TX TX - Elizabeth Barraza, 29, murdered setting up garage sale, Harris Co, Jan 2019 #6

[BlaiseFinlay]

I am probably way off but have always wondered if the killer (after committing the homicide) never left the neighborhood, and pulled into a garage... however, LE pulling over a black truck that morning right after the homicide (around 7:11 am ) is concerning, and such a mystery. So perhaps the truck did drive up through the Greenbelt area cul-de-sac? jmo

This continues to trouble me too. I know they’ve said they ruled them out and they had a good reason for being in the area (though does that really preclude the possibility they committed murder on their way to their destination?). Have they released the exact time and location where the car was pulled under? I wonder how well it would match up to the time the crime was committed (like mapping to the distance in between and see how long it would take to get there on a Friday morning. If it ties it within a few minutes, I would be more suspicious.

I wonder if dash cam footage is available for that stop through a FOIA request…. It’s arguably not part of an active investigation, since they’ve said there is no connection. I would say the people pulled over are entitled to their privacy, but I’m not actually sure if they have that right in this situation.

I’m generally inclined to believe LE, but with the timing and the fact it’s not the most common car on the road, I can't help but think how embarrassing it would be for the police to have caught them, then let them go, particularly if they then fled or destroyed evidence. I also know information in the immediate aftermath can be constantly changing so I don't envy the position the cops were in who pulled over that car, but some degree of self-preservation is natural and I wonder if they had blinders on after letting the car go for that reason.

 

[BlaiseFinlay]

The truck was seen on various cameras off Kukendahl road after the murder before they lost track.

I read something that called this into question, but it wasn't in a source I can cite. I will note, though, that the parent' timeline doesn't say what direction the truck was heading when they lost coverage, nor the time.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

Or, what if other party had concluded that Liz had promised them the labor and love intensive gear that she was now selling?

It's possible, but from my modest experience with garage sales and cosplay, I tend to think it's unlikely that someone would sell high-end gear at a garage sale unless it was specifically advertised to those communities.. (or unless they were getting rid of it out of spite...) There are just way better channels to get a return on that type of specialized gear - either direct sale to someone in their group, or online... At a garage sale she'd be getting pennies on the dollar.

From the videos, the storm trooper helmet looked to me like it could just be a 'black series' type that you can buy from a Walmart or Target... Obviously hard to say for sure though.

 

[arielilane]

I think the police have a really good idea of who did this to Liz.

I think they may be trying to avoid a Kaityln Armstrong situation (look into it if you haven't, almost exact same core details, in Texas).

When Kaitlyn was arrested for a petty theft she had a warrant for, they had to let her go because the birthdate wasn't correct. She used that opportunity to take a ton of short, confusing flights, get plastic surgery, then was caught in a small town with her sister.

I followed the KA case/trial. The shooting/killing of MW did not happen at MW's residence, it happened at MW's friend's apartment.

Back on topic: It will be interesting to see who was stalking Elizabeth Barraza... I believe someone raging was stalking Liz, moo. Can't wait for justice for Liz!

 

[Curiousobserver]

I doubt the murder had anything to do with what was for sale at the garage sale, bolstered by the observation, plainly in the video, that the perp took nothing and examined nothing.

I agree with the comment above that it is unlikely any high end collectable costumes, props, or memorabilia were for sale; there are much better outlets for those.

Robbery was not a motive here.

The killer, without much regard for being seen on multiple cameras over multiple days, quickly murdered Liz and did little to nothing else.

Having watched this video dozens and dozens of times, this is slim build female or teenage boy who was wearing boots and a long jacket.

I am utterly shocked that nobody in Liz's extended circle recognizes this person or that truck.

 

[arielilane]

When re-looking at the timeline of her name searches on google, I wonder if something noteworthy happened in Liz's life in the first week of August 2018, half a year before her murder. While the main increase is in December and January (and I think that one lines up quite well and might be connected to the crime), there is also that first "higher" period that starts on the week of 5-11th of August. If she posted anything public or attended any noteworthy events or was in any other way "(re-/)discoverable" in early August, I'd be interested to see where these dots could connect to.

Of course, there are also other people with the same name and the searches might be related to someone else.

I also still wonder if the killer was a male or a female. When I only look at the images, I lean heavily towards a woman. When I listen to the audio, I lean towards a male. I don't think Liz appears to recognize this person initially. She might, later, though. The killing feels personal to me, I think the shooter was the person that wanted her dead. So someone Liz would not expect in the context of an early morning garage sale in Tomball, stepping out of a black truck?

MOO

I don't utilize google search engine, however, I've been aware of the google searches from another source, and so glad you brought this important topic up. Perhaps the person could not let (whatever they were raging about) their rage go, and started to search around that time. I believe the person issue with Liz possibly prior to 2018, because of the previous incidents ... break-in, employment incident. idk, speculation, only!

 

[SnowAngels]

This continues to trouble me too. I know they’ve said they ruled them out and they had a good reason for being in the area (though does that really preclude the possibility they committed murder on their way to their destination?). Have they released the exact time and location where the car was pulled under? I wonder how well it would match up to the time the crime was committed (like mapping to the distance in between and see how long it would take to get there on a Friday morning. If it ties it within a few minutes, I would be more suspicious.

I wonder if dash cam footage is available for that stop through a FOIA request…. It’s arguably not part of an active investigation, since they’ve said there is no connection. I would say the people pulled over are entitled to their privacy, but I’m not actually sure if they have that right in this situation.

I’m generally inclined to believe LE, but with the timing and the fact it’s not the most common car on the road, I can't help but think how embarrassing it would be for the police to have caught them, then let them go, particularly if they then fled or destroyed evidence. I also know information in the immediate aftermath can be constantly changing so I don't envy the position the cops were in who pulled over that car, but some degree of self-preservation is natural and I wonder if they had blinders on after letting the car go for that reason.

I really wish I could find the source, my recollection the truck was pulled over around 7 am in the vincinity of Liz’s neighborhood. The truck in the crime was last seen driving by Liz’s house at 6:55 am. This was after they had driven off after the shooting (which I believe was 6:54 am?)

 

[x_files]

When re-looking at the timeline of her name searches on google, I wonder if something noteworthy happened in Liz's life in the first week of August 2018, half a year before her murder. While the main increase is in December and January (and I think that one lines up quite well and might be connected to the crime), there is also that first "higher" period that starts on the week of 5-11th of August. If she posted anything public or attended any noteworthy events or was in any other way "(re-/)discoverable" in early August, I'd be interested to see where these dots could connect to.

Of course, there are also other people with the same name and the searches might be related to someone else.

I also still wonder if the killer was a male or a female. When I only look at the images, I lean heavily towards a woman. When I listen to the audio, I lean towards a male. I don't think Liz appears to recognize this person initially. She might, later, though. The killing feels personal to me, I think the shooter was the person that wanted her dead. So someone Liz would not expect in the context of an early morning garage sale in Tomball, stepping out of a black truck?

MOO

Yes, at first glance the long hair go-go boots or flat boots appear as female, but it could be a thin male dressed in costume.
Strangely enough, I cannot hear any voice from the video footage. Is there a cleaner, clearer audio out there?

 

[arielilane]

Yes, at first glance the long hair go-go boots or flat boots appear as female, but it could be a thin male dressed in costume.
Strangely enough, I cannot hear any voice from the video footage. Is there a cleaner, clearer audio out there?

I don't hear much of anything, not even Liz's "good morning." At times it seems at times that I hear "kill you." moo

I am unaware of a cleaner audio, and would be mindful of one due to any adjustments made to original footage. opinion, only.

 

[arielilane]

Arrin Stoner's video (as linked on page one of this thread) titled Liz Barraza Case: Detailed Analysis notates the Nissan truck being pulled over ... begin @1:00:05 to 1:02:35 (approx. times).

 

[arielilane]

Garage sale signs were placed the night before the day of the garage sale.

• 01/24/2019 = Thursday
• Evening Liz and Sergio discuss the Garage Sale setup - Friday 01/25 and Saturday 01/26.
• Evening Sergio and Liz place garage sale signs in the neighborhood announcing the garage sale running from Friday 1/25 through
  Saturday 01/26.

Timeline

 

[lonewanderer]

Yes, at first glance the long hair go-go boots or flat boots appear as female, but it could be a thin male dressed in costume.
Strangely enough, I cannot hear any voice from the video footage. Is there a cleaner, clearer audio out there?

The boots are a problem for me.

I cannot imagine a male searching for boots like that in their size in order to carry this out.

I also cannot imagine many men squeezing into a pair much smaller than their size to carry this out.

I have touched on this in other cases like Missy Bevers, but look into the astronaut Lisa Nowak and the dressed up clown killer, both females with exaggerated disguises. I simply don’t think most men are this clever and would probably just wear a hat, sunglasses, maybe mask and bandana and would run up, shoot, run off, not calmly and ice cold like the shooter does.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

I've been firmly of the opinion that the shooter was a man, but this statement has given me pause

I cannot imagine a male searching for boots like that in their size in order to carry this out.

Good point. Could be a man with small feet - but I have to agree the boots seem above and beyond what a typical guy would think to grab as part of a disguise.

 

[Sjöberg]

The logistics really are odd. I do not understand what were they scouting the night before - if "scouting" was the aim of that very late night quick drive by. Maybe it was something else.

Been thinking about it and IMO the only things this quick drive by in the dark could have been checking is either a) are the lights on or b) is a car there. Option a) gives us the thought that maybe, had the lights been off (if they were actually on), the person would have tried entering the house? Or, alternatively (if they were actually off), had the lights been on, the person might have tried to attack E with luring her to the door or shooting her through the window (could apply, if S is a morning person and E a night owl, though considering the start time of the garage sale, I don't think she is a night owl, lol). So it feels like option B is more likely - but this is assuming they did not park in the garage. Why could they have been checking the cars? From least to most likely, imo:

• Checking, that they are at home and have not left home earlier in connection to the vacation
• Checking, that Liz specifically is at home that night
• Confirming, that they still have the same cars in order to correctly detect S and/or Liz leaving in the morning
• Confirming, that they have the right house number for Liz (via her/S's car being parked there)

Alternatively, they could have driven by the house due to a reason other than checking her house (dry drive of the route? why?) or other than checking anything per say (going somewhere near by to spend the night or even to meet someone?).

MOO

 

[Sjöberg]

There are also the 2 odd stops before arriving at the murder place: one at the school and one "on a different street". What is the killer doing during these stops? Why are they not thinking that a school might have cameras? What is this second location (and why is it worded so vaguely)?

I think they were either

• Waiting for L to leave (possibly shoot her as she drives by or exits her car)
• Waiting for S to leave (to get L on her own at home)
• Preparing for the attack (this means that they could not do so at home: either living with someone that was unaware of the attack or living so far away that they spent their night in the car)
• and/or checking the situation in some way (having access to a camera, an account, anything)

Could the "concealing on a different street" and the place where they go during the 2AM drive be the same place? This would mean that the killer has a connection to someone else in the neighbourhood. I don't think it's likely, but it's a new angle for me. AFAIK, L & S don't have any real contacts in the neighbourhood. But maybe the killer does? Or could the killer have bought a property in the neighbourhood specifically because Liz moved there? Sounds crazy, but so is the crime. Seems super far-fetched, but still, I'd go over any names who bought a house "on a different street" after Liz did, just to rule it out - if I had the data, it is.

MOO

 

[Curiousobserver]

Scouting the night before is preparation and planning for an event. Planning is something you do to ensure you get the outcome you want. The outcome they wanted was clearly in this scenario, Liz dead and Sergio alive. If they just wanted to kill, they could easily enter the house or knock on the door the night before and shoot everyone. They arrived at the right time, on the right day, in the right place exactly so Liz would be alone in the front yard and an easy target for a short range hand gun. For this to be true the person must be connected yet nobody recognizes the truck or the person nor can make any linkage.

Not completely discounting that this could still be a completely random, opportunistic killing where everything only looks planned and coordinated because it could only work one way...

 

[Sjöberg]

Scouting the night before is preparation and planning for an event.

But were they really scouting, as they just drove by really fast in the dark? What could they even scout like that?
And what would need scouting, that they could not get from Google Maps Street View or similar?
(my thoughts on the matter are above, I don't have an answer)

 

[Curiousobserver]

But were they really scouting, as they just drove by really fast in the dark? What could they even scout like that?
And what would need scouting, that they could not get from Google Maps Street View or similar?
(my thoughts on the matter are above, I don't have an answer)

Agree completely, we have no idea what they were doing for sure.

 

[glassheater]

This would mean that the killer has a connection to someone else in the neighbourhood.

If Sergio wasn't involved...and I'm not fully convinced he was involved, this is very plausible to me. Since signs were posted, they would know. They would also know when SB left that day and that LB was alone. But what is lacking is a motive for me as to why someone in the neighborhood would want this outcome.

 

[Sjöberg]

If Sergio wasn't involved...and I'm not fully convinced he was involved, this is very plausible to me. Since signs were posted, they would know. They would also know when SB left that day and that LB was alone. But what is lacking is a motive for me as to why someone in the neighborhood would want this outcome.

I personally don't think it's likely that S is involved (cannot be ruled out as we obviously do not know all the info, but no indications of that in neither his history nor in the crime itself).
The only way I could actually convince myself of someone in the neighbourhood is involved is if I take a stalker-angle. Meaning the culprit either started stalking Liz as he first saw her randomly due to living nearby or the stalker got a connection to the neighbourhood specifically on purpose, because Liz lived there. Be it buying a property, renting a property or going out a limb, even befriending someone for that very purpose.
MOO