TX TX - Rickey Herriage, 29, Athens, 8 March 1987

[OkieGranny]

http://www.athensreview.com/news/lo...cle_e4ab05c4-e99c-11e6-9ee0-c7d3b6f8f6c5.html

Thirty years ago on March 8, 1987, the body of Rickey Gene Herriage, 29, of Athens, was found in a remote area of Henderson County between Athens and Malakoff...

According to an Athens Daily Review article published the day after Herriage's body was discovered, he was found near a bridge on County Road 1500 in the vicinity of Old Malakoff Road.

The original story stated there was no evidence at the scene to indicate a struggle, leaving law enforcement and Culpepper to believe the murder took place somewhere else.

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold-case-spotlight/cold-case-spotlight-ricky-herriage-n319091

"My brother had challenges in his life, but no one deserves what happened to him. No one," Virginia Culpepper told Dateline.

Culpepper's older brother, Ricky Herriage, was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds... in rural Henderson County, Texas. Officials believe he was shot and killed and his body was thrown off a bridge in the early hours of March 8th, 1987...

Officials have never named a person of interest or any suspects in the case and all their leads have been exhausted.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Reward increased for information in 1987 unsolved Henderson County homicide

Athens Cold Case: How the 32-year-old case of Rickey Herriage may get its first break

After 31 years, still no answer’s in man’s murder

 

[dotr]

The Suspect in a 1987 East Texas Homicide is Now Identified

Henderson County Sheriff's Office Teams with Othram to Identify the Suspect in a 1987 Homicide

dnasolves.com

''In March 1987, Ricky Herriage’s body was found beneath a bridge on County Road 1500 southeast of Dallas, Texas in rural Henderson County. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office responded and began collecting evidence and investigating. Deputies collected and stored Herriage's clothing from the scene along with other evidence. Despite an extensive investigation, the person responsible for killing Herriage could not be identified and the case went cold.

In 2019, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse re-opened the investigation into Ricky Herriage’s murder, which led to evidence being re-examined. Using clothing that was collected at the scene, a traditional STR DNA profile was developed and entered into CODIS, but there was no match to a known individual.

In 2022, the Henderson County Sheriff's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the suspect. Othram scientists successfully developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the suspect using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team then worked to produce new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to the positive identification of the suspect, who is now known to be Dallas Reynolds Casanova, who died in New Orleans in 2008. He lived in Henderson County at the time of Ricky Herriage’s murder.''

 

[dotr]

Henderson County Sheriff announces breakthrough in cold case murder spanning decades

After more than 30 years, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office says modern DNA testing has solved the 1987 murder of Rickey Herriage, identifying a suspect who died in 2008.

www.kltv.com

Nov. 7, 2025

''The Sheriff’s Office said the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, FBI, Season of Justice, Othram Inc., and Pure Gold Forensics all had a hand in bringing the nearly 40-year investigation to a close.

“This case would not have been solved without the relentless dedication and collaboration of everyone involved,” Hillhouse said in a statement. “We are thankful for the support we received from our partners and proud of the determination shown by our team. I’m extremely proud that this new evidence can provide some answers to the family.”

 

[Wilma_W]

Here is another local news program about this case:

It is an interview with someone from Season of Justice (Othram is mentioned several times!).

 

[othram]

Here is another local news program about this case:

It is an interview with someone from Season of Justice (Othram is mentioned several times!).

The only bottleneck at Othram is funding. We are grateful to Season of Justice and others that help fund these cases! They do not deserve to remain unsolved.