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

[arielilane]

I re-watched the surveillance tape of the crime again today as I have listened to it and watched it many times. I came up with an opinion about what the killer said to her.

Right after the killer gets out of their truck, Elizabeth Barraza says "Good Morning" in a hi pitched voice. I was only able to make out the first part of what the killer says to Elizabeth Barraza as it appears the killer says three different statements to her.

In my opinion, the first statement the killer says to Elizabeth Barraza as they pull out the gun is, "You were right." I am only able to make out the first statement.

I cannot hear the second and third parts clearly. Loosely speculating about the second part I think what might have been said since it was very short is, "I can" or "I can't", and then finally in the third and last statement it sounds like an expletive is said right before she is shot.

In my opinion, this would suggest to me Elizabeth Barraza had some sort of a previous conversation with this person. But we all have different interpretations about what we hear in the surveillance tape and what we think the killer said to Elizabeth Barraza.

Interesting. I am clueless on what was said. I dont really hear the good morning or morning.

Anyway, changing to another topic, I believe I am in the minority and think Liz knew her killer. moo

What about your thoughts, if you dont mind sharing?

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

The sun rises in Tomball Texas around the same time (around 7:13-7:19 am) from now until the end of January. If anyone lives in the general area maybe they could let us know if they see people standing outside their home around 6:50 am to start a garage sale. I wonder how common it is to start a garage sale that early this time of year? Maybe getting her alone in the dark was part of the plan?

My thoughts only

Ive always been curious about why the early morning garage sale. Iirc, the sale was planned for Fri and Sat. Needing money for the trip wasn't really an issue... I do wonder about that, though.

Also, I could think of several other things to do before a trip than prep for a garage sale [but that's just me].
Mostly what I am curious about is did someone talk LB into having the garage sale? If so, who? moo

Several people, that have commented on this thread concerning the early morning preparation for the garage sale on that day, are in Texas and have said there is nothing unusual about the day and time of the garage sale/early preparation. I've lived in several states and have always seen people setting up garage sales predawn, also have seen people arriving hours early to see the locations and see what's already out. With so many knowing this is common place in Texas and elsewhere, I don't see why anyone would think it odd.
More importantly, her family, husband and in-laws, were all aware, and have discussed in interviews, her habits of being organized, meticulous financial planning, prior garage sales, vacation plannng, Starbucks coffee runs , etc. The people who loved her and knew her best seemed to find this normal/typical for her wanting to have extra money on hand, to spend without debt, on a vacation.
MOO

 

[somequestions]

Interesting. I am clueless on what was said. I dont really hear the good morning or morning.

Anyway, changing to another topic, I believe I am in the minority and think Liz knew her killer. moo

What about your thoughts, if you dont mind sharing?

I think Elizabeth Barraza probably knew her killer. It is more of a question of how well she knew them.

Elizabeth Barraza saying "Good Morning" has been established. You have to listen carefully, but she says Good Morning almost immediately after the killer gets out of the truck. I think even LE verified this point about her saying Good Morning. Everything said after that point is a total mystery that has not been verified. Many people have posted their opinions about what the killer said to Elizabeth Barraza before the murder.

The odd part about this case is how the killer goes about the murder. The murderer has to know the gun shot sounds would wake up the neighbors. They had to know someone might spot their truck's license plate. Whatever happened to that Nissan Frontier Pro-4X is the big mystery. I think LE would look up vehicle registrations for Nissan Frontier Pro-4X vehicles in the area.

Without knowing about Elizabeth Barraza's personal life, it is hard to theorize about who would want to harm her. I think when the killer approached her and pulled out the gun they said, "You were right". What was she right about? What did the killer mean? I cannot tell if it is a male or female voice.

It sounds to me like Elizabeth Barraza had recent conversations with or about this person. This is why I think she probably knew her killer even with the clothing the killer was wearing. There was no time for her to have a discussion. The killer may have been disguised, but I think the killer probably would want the victim to know who they were. They just do not want the victim to survive to identify them. If Elizabeth Barraza had survived the shooting, I think she would have been able to at least tell what the motive was for the murder. I think finding the motive would solve the case.

 

[Charlot123]

I think Elizabeth Barraza probably knew her killer. It is more of a question of how well she knew them.

Elizabeth Barraza saying "Good Morning" has been established. You have to listen carefully, but she says Good Morning almost immediately after the killer gets out of the truck. I think even LE verified this point about her saying Good Morning. Everything said after that point is a total mystery that has not been verified. Many people have posted their opinions about what the killer said to Elizabeth Barraza before the murder.

The odd part about this case is how the killer goes about the murder. The murderer has to know the gun shot sounds would wake up the neighbors. They had to know someone might spot their truck's license plate. Whatever happened to that Nissan Frontier Pro-4X is the big mystery. I think LE would look up vehicle registrations for Nissan Frontier Pro-4X vehicles in the area.

Without knowing about Elizabeth Barraza's personal life, it is hard to theorize about who would want to harm her. I think when the killer approached her and pulled out the gun they said, "You were right". What was she right about? What did the killer mean? I cannot tell if it is a male or female voice.

It sounds to me like Elizabeth Barraza had recent conversations with or about this person. This is why I think she probably knew her killer even with the clothing the killer was wearing. There was no time for her to have a discussion. The killer may have been disguised, but I think the killer probably would want the victim to know who they were. They just do not want the victim to survive to identify them. If Elizabeth Barraza had survived the shooting, I think she would have been able to at least tell what the motive was for the murder. I think finding the motive would solve the case.

I cannot hear much on that tape. It feels as if listening through a seashell. Personally, I am unsure if Liz knew the killer. I think she would have recognized the situation that the killer was alluding to, and that the piece of paper shown to her contained a hint. However, the hint was very personal and would not mean much to her family or the police.

What i am thinking about. Take a random phrase, "en route." The correct pronunciation is French, but i have heard "anglicized" version, too. Even more typical example: there are at least three versions of "Excalibur" on different "how to pronounce" websites. Peculiarities of someone’s speech considered "incorrect" in certain areas (while being common in others) might easily turn into nicknames known to a selected few. JMO - the hint on that paper could be a nickname once used in Liz's close circle. It might imitate someone's speech, but look perfectly OK when written on paper. Hence, it would mean nothing to Liz's family or the police. I think it dates back to older times and a very specific situation, perhaps from Liz's very young adulthood. It is strictly my opinion.

Another question: something appears "odd" about the person on that grainy video, yet initially, Liz does not respond in a shocked way. Meaning, the person looked OK for that day and time? Or do you interpret Liz's body reaction differently?

 

[CrimeTheorist]

Several people, that have commented on this thread concerning the early morning preparation for the garage sale on that day, are in Texas and have said there is nothing unusual about the day and time of the garage sale/early preparation. I've lived in several states and have always seen people setting up garage sales predawn, also have seen people arriving hours early to see the locations and see what's already out. With so many knowing this is common place in Texas and elsewhere, I don't see why anyone would think it odd.
More importantly, her family, husband and in-laws, were all aware, and have discussed in interviews, her habits of being organized, meticulous financial planning, prior garage sales, vacation plannng, Starbucks coffee runs , etc. The people who loved her and knew her best seemed to find this normal/typical for her wanting to have extra money on hand, to spend without debt, on a vacation.
MOO

Ok thanks. I live in a place where having a garage sale in January would be very unusual (too cold) and when people do have them it's at a time of the year where you would have to wake up pretty early to beat the sun coming out. I will say that it's a strange choice for someone who is extremely cautious (like she was described) but maybe it's so common to do there that she didn't see it as being unsafe.

My thought only

 

[Cryptic]

Another question: something appears "odd" about the person on that grainy video, yet initially, Liz does not respond in a shocked way. Meaning, the person looked OK for that day and time? Or do you interpret Liz's body reaction differently?

I have a fuzzy suspicion that they woman (vibes female to me) is dressed in partial costume from a cosplay genre.

Most people would give such an individual a second look, react with surprise etc. . But.... Liz could have been conditioned to seeing people dressed in partial costume from her own cosplay involvement. So, Liz does not startle etc.

As a side note, my college had a small cosplay group for Society for Creative Anachronism. SCA blends Lord of the Rings type fantasy with historical medieval or renaissance with.... what ever the participant can imagine.

It was not unheard of to spot one of the group strolling around campus in "elfin boots", a "traveler's cloak", 3 Musketeers type billowing shirts etc. They were a crafty crew who sewed their own costumes, cast their own silver jewelry, wire wrapped crystals etc.

The intent in wearing the partial costume could be to show it to theater majors, or just doing the "counter cultural thing"- heck fall and travelers cloaks just go together, right?

 

[Charlot123]

I have a fuzzy suspicion that they woman (vibes female to me) is dressed in partial costume from a cosplay genre.

Most people would give such an individual a second look, react with surprise etc. . But.... Liz could have been conditioned to seeing people dressed in partial costume from her own cosplay involvement. So, Liz does not startle etc.

As a side note, my college had a small cosplay group for Society for Creative Anachronism. SCA blends Lord of the Rings type fantasy with historical medieval or renaissance with.... what ever the participant can imagine.

It was not unheard of to spot one of the group strolling around campus in "elfin boots", a "traveler's cloak", 3 Musketeers type billowing shirts etc. They were a crafty crew who sewed their own costumes, cast their own silver jewelry, wire wrapped crystals etc.

The intent in wearing the partial costume could be to show it to theater majors, or just doing the "counter cultural thing"- heck fall and travelers cloaks just go together, right?

Your idea about the costume makes sense. It is just the reenactors' style.

I also feel it is a woman, for a different reason. A woman might often feel more relaxed when facing another woman, especially alone and on a dark street.

This is why I always wondered if the car's odd U-turn and driving back past the house after the murder could be explained by the need to throw out a wig, or some light rain poncho. Any small pond would do. I just checked the garbage pickup days in Tomball, TX. Friday is one of the days, but they have changed the garbage pickup company, according to their site. I don't know what it was in 2019. I also wonder if there could be a donation bin nearby, then to throw out a poncho or a wig would take a second. And without a wig and the upper contraption, the person might look gamin-like, like a high-schooler or a very young college student. If the police stopped the same car, the person would look reassuring to the police.

Another place where one can find bags with stuff around would be a thrift store at a local church. JMO. Liz could visit it as she was into costumes, and lots of people could volunteer there.

P.S. at thrift stores for some local churches or charities, many people merely leave donation bags in, or at the buildings. So, to leave a bag with a wig and some clothes earlier, then to drive by at night to pick it up, stop at Goddard center to bedeck oneself, then to wait and drive after Sergio departs, kill Liz, drive to leave the bags at the same place and then make a U-turn to drive by the house - is it too complex? I think they would need to get rid of identifying objects rather sooner then later. One has to have a naturally "travesti" type for it.

 

[Charlot123]

Does anyone know Liz's address? Is there a donation place or a thrift shore nearby?

 

[Sjöberg]

I think it dates back to older times and a very specific situation, perhaps from Liz's very young adulthood. It is strictly my opinion.

I also feel that one of the reasons we cannot find the motive is that the motive could be too far removed in time for the general public to have information about.
We can only work with the info we have, but we have to be aware that we lack a lot of info. I keep mentioning the Idaho4 murders, where we were going round in circles about the exes and boyfriends and drivers that we knew about, but it ended up being BK and we still don't know how did he find the girls initially.

Another question: something appears "odd" about the person on that grainy video, yet initially, Liz does not respond in a shocked way. Meaning, the person looked OK for that day and time? Or do you interpret Liz's body reaction differently?

I personally cannot see her reaction too well, but she does not appear to have a strong reaction of neither fear nor recognition. She might be sceptical and surprised in a way that is not visible from the footage, though. But I personally think that whoever was approaching her looked enough like an early customer. IMO, she does not appear to think there is a reason outside of the garage sale for that person to be there.

I have my theories about the motive, but at the moment these seem to hinder more than help. So I feel like the main key is the car and its movements. The movements were so odd that they have to be telling. The car is common enough, but there is still a limited number of these cars. Someone has both - an access to that car and a connection to Liz. (Unless is was a totally spontaneous attack (I mean they did turn around after seeing her), but imo the earlier canvassing of the neighbourhood makes that unlikely and it is an odd place to be at or pick for a random murder if you do not have a connection to it.)

Do we have any maps on the threads that detail the car movements and times?

 

[Charlot123]

I also feel that one of the reasons we cannot find the motive is that the motive could be too far removed in time for the general public to have information about.
We can only work with the info we have, but we have to be aware that we lack a lot of info. I keep mentioning the Idaho4 murders, where we were going round in circles about the exes and boyfriends and drivers that we knew about, but it ended up being BK and we still don't know how did he find the girls initially.

I personally cannot see her reaction too well, but she does not appear to have a strong reaction of neither fear nor recognition. She might be sceptical and surprised in a way that is not visible from the footage, though. But I personally think that whoever was approaching her looked enough like an early customer. IMO, she does not appear to think there is a reason outside of the garage sale for that person to be there.

I have my theories about the motive, but at the moment these seem to hinder more than help. So I feel like the main key is the car and its movements. The movements were so odd that they have to be telling. The car is common enough, but there is still a limited number of these cars. Someone has both - an access to that car and a connection to Liz. (Unless is was a totally spontaneous attack (I mean they did turn around after seeing her), but imo the earlier canvassing of the neighbourhood makes that unlikely and it is an odd place to be at or pick for a random murder if you do not have a connection to it.)

Do we have any maps on the threads that detail the car movements and times?

The old YouTube Liz Barraza: Detailed case analysis is good from the car movements and timings. I would not totally agree or disagree with conclusions, though. This, the app he uses and that says that it is a man speaking to Liz has 89% accuracy. Meaning that there is 11% chance that it is a woman. And then, it is just an app.

 

[CrimeTheorist]

Does anyone know Liz's address? Is there a donation place or a thrift shore nearby?

She lived on Cedar Walk Drive Tomball Texas

 

[arielilane]

I think Elizabeth Barraza probably knew her killer. It is more of a question of how well she knew them.

Elizabeth Barraza saying "Good Morning" has been established. You have to listen carefully, but she says Good Morning almost immediately after the killer gets out of the truck. I think even LE verified this point about her saying Good Morning. Everything said after that point is a total mystery that has not been verified. Many people have posted their opinions about what the killer said to Elizabeth Barraza before the murder.

The odd part about this case is how the killer goes about the murder. The murderer has to know the gun shot sounds would wake up the neighbors. They had to know someone might spot their truck's license plate. Whatever happened to that Nissan Frontier Pro-4X is the big mystery. I think LE would look up vehicle registrations for Nissan Frontier Pro-4X vehicles in the area.

Without knowing about Elizabeth Barraza's personal life, it is hard to theorize about who would want to harm her. I think when the killer approached her and pulled out the gun they said, "You were right". What was she right about? What did the killer mean? I cannot tell if it is a male or female voice.

It sounds to me like Elizabeth Barraza had recent conversations with or about this person. This is why I think she probably knew her killer even with the clothing the killer was wearing. There was no time for her to have a discussion. The killer may have been disguised, but I think the killer probably would want the victim to know who they were. They just do not want the victim to survive to identify them. If Elizabeth Barraza had survived the shooting, I think she would have been able to at least tell what the motive was for the murder. I think finding the motive would solve the case.

Yes, I am aware of the good morning confirmation. However, I won't confirm hearing something that Ive not heard myself. Yes, imo, Liz's killer wanted Liz to see them before the execution. Of course, knowing the motive, would solve the case. Appreciate your input as this case doesnt get much attention.

Hoping that 2025 will be the year an arrest is made.

 

[arielilane]

• January 19, 2019 marks 6 years since the brutal cold-blooded execution of Liz Barraza in her own driveway.
• Still waiting for justice for Liz’s loved ones.
• Where is the accountability?
• Someone knows something...
  

Correction:

January 25, 2025, marks six years since the brutal cold-blooded execution of Liz Barraza in her own driveway.

 

[somequestions]

I cannot hear much on that tape. It feels as if listening through a seashell. Personally, I am unsure if Liz knew the killer. I think she would have recognized the situation that the killer was alluding to, and that the piece of paper shown to her contained a hint. However, the hint was very personal and would not mean much to her family or the police.

What i am thinking about. Take a random phrase, "en route." The correct pronunciation is French, but i have heard "anglicized" version, too. Even more typical example: there are at least three versions of "Excalibur" on different "how to pronounce" websites. Peculiarities of someone’s speech considered "incorrect" in certain areas (while being common in others) might easily turn into nicknames known to a selected few. JMO - the hint on that paper could be a nickname once used in Liz's close circle. It might imitate someone's speech, but look perfectly OK when written on paper. Hence, it would mean nothing to Liz's family or the police. I think it dates back to older times and a very specific situation, perhaps from Liz's very young adulthood. It is strictly my opinion.

Another question: something appears "odd" about the person on that grainy video, yet initially, Liz does not respond in a shocked way. Meaning, the person looked OK for that day and time? Or do you interpret Liz's body reaction differently?

The only reaction I can see from Elizabeth Barraza was when this person pulled the gun on her. She seems to take a step back as I am sure most people would.

Whenever you talk about hindsight, especially in a case like this, we have to remember that Elizabeth Barraza or her killer probably did not think they were being recorded. However, the Barraza residence did have that Nest doorbell camera that was recording visual and audio so I can only theorize that since Elizabeth Barraza did not say this person's name, this could mean she did not know her killer. But in the context of the crime it happened so quickly that if the murderer showed Elizabeth Barraza something to identify them or if she had figured out who it was, she was immediately shot afterwards and the only sound that seemed to come from Elizabeth Barraza was a scream when the murderer started shooting at her. She had no time to name anyone.

The audio in this case is very difficult to hear because I thought I read that a radio was also playing outside at the garage sale. The audio plays a lot of tricks and I cannot be sure of anything other than Elizabeth Barraza saying Good Morning. For example, right after Elizabeth Barraza says Good Morning it seems like a vehicle door is closed twice. But then after the murder when the murderer runs back to the truck I cannot even hear a vehicle door close once. We all have to be careful about what we actually hear.

But without any sort of speculation there would be nothing to discuss. I think whatever the motive was, it looks like it was only known to Elizabeth Barraza and the person who murdered her. To commit murder, I think the motive was probably personal in nature, whether something to do with sexual orientation or some other perceived relationship problem or statement that Elizabeth Barraza may not have even been aware of.

I also wonder sometimes if this person not being seen on the Nest doorbell camera was simply luck or intentional in nature. Why not park the truck in front of the Mustang or behind the Mustang? I think maybe that was because that particular spot has a big tree that blocks the next door neighbor's window just beyond the Mustang. According to what I read, this person stopped with the truck running right next to the Mustang. They knew what they were about to do had to be quick. I added the Dateline preview below as it shows the whole crime scene from above. Timing is very important in this case too. I would want to know things like when school buses pick up or when newspaper deliveries are made. The neighbor on the corner with the dogs seemed to have a newspaper either in their yard or the edge of their neighbor's yard from early news footage but then later looking at air surveillance footage it was no longer there. But in terms of actual evidence there is none to suggest whether or not Elizabeth Barraza knew her killer. That is a guess.

 

[somequestions]

Correction to previous post: I wrote murderer may have parked directly next to Mustang at crime scene while committing crime. This is not correct. It looks like the murderer parked the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X truck directly behind the Mustang while committing the crime because the headlights come into view in the street as the truck pulled out from behind the Mustang after the crime.

 

[3mber]

Hello all, first time poster here. It has been reported that the vehicles used in both recent New Year’s Eve/Day attacks, in New Orleans and Las Vegas, were rented from a vehicle-share/rental app. I can’t help but wonder if something like this could have been the source of the phantom Nissan truck used in Liz’s murder. Rented, used, returned; owner completely unaware it was used to carry out a crime. I’m not sure how popular this type of service was in 2019, but I do think it was available. Maybe a stretch, maybe not… Speculation/MOO

 

[Charlot123]

Hello all, first time poster here. It has been reported that the vehicles used in both recent New Year’s Eve/Day attacks, in New Orleans and Las Vegas, were rented from a vehicle-share/rental app. I can’t help but wonder if something like this could have been the source of the phantom Nissan truck used in Liz’s murder. Rented, used, returned; owner completely unaware it was used to carry out a crime. I’m not sure how popular this type of service was in 2019, but I do think it was available. Maybe a stretch, maybe not… Speculation/MOO

Good question. TURO is former Relay Rides. It became big in 2019 but had been around before as well.

 

[Cryptic]

I also wonder if there could be a donation bin nearby, then to throw out a poncho or a wig would take a second.

I am a thrift store "picker", and I used to work off my traffic tickets by "volunteering" at thrift stores.

Now that you mention the possibility... A good number of thrift stores have security cameras recording the bins.

This is to deter theft ranging from reaching into the bin and blindly grabbing- to cutting the bin lock off, or cutting the sides open with power tools. Another concern is dumping where somebody "donates" heavily damaged bedding, furniture etc.- then drives off.

I imagine any footage from 6 years ago is long gone. But, somebody going through left bags in search of an "odds and ends" disguise would have been recorded at a good number of thrift stores.

 

[somequestions]

Hello all, first time poster here. It has been reported that the vehicles used in both recent New Year’s Eve/Day attacks, in New Orleans and Las Vegas, were rented from a vehicle-share/rental app. I can’t help but wonder if something like this could have been the source of the phantom Nissan truck used in Liz’s murder. Rented, used, returned; owner completely unaware it was used to carry out a crime. I’m not sure how popular this type of service was in 2019, but I do think it was available. Maybe a stretch, maybe not… Speculation/MOO

Welcome to Websleuths. The truck was and continues to be a very important clue in the case. However, if it was rented anywhere near Tomball, Texas, I think police would have checked that out. I think you bring up an interesting idea. Getting the list of everyone who rented a Nissan Frontier Pro-4X over the previous 2 weeks might reveal something if one of the names on the list is someone Elizabeth Barraza knows personally or from her work. However, simply renting or owning a Nissan Frontier Pro-4X truck does not prove anything. We still do not even know if the murderer in this case was a man or a woman.

Another interesting detail I saw about the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X truck had to do with the headlights. It seemed like the brights were on when the truck was driving around the neighborhood that morning before the murder. That may suggest someone who needs glasses or has poorer eyesight because they are older.

 

[Charlot123]

I am a thrift store "picker", and I used to work off my traffic tickets by "volunteering" at thrift stores.

Now that you mention the possibility... A good number of thrift stores have security cameras recording the bins.

This is to deter theft ranging from reaching into the bin and blindly grabbing- to cutting the bin lock off, or cutting the sides open with power tools. Another concern is dumping where somebody "donates" heavily damaged bedding, furniture etc.- then drives off.

I imagine any footage from 6 years ago is long gone. But, somebody going through left bags in search of an "odds and ends" disguise would have been recorded at a good number of thrift stores.

I looked up at churches and thrift stores nearby. They all cluster along a major road in Tomball, seems that LB's "block" was a "sleeping" neighborhood.

There are for profit thrift stores, but the ones at churches in my neighborhood operate differently. They probably use "whoever needs it, may take it" principle and there are tons of bins and bags left around. Then of course, there are practically no yard sales where I live either, people have to make "estate sales" for someone to show up, if that.

But perhaps, just collection bins would work? When did the police post a video? Did anyone even pay attention to a wig, for example?

Another possibility- there are surprisingly many lakes around the neighborhood.