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

[santacruztodd]

I think if you draw a distinction between "hired killer" and "professional assassin", it starts to seem less outlandish.

E.g. the former could be just any desperate character willing to do unsavory things for money (or other perceived benefits).. they may be nervous or not, angry or not, talkative or not, experienced or not, organized or not, physically fit or not, local or not, drugged or not, known-to-liz or not... It's hard to rule out pretty much anything they might or might not do without knowing who they are.

The latter is maybe a bit easier to profile but a pretty unlikely suspect.. they're the movie villain with ice in their veins and a personal preference drawn from experience on the type of weapon, vehicle, disguise and ammunition they want to use for a given job. I don't think our best guesses place such a person in tomball that day.

Either way, somebody wanted Liz dead very badly. And sadly, we don't know why. Since the act was both brazen and somewhat amateurish, can we argue that the shooter was the one with the beef? Not really. It's no more likely than if a relative close to the victim hired a hitman to pull this off. Without clear motive, we are all grasping at straws.

 

[ilovewings]

Either way, somebody wanted Liz dead very badly. And sadly, we don't know why. Since the act was both brazen and somewhat amateurish, can we argue that the shooter was the one with the beef? Not really. It's no more likely than if a relative close to the victim hired a hitman to pull this off. Without clear motive, we are all grasping at straws.

You are exactly right--we are grasping at straws - I hope the police are more knowledgeable than we are about the circumstances involved in this case. It is so concerning that it has been four years and this horrific case
remains unsolved.

 

[JnRyan]

I think if you draw a distinction between "hired killer" and "professional assassin", it starts to seem less outlandish.

That's a distinction I believe we all need to keep in mind. When some of us think of a person hired for a murder we tend to think "professional assassin", when it is more than likely someone with no previous experience. A wanna-be professional.

I would add a third possibility. Someone with a relationship - sibling, spouse, nephew/niece, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. - to a third party who believes they were wronged by Elizabeth. The "wrong" could be actual or perceived. Such a killer did it as a favor with no money involved. In such a case the wronged party may not even be aware of the favor on their behalf.

Of course it could be a random thrill killing. I believe that is less likely as this appears personal, but LE needs to look there to be sure.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

I would add a third possibility. Someone with a relationship - sibling, spouse, nephew/niece, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. - to a third party who believes they were wronged by Elizabeth. The "wrong" could be actual or perceived. Such a killer did it as a favor with no money involved. In such a case the wronged party may not even be aware of the favor on their behalf.

I think this is totally possible here. There are certain things that the 'favor-giving' killer would need to know that a stranger wouldn't, but they could be in the position to know depending on who they are and what their relationship to the person 'wronged' was... Hard to know what this dynamic might be but there are definitely some guesses that pop out. *Especially* if the killer is actually female - (but my inclination has been and still is that the killer was male.)

 

[arielilane]

No update at this time.

Tubi: CrimeDoor TV
We granted an interview to a new True Crime show called CrimeDoor TV. The episodes appear on Tubi. It is a daily show lasting abouut 25 minutes. Our episode will air in January or February 2023. We will post the airtime here when confirmed.

Here is a link to the CrimeDoor TV Page: CrimeDoor TV

Who Killed Liz Barraza

A website about Liz Nuelle Barraza and the details around her brutal murder on January 25, 2019 at the hands of a coward.

www.whokilledlizbarraza.com

 

[arielilane]

Anyone that is familiar with vehicles can tell it’s a Nissan Frontier ProX4.

Well done. I missed it... can't see the pro 4x4 decal on truck myself. Not sure how you knew it was a Nissan Frontier but probably LE noticed the decal.
Decal magnets are sold online. If you notice anything remarkable on the truck that’s not been previously mentioned you may want to call it in and report to the tip-line. moo.

 

[SnowAngels]

Viewed the unfortunate footage again after not seeing it for awhile. I’m definitely getting athletic female vibes from the perp. Look at the gait when they get out of the truck and walk up the driveway.

 

[ilovewings]

Viewed the unfortunate footage again after not seeing it for awhile. I’m definitely getting athletic female vibes from the perp. Look at the gait when they get out of the truck and walk up the driveway.

That is what I think too! Also watching the gait when this person runs after shooting her, looks more like a feminine gait than a masculine gait. JMO

 

[JnRyan]

I'm not totally convinced one way or another about the gender. The attire is definitely feminine. The one thing that I have against male is that wouldn't Elizabeth's reaction be more obvious when they got close?

There is a similar debate in the Missy Bevers case.

 

[KindMind1ofA]

Look at the gait when they get out of the truck and walk up the driveway.

I do agree, but I'm thinking that's because of the choice in footwear more than the natural gait of the killer. Just a hunch tho!

 

[interestedincases]

I'm not sold on man or woman either. I mentioned this way back earlier in this case, but the main reason I lean towards a man is the one-handed shooting. I'm very familiar with guns and I always shoot two handed...I'm a woman, but it's also how I was taught to control the gun, aim correctly, etc. To me with a smaller hand, I would be worried about controlling it and not hitting my target with only one hand, it flying out of my hand, etc.

This is completely my opinion, I know a lot of things could change this, but all of the times I've been around people shooting guns, I've never seen one-handed, even with all the men I'm around. Something that stood out to me when watching the video that made me lean towards a man. Could also be someone very handy with a gun and one-handed shooting isn't an issue with them.......

 

[PawneeDew]

I'm not sold on man or woman either. I mentioned this way back earlier in this case, but the main reason I lean towards a man is the one-handed shooting. I'm very familiar with guns and I always shoot two handed...I'm a woman, but it's also how I was taught to control the gun, aim correctly, etc. To me with a smaller hand, I would be worried about controlling it and not hitting my target with only one hand, it flying out of my hand, etc.

This is completely my opinion, I know a lot of things could change this, but all of the times I've been around people shooting guns, I've never seen one-handed, even with all the men I'm around. Something that stood out to me when watching the video that made me lean towards a man. Could also be someone very handy with a gun and one-handed shooting isn't an issue with them.......

I put the one-handed shooting as a show of emotion, jmo. I could be totally wrong and I don't even know if that makes sense? Because the shooter was angry and out of control, possibly?
Eta I have little to no experience in shooting guns. However; I definitely do know how anger and jealousy can affect behavior. Lots of experience with that.

 

[PawneeDew]

I'm not totally convinced one way or another about the gender. The attire is definitely feminine. The one thing that I have against male is that wouldn't Elizabeth's reaction be more obvious when they got close?

There is a similar debate in the Missy Bevers case.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting tunnel vision on the male/female debate....Thank you for sharing the part about the suspect getting out of the truck. I go off of first impressions a lot, tho.. (first impression being female, also) I'll have to watch it, again. Uggghh. The shooting video is horrifying.

 

[Ajs1004]

I’ve thought female from the start. Their chest area for one. Would a man make that elaborate of a costume to include what looks like an ample chest area? Seems unlikely to me.

 

[SnowAngels]

I’ve thought female from the start. Their chest area for one. Would a man make that elaborate of a costume to include what looks like an ample chest area? Seems unlikely to me.

You can also tell just by the way they are holding the gun and their posture initially getting out of the truck and walking up the driveway. Something about the way the head, shoulders, and posture are held.

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

Maybe the perp had something on his/her left hand and that’s why he shot one-handed.

 

[PawneeDew]

Maybe the perp had something on his/her left hand and that’s why he shot one-handed.

That's interesting... I've always thought whatever was in their left hand wasn't really that important..I thought maybe it was to distract Liz's attention..but, whatever it was must have been something important, otherwise, why not just drop whatever it was?
Either very confident in their shooting skill or out of control...
Maybe it wasn't just for distraction...What could it have been??

 

[santacruztodd]

That is what I think too! Also watching the gait when this person runs after shooting her, looks more like a feminine gait than a masculine gait. JMO

I played a lot of soccer in my youth and some games were co-ed, so I hear you-the female gait can have a thigh-related lumbering affect.

 

[santacruztodd]

I'll say one thing about the female shooter theory-it would explain a lot of things if one chooses to go down that rabbit hole. It would explain why no connection to immediate family has been made. It would also explain why this was a rage-filled killing by a very calculating amateur. It would explain the lack of a financial motive. It would negate the "hired assassin" theory. It would better-lead to a motive. It seems as though the killer planned this extensively and to the last detail. The shooting itself was rehearsed, but shows elements of awkwardness. There was a LOT of emotion present-not something you would find in a more professional hit.

As some here have said, it is possible that Liz was unaware of this person's disdain for her. Is this likely? Not so sure. Unless the killer is completely unhinged, something significant motivated this killing. Liz may have had little reason to expect this reaction from the killer, but some action on Liz' part may have started this wheel in motion. This means that both parties were most-likely aware of the grievance. If this is not the case, it makes it that much harder to establish motive and apprehend the perp. If we assume a female shooter we still have many questions: was it work-related? 501st-related? Romantically motivated? We just don't know. But it does clear the way to pursue with more vigor those specific possibilities.

One last thought regarding the truck: Although many women drive trucks now, I know of quite a few that will on occasion borrow their boyfriend's/husband's trucks or switch vehicles depending on circumstances. I've done this myself many times. Perhaps a boyfriend or husband is unknowingly a party to this event.

 

[UnderWhelmed405]

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