matters, really. I think the shooter was more interested in Liz herself than items for sale.

And I completely agree that Liz had no time to actually read or comprehend anything on that paper stuck in her face. It must have been a confusing, terrifying blur.

With this kind of dedication, effort and financial investment I wonder if there was someone who got their ego bruised. In fact, I believe the only suspect her husband mentioned to LE was a member of the Legion. (Her name was mentioned in the original Arrin Stoner video on the sheriff's report, but edited out later.)

Another connection a few of us have mentioned earlier is some connection to her visits to children in hospitals.

Outside of those - former lover or lover wannabe, someone jealous of some aspect of her life?

Of course the common thread: Personal revenge.

I believe it is going to be solved thru a tip and THEN LE makes a connection to the truck and the killer's relationship to Elizabeth.