TX TX - Elizabeth Barraza, 29, murdered setting up garage sale, Harris Co, Jan 2019 #7

[arielilane]

On the morning of the garage sale, Liz leaves her home from the front door, not from the garage. Liz’s vehicle had already been parked outside in the driveway.

Who parked Liz's car there? Was that done the previous night, or that morning as her and SB are setting up garage sale?


Liz gets in her car, sits there for about a minute and then she drives to Starbucks. Once she returns from Starbucks, she parks her car on the street, walks up to the house, makes a funny face at the Nest camera.

Does this look like someone who is afraid?

She did not appear afraid.

Additionally, Liz’s hair changed styles, leaving for coffee her hair is in a ponytail and returning from coffee run her hair pulled up in a bun.

SB helps her set up the heavier items (table, treadmill?) and then he leaves the house for Lowes.

After the coffee trip, not an hour later Liz is killed.

 

[lonewanderer]

The thing that strikes me about this crime is that the killer seems to have made no serious effort to conceal themselves. They drove by the prior evening knowing (or should have known) they would be captured on camera, then parked in a school parking lot which also would have cameras as a reasonable expectation. They could have been observed any number of times by those cameras and were, or also by people walking their dog, or riding a bike. They took a huge risk that they could be identified later. While I understand many believe they see a costume in the video, why go to that trouble and then drive by and risk being seen the evening before?

A LOT about this case reminds me of Mo Wilson and Kaitlyn Armstrong.

I think Kaitlyn was the same way, not really caring that much that her distinctive jeep was easily spotted zooming around the neighborhood on doorcams and other cameras. Kaitlyn even acted super annoyed when the cops arrested her for theft (she had a warrant out for it) in order to question her about Mos death.

I sometimes wonder if the shooter knew all about how well the CCTV would capture the crime. It’s almost as if it was intentionally looking at it all.

 

[arielilane]

Ive always been curious as to why shooter didn’t take opportunity to shot Liz Barraza at the time that she exited her car after returning from coffee run? Furthermore, my thoughts go to whether it's an important factor in the case that SB not be home at the time his wife LB is killed. If so, why?

In addition, would the shooter know that LB would be alone on her driveway at that exact time? The timing is suspect…
Within minutes of killing LB, the morning activities would start, school buses in motion, walkers, people going to work, etc.

Did the shooter know LB’s parents would not be at the home helping with the garage sale as they had done at previous garage sales? My understanding is she didn't have too many garage sales.

Finally, but there are so many more unanswered questions- how many people are communicating to the shooter and setting up to kill LB on that fateful day?

Just a matter of my thoughts, only.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Ive always been curious as to why shooter didn’t take opportunity to shot Liz Barraza at the time that she exited her car after returning from coffee run? Furthermore, my thoughts go to whether it's an important factor in the case that SB not be home at the time his wife LB is killed. If so, why?

In addition, would the shooter know that LB would be alone on her driveway at that exact time? The timing is suspect…
Within minutes of killing LB, the morning activities would start, school buses in motion, walkers, people going to work, etc.

Did the shooter know LB’s parents would not be at the home helping with the garage sale as they had done at previous garage sales? My understanding is she didn't have too many garage sales.

Finally, but there are so many more unanswered questions- how many people are communicating to the shooter and setting up to kill LB on that fateful day?

Just a matter of my thoughts, only.

It's perplexing because a totally random killing would also seem to line up perfectly in hindsight, the question is if the alignments are accidental or by design? For example, she was a target of opportunity, selected because she was alone at that time. It looks like the killer knew when her husband left but if he had been home the killer night have selected someone else. It looks in hindsight like the killer knew about the garage sale, but they didn't need to, the sale was just the circumstance that made her a target. Which of the alignments absolutely required foreknowledge by the killer?

The trouble I am having is that Liz had a large social circle and that circle has without a doubt tried to identify who owns that truck and they have failed to do so.

 

[CrimeTheorist]

I understand putting the heavier items out early for the garage sale (so SB could carry them out front before work) but why also move the less heavy items out that early? Did SB admit to helping move the lighter items? Or wanting them outside that early? Because if it's just the heavy items out front she probably goes inside until it's not as dark out to start the garage sale. Was the real purpose of putting all the items out early so she would be stuck waiting in the dark for the killer to show up?

My thoughts only.

 

[Charlot123]

A LOT about this case reminds me of Mo Wilson and Kaitlyn Armstrong.

I think Kaitlyn was the same way, not really caring that much that her distinctive jeep was easily spotted zooming around the neighborhood on doorcams and other cameras. Kaitlyn even acted super annoyed when the cops arrested her for theft (she had a warrant out for it) in order to question her about Mos death.

I sometimes wonder if the shooter knew all about how well the CCTV would capture the crime. It’s almost as if it was intentionally looking at it all.

Kaitlyn’s murder was a typical woman’s thing: to remove an obstacle on what she thought was a good future with CS.

If Liz’s murderer or “whoever ordered ” the murder was a woman, then I suspect, JMO, that in the big scheme of events, the same motivation could easily apply.

 

[Charlot123]

Just a consideration. The timing is interesting. What happens during family trips? Maybe it’s the factor of getting relaxed, but young people often get pregnant.

I wonder if it was someone’s fear. The murder could be arranged later, but if a person felt some started feeling hopeful about Sergio, his interest could have easily disappeared if the Barrazas got in the family way, so to say.

Was Sergio aware? JMO - not fully. But he could be pushed into providing some information, or be scared that Liz could change the beneficiary of the insurance if she knew. So there was some involvement, but minimal. This might be what’s holding the police off. Some hint, but not enough evidence.

I definitely find that last moment garage sale curious. Sometimes it might happen spontaneously when both partners’ plans coincide, she had a PTO day to take and he offered to use it for the garage sale since his dad’s check bounced, for example. Or he asked her to sell certain items ASAP.

 

[Charlot123]

I understand putting the heavier items out early for the garage sale (so SB could carry them out front before work) but why also move the less heavy items out that early? Did SB admit to helping move the lighter items? Or wanting them outside that early? Because if it's just the heavy items out front she probably goes inside until it's not as dark out to start the garage sale. Was the real purpose of putting all the items out early so she would be stuck waiting in the dark for the killer to show up?

My thoughts only.

JMO: could the lighter items on sale be “borrowed”? That could explain why the last moment sale and why some light items were in front. It is strange, but some people could kill if they feel “dissed.” Not accusing Liz, as she could have been in the dark, or a friend could have asked them to help sell their stuff, too.

 

[Charlot123]

Question: why does everyone think of a radio or a burner phone? Can social media be enough? A comment on a certain FB or IG or SC? People can enable notifications. Then the moment he moves, he just posts or even "likes" and it is enough.

 

[arielilane]

January 25, 2019: LB is setting up for a garage sale in Tomball, TX

-- Someone drove up, apparently shows Liz something, and then shoots her four (4) times

-- Why?

-- Who benefitted from Liz’s murder?

-- Was someone seeking revenge against Liz? Wanted her to know why she was going to be killed that day?

-- A text message saying I am running late right now because of helping Liz set up for a garage sale, is an innocent text, and not suspicious at all.

As always, my thoughts and opinions

 

[lonewanderer]

Question!

Was Sergio’s work van driving by the ring doorbell when he left?

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

The thing that strikes me about this crime is that the killer seems to have made no serious effort to conceal themselves. They drove by the prior evening knowing (or should have known) they would be captured on camera, then parked in a school parking lot which also would have cameras as a reasonable expectation.

I noticed that too because the shooter parks their car facing a home security diagonally camera across the street from Liz’s home and earlier in the Goddard School parking lot. However,I don’t know though if this was just sheer luck on the perp’s part but unfortunately the parking lot’s security cameras were not working that morning but LE did say they were able to pick up the truck on other security footage.

I also noticed that the car’s windows appeared to be somewhat tinted so that their image was obscured and that they drove with their bright lights on which made it harder to see their license plate numbers on the cameras because of the glare.

I wonder if the reason they did a U-Turn is because they overhead the LE and EMT arriving or if they saw a school bus approaching and were wary of the risk of it possibly having a dashcam that would get a clear visual of their vehicle and/or them driving in it?

why go to that trouble and then drive by and risk being seen the evening before?

Maybe the perp was a stranger or someone who did not know Liz and SB well enough to know where they lived and what their house and neighborhood looked like before the shooter. This does make me wonder if this was a hired or organized hit planned by someone close to them but actually carried out by either a total stranger or someone they vaguely associated or were acquainted with them but were not close to at all.

It looks like the killer knew when her husband left

Yeah it seems like the killer knew SB’s schedule and habits much better than Liz’s considering they didn’t seem aware or attempt to target her before or after her trip Starbucks even though she had scheduled her early coffee run the night before. She even went to sleep early just so that she would wake up with enough time to both head over to the cafe and set up the garage sale that morning.

I can get the appeal of having a garage sale that early since you can have the opportunity get all the house parents or those with days off returning back from their school drop offs or coffee runs. Not to mention those walking their dogs, doing their early morning walks or retirees after they finish breakfast. Also, sunrise was supposed to be around 7:15/7:30 IIRC so she wouldn’t have been in the dark that long.

IMO, maybe she wanted to sell some her stuff, like the Starbuck’s hat because she planned to replace with new souvenirs during her trip to Disney and needed the room. Perhaps it is also possible that since SB’s past two paychecks bounced she wanted the extra money just in case or to feel more financial secure while away? JMO