TX - Elizabeth Barraza, 29, murdered setting up garage sale, Harris County, Jan 2019 #2

[Number8]

This problem of the truck sticks with me. Whoever did this had no regard for the truck being seen or identified (seemingly). Obviously it would be easy to check if anyone remotely close to Liz had such a truck registered now or in the past, or anyone at the same address as someone close to her. In what circumstance would you have access to a truck where you would have no care if someone saw it because it could never be traced back to you? My first thought is you stole it but what else? It could be unregistered, could be from a dealer lot with no plates, I could work for a rental company, I might have access to a fleet for property management or construction.

My guess is that it was definitely a rental or stolen, or they took the plates off.

 

[Huggs]

They are completely mystified as anyone else.

Welcome to Websleuths, Huggs!

Haven't read anything about that detail. It sounds like the reservations had been made, they probably used a credit card. The garage sale was to help pay for the trip, most likely to pay bills after the fact.

Her husband said she liked going to Disney World Orlando because she was a big fan of Harry Potter.





18 months later, family of woman killed during garage sale set-up not giving up hope

Another article with quote from Elizabeth's father:



BBM

Tomball woman murdered while setting up for garage sale was raising money for wedding anniversary trip

Not saying its irrelevant at all, but do you think those details are important? Just curious.

What do your friends think happened?

I'm on board with the why there was a garage sale. Curious if the trip was already paid for via any form being that it was only a few days away in a confirmed manner is all. just clarifies a little more. Sounds silly but in the same way a bf or gf breaks up with someone before a big holiday so they don't have to pay?

 

[sl222]

This problem of the truck sticks with me. Whoever did this had no regard for the truck being seen or identified (seemingly). Obviously it would be easy to check if anyone remotely close to Liz had such a truck registered now or in the past, or anyone at the same address as someone close to her. In what circumstance would you have access to a truck where you would have no care if someone saw it because it could never be traced back to you? My first thought is you stole it but what else? It could be unregistered, could be from a dealer lot with no plates, I could work for a rental company, I might have access to a fleet for property management or construction.

I think you're on to something there. Maybe the killer (or one of them) had access to some kind of "auto graveyard" or auto repair / bodywork something related to that. A lot of those places have cars they use for the business (to buy parts or whatever). The killer(s) could have even gone on the property when it wasn't open, got a car they already were familiar with, changed the plates, and returned the car early in the morning before the place was open. (Just one theory of course.)

Like I mentioned earlier, I was looking into things from time to time, sometimes really intensely, and I sent that theory just mentioned and some other information to the email for the sheriff in the Harris County Sheriff Department (HCSO, the ones on the case) in September but I didn't get an acknowledgement that it was received. What I sent to them from my digging was probably information they already know, I hope. I really hope this case is going to be solved soon.

 

[sl222]

They are completely mystified as anyone else.

I'm on board with the why there was a garage sale. Curious if the trip was already paid for via any form being that it was only a few days away in a confirmed manner is all. just clarifies a little more. Sounds silly but in the same way a bf or gf breaks up with someone before a big holiday so they don't have to pay?

Or it could be that the romantically obsessed person really didn't want this trip to happen, BUT I still lean toward a long-term planning.

But both could have been combined. The method could have been planned but not carried out until the killer decided to go through with it. Also, residents are probably are only allowed one garage sale per year in the subdivision and Liz had an annual garage sale. Whoever knew Liz or knew about her must have known a garage sale was going to happen at some point around the same time of year. So they could have been waiting for that day to arrive. JMO.

 

[MntnHiker]

Besides a rental or stolen, I wonder if the killer borrowed the truck from someone else in their life? They could have given some fake reason ("My car is in the shop") or whatever. Now, of course, if I lend my truck to a friend and I see on the news that a truck that looks just like mine was wanted in a homicide, I'd be calling the cops.

BUT, 1) maybe the killer drove in from out of town and the owner of the truck has never seen or heard of this crime. I don't live there and the only reason I've ever heard of this case was that I am interested in true crime and on Websleuths. Or 2) the owner does see it on the news but thinks it's a common enough vehicle and "Of course my friend X would never do something like this!" Because how often do friends/family think their loved one would do something like this? Often times, they do not and they rationalize things. Especially if it WAS out of town.

Just throwing out ideas on another possibility for the truck.

 

[MimosaMornings]

A Nissan truck is not a common truck seen in Houston. Chevy or Ford. White.
A lot of fleet vehicles.
Just my observation. JMO

 

[SharonNeedles]

There could be a hundred ways to not have plates on that truck which unfortunately leaves us with only a relatively common and nondescript vehicle description. I see no reason to assume there was anything more elaborate than that going on.

I also wonder if maybe we're trying to hard to make sense of something doesn't make sense. The possibility exists that the killer didn't know the victim at all, that there was no motive we can figure out. Maybe the coincidental timing was just that. Did Elizabeth just happen to be up and about, outside in the early morning when almost nobody else was? Was that it took to make her a victim?

As time moves on and the usual suspects are ruled out I'm starting to feel that this have just been a thrill kill.

 

[Betty P]

There could be a hundred ways to not have plates on that truck which unfortunately leaves us with only a relatively common and nondescript vehicle description. I see no reason to assume there was anything more elaborate than that going on.

I also wonder if maybe we're trying to hard to make sense of something doesn't make sense. The possibility exists that the killer didn't know the victim at all, that there was no motive we can figure out. Maybe the coincidental timing was just that. Did Elizabeth just happen to be up and about, outside in the early morning when almost nobody else was? Was that it took to make her a victim?

As time moves on and the usual suspects are ruled out I'm starting to feel that this have just been a thrill kill.

Most have ruled out a random attack because LE stated that video showed the killer cruised the neighborhood and cased her house on the night before the garage sale and murder.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

Most have ruled out a random attack because LE stated that video showed the killer cruised the neighborhood and cased her house on the night before the garage sale and murder.

And showed her something. I just don’t get showing someone something before killing them. Unless, whatever you showed them was the reason for killing them. Moo.

 

[Betty P]

And showed her something. I just don’t get showing someone something before killing them. Unless, whatever you showed them was the reason for killing them. Moo.

What if it was a photo of the killer with someone that Elizabeth knew? What if it was a child? Or a receipt or something similar for money owed? It could be anything, really, a lot of possibilities.

 

[SAMS]

What if it was a photo of the killer with someone that Elizabeth knew? What if it was a child? Or a receipt or something similar for money owed? It could be anything, really, a lot of possibilities.

I am not blaming anyone here but I keep thinking she (I believe it to be a woman perp), either showed Liz a pic of her husband (Sergio) in a compromising position with either the perp or someone close to her, or possibly even Liz with the perps significant other. I mean what do we really know? I find the Cosplay lifestyle quite mysterious in itself. MOO IMO

 

[Yesiamapirate]

What if it was a photo of the killer with someone that Elizabeth knew? What if it was a child? Or a receipt or something similar for money owed? It could be anything, really, a lot of possibilities.

Agreed. It really is what tips me in the direction of this not being random. If the perp just wanted her dead it didn’t require a photo, note or whatever it was that was shown. It was significant. IMO it was the last thing the killer wanted EB to think about or see before she died. EB didn’t even have to know this person that killed her. MOO

 

[cluciano63]

Police have had the vehicle info for two years, I am sure they tried every which way to identify it. So far, the decal does not seem to have helped. It is hard to believe this truck can’t be found. Jmo

 

[Betty P]

Police have had the vehicle info for two years, I am sure they tried every which way to identify it. So far, the decal does not seem to have helped. It is hard to believe this truck can’t be found. Jmo

It's possible they have identified it, but can't conclusively link it to the killer. Maybe they have prosecutors who are reluctant to try a circumstantial case, etc. Maybe they're looking for just one more piece of evidence. I'm trying to recall if there was any ballistics evidence? Not likely there was DNA evidence.

 

[wary]

It's possible they have identified it, but can't conclusively link it to the killer. Maybe they have prosecutors who are reluctant to try a circumstantial case, etc. Maybe they're looking for just one more piece of evidence. I'm trying to recall if there was any ballistics evidence? Not likely there was DNA evidence.

How could there not be ballistics evidence?

 

[sl222]

Whatever the killer handed to Liz, the police have it, and the killer knew it would stay at the scene.

 

[Betty P]

How could there not be ballistics evidence?

Well, I can only hope its LE being a stickler over evidence. I'd hate to think that this kind of thing is representative of how LE in the Houston area conduct investigations

Ex-Houston officer accused of assault in bogus fraud claim

 

[sl222]

If the Ring doorbell picked up Liz saying "Good morning" then they hopefully also picked up the conversation she was having as the killer approached her in the driveway. Of course they know what number called her but hopefully they also know what was being said on her end. It looked to me like Elizabeth was in an intense conversation from her gestures. JMO.

 

[cluciano63]

Whatever they have, it has not brought about any arrests...

 

[Curiousobserver]

I think you're on to something there. Maybe the killer (or one of them) had access to some kind of "auto graveyard" or auto repair / bodywork something related to that. A lot of those places have cars they use for the business (to buy parts or whatever). The killer(s) could have even gone on the property when it wasn't open, got a car they already were familiar with, changed the plates, and returned the car early in the morning before the place was open. (Just one theory of course.)

Like I mentioned earlier, I was looking into things from time to time, sometimes really intensely, and I sent that theory just mentioned and some other information to the email for the sheriff in the Harris County Sheriff Department (HCSO, the ones on the case) in September but I didn't get an acknowledgement that it was received. What I sent to them from my digging was probably information they already know, I hope. I really hope this case is going to be solved soon.

The reason I mentioned it was I have a friend who mentioned a few weekends ago how she is an in-home nurse and one of her clients lets her borrow his truck (which he is too old to drive anymore) and he just leaves the keys in the car all the time. That made me think of this case- how do you get a car you don't care if anyone sees.