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

[BaffleMe]

If we are talking about the amount of advance planning that might be involved here that is a possibility. From what I've read in the media it doesn't appear to be necessary as I haven't heard of the plates being seen on video.

I wonder how many tips LE got from Houston area residents on such a truck. I've got to imagine LE went to the dept of motor vehicles and acquired a list of all such trucks in the Houston area and maybe even Texas. There was a case in Illinois where LE had video of the vehicle the murderer was driving but couldn't read the plates. Yingying Zhang's murder. Although, LE got lucky in that there were only 18 such vehicles registered in the county and the video did show a damaged hubcap on the killer's car.
Murder of Yingying Zhang - Wikipedia

I wonder if LE has spoken to the owner of that truck already. And then there is the possibility the owner was not the killer, but someone who had access to the truck that night and the next morning. Since a body wasn't transported there wouldn't be that forensic evidence. But I wonder about blow back of blood onto the killer and then transferred onto areas of the truck.

Well, I'm thinking that IF the killer knew about the doorbell camera, and he/she may have wondered about neighbor's security, perhaps the plate was changed. It was needed if it wasn't caught on video, sure, but thinking before the killing ....

 

[BaffleMe]

If we are talking about the amount of advance planning that might be involved here that is a possibility. From what I've read in the media it doesn't appear to be necessary as I haven't heard of the plates being seen on video.

I wonder how many tips LE got from Houston area residents on such a truck. I've got to imagine LE went to the dept of motor vehicles and acquired a list of all such trucks in the Houston area and maybe even Texas. There was a case in Illinois where LE had video of the vehicle the murderer was driving but couldn't read the plates. Yingying Zhang's murder. Although, LE got lucky in that there were only 18 such vehicles registered in the county and the video did show a damaged hubcap on the killer's car.
Murder of Yingying Zhang - Wikipedia

I wonder if LE has spoken to the owner of that truck already. And then there is the possibility the owner was not the killer, but someone who had access to the truck that night and the next morning. Since a body wasn't transported there wouldn't be that forensic evidence. But I wonder about blow back of blood onto the killer and then transferred onto areas of the truck.

Well, I'm thinking that IF the killer knew about the doorbell camera, and he/she may have wondered about neighbor's security, perhaps the plate was changed. It was needed if it wasn't caught on video, sure, but thinking before the killing ....

Wow! I spoke too soon about truck lists from dept of motor vehicles. The Nissan Frontier - all models - has sales of 50K to 70K per year. With Texas population (29 million) being approx. 8%-9% of USA pop (330 million) that could mean anywhere from 4.8K to 6.5K sold in TX every year.
Nissan Frontier Sales Figures

The Pro-4x became an option in 2009. Of course, with LE adding the attributes of color (black), model (Pro-4x), area (Houston and surrounding counties) and maybe a year range that would narrow it down. But that would still be a massive list to go through. Although, I can't imagine the Pro-4x being that common as it is the most expensive version of the Frontier.

Well, there are a couple of wealthy areas in Houston, right?

 

[Curiousobserver]

In response to your last sentence, this has been my theory all along. Someone had access to the vehicle but knew it wasn’t linked to them. Most likely the owner doesn’t know the vehicle was used. Maybe the killer doesn’t even know the owner of the vehicle maybe he heard about it’s availability through a friend.

I have a friend who owns a truck, he lends it without hesitation to anyone who needs it. His wife is disabled so if someone needs it while he is at work he just leaves the keys in it. I’ve never used his truck or asked to use his truck. But I’m confident I could go and use his truck while he is at work and no one would ever know.

In all honesty it doesn’t even need to be that convoluted. The killer could have taken a vehicle for a test drive overnight. Maybe that’s why they weren’t concerned about it being on camera. They picked it up the night before, dropped it off after the killing.

It could be the killer works in an auto shop and used a customers vehicle.

when you think about it the possibilities are endless.

I think every one is on the right track, the key is the truck and the behavior. They do not think they can be linked to EB.

Ever drive by to see where someone lives only to have them be standing out front and wave at you as you snoop on them? This person drove by the night before with no worries.

Why does someone with no connection to you want to kill you though?

Maybe its an online connection where some words were exchanged and the person sleuthed her username out. We do it here all the time.

 

[BaffleMe]

The more you think about it, without the valid plate # belonging to the murder it would be very hard to link the truck.

LE could check the list of registered owners against any names given to them by her friends and family- but none of them know anybody with a truck like this or they would have spoken up about it already.

Any of her friends, coworkers, or acquaintances that own a truck like this would be known by now.

If you don't have the plate #, you would have to look for the long shot traffic ticket in the area, toll booth, or convenience store visit using a credit card....etc

Oh gosh, well, devil's advocate. IMHO, we don't know that "none of them know anybody with a truck like this ....." What if someone knows of someone with suck a truck but is afraid to come forward." I think I'd be afraid. Just a thought, MOO.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Oh gosh, well, devil's advocate. IMHO, we don't know that "none of them know anybody with a truck like this ....." What if someone knows of someone with suck a truck but is afraid to come forward." I think I'd be afraid. Just a thought, MOO.

If your friend had a vehicle that matched one used in a homicide you’d hesitate to call the police because you’re afraid they’d kill you? I mean they already killed one person, wouldn’t you rather they get arrested than be left to kill other people? What if they killed you anyway? How would they even know you were the one that tipped off police?

 

[Curiousobserver]

Oh gosh, well, devil's advocate. IMHO, we don't know that "none of them know anybody with a truck like this ....." What if someone knows of someone with suck a truck but is afraid to come forward." I think I'd be afraid. Just a thought, MOO.

I'm of the philosophy that if more than 1 person knows about something, eventually it will come out. But of course that is possible.

 

[Cryptic]

I'm of the philosophy that if more than 1 person knows about something, eventually it will come out. But of course that is possible.

I agree.

There is an outlaw biker saying that goes something like: "Three people can keep a secret- if two of them are dead".

Eventually- well, nearly always, somebody talks due to conflict, guilt, a desire to impress, or simply desires attention etc.

 

[Betty P]

I would also like to see the information updated, but this is the flyer made shortly after her murder.

I wonder if someone could make a flyer that included a photo of the killer from the surveillance video? No it wouldn't be of good quality, but anything might help someone recognize the outfit. We should also see about including a photo of the model of truck that the killer drove. I think LE showed a photo of an example.

 

[SuziQ]

I wonder if someone could make a flyer that included a photo of the killer from the surveillance video? No it wouldn't be of good quality, but anything might help someone recognize the outfit. We should also see about including a photo of the model of truck that the killer drove. I think LE showed a photo of an example.

Also make an appeal to owners of this exact truck. To look back on that day to see if it was possible that someone could have used their truck. Does that make sense? I apologize for my pre coffee rambing.

 

[Betty P]

Also make an appeal to owners of this exact truck. To look back on that day to see if it was possible that someone could have used their truck. Does that make sense? I apologize for my pre coffee rambing.

Wouldn't it also be great to have a flyer to share at the conventions that Elizabeth used to attend with her group? It would probably generate quite a few tips, but I'm sure LE won't mind investigating them. I'm sure they want to see the killer caught.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Also make an appeal to owners of this exact truck. To look back on that day to see if it was possible that someone could have used their truck. Does that make sense? I apologize for my pre coffee rambing.

I really think something like that might be needed. Appeal to everyone who owns that exact model or who knows someone who does.

 

[wary]

And if the plates were stolen OR switched out a day or two before and then switched back it is possible someone would not even notice. If LE noted a particular license was on a blue or red truck and this was a black truck, maybe. But if officers are doing mass scans I would imagine they would only a few seconds at most on each and might only focus on plates REPORTED as stolen.

I do wonder if this killer would actually go to that length for this crime, though. Then again, this appeared to involve at least some degree of advance planning.

A tiny quibble about color. Unless there’s a legal requirement to report it to the DMV when you paint your car—is there?—I’d think that comparing car color to licenses would be a nightmare—endless pulling over people who were innocent of any wrongdoing. And even if they are required to report change-of-color in Texas, I’d think that it’d be a minor infraction that LE would ignore.

 

[Sleuther556]

I still can’t make sense of any of it, I mean it must be someone that knew her and was familiar with her to some degree yet seemingly no one has a clue and no one recognised the truck.

 

[JnRyan]

A tiny quibble about color. Unless there’s a legal requirement to report it to the DMV when you paint your car—is there?—I’d think that comparing car color to licenses would be a nightmare—endless pulling over people who were innocent of any wrongdoing. And even if they are required to report change-of-color in Texas, I’d think that it’d be a minor infraction that LE would ignore.

I was referring to the fact that if a truck was seen with a certain license plate and the records show, for example, a blue truck instead of a black and further examination by the LE shows a different model - i.e., switched or unreported stolen plates. IOW, if LE is doing a mass check of plates and the plate doesn't show as a reported stolen plate they keep on going to the next vehicle without comparing the vehicle seen with the records.

 

[Betty P]

I still can’t make sense of any of it, I mean it must be someone that knew her and was familiar with her to some degree yet seemingly no one has a clue and no one recognised the truck.

Speaking for myself, I'm not making those assumptions anymore. I think its possible LE does know some things, but not enough to make an arrest. Recall, they did execute at least one search warrant in January 2020.

Results of warrant could expose who killed woman setting up garage sale

On Sunday, Harris County homicide detective Michael Richie hinted at "something coming down the pike" in the case. He said there is now a warrant in the case, stating, "I feel that the results of that warrant will be critical in the investigation and most likely will expose a suspect and who's responsible for this."

If they didn't find what they wanted (evidence destroyed, perhaps?) they probably still have a suspect. Just not enough evidence. JMO, they couldn't have gotten this far without learning something about the owner of the vehicle.

 

[Curiousobserver]

This person may have a carry permit for the gun they used. Texas does not require you to register guns so long as you don't carry them on your person but they do require a license if you want to carry it with you, concealed or otherwise.

I wonder how many Nissan Pro owners also have a carry permit in the area?

 

[JnRyan]

Speaking for myself, I'm not making those assumptions anymore. I think its possible LE does know some things, but not enough to make an arrest. Recall, they did execute at least one search warrant in January 2020.

Results of warrant could expose who killed woman setting up garage sale



If they didn't find what they wanted (evidence destroyed, perhaps?) they probably still have a suspect. Just not enough evidence. JMO, they couldn't have gotten this far without learning something about the owner of the vehicle.

I had forgotten about that warrant. I wonder if they have a suspect but not enough evidence or it turned out to be a false lead.

 

[Betty P]

I had forgotten about that warrant. I wonder if they have a suspect but not enough evidence or it turned out to be a false lead.

I don't know. They've been vague. I think they know something about the truck and the perp, but need some independent source to help them make the connection, perhaps? Hard to say. It sounds like they know someone connected to the person who killed her, but they needed the search to "expose" who that person is. That could be anything from computer or cell phone records to truck rental records. I don't know. Maybe the SW did expose that person, but need more evidence or witness testimony.

From the link above

"I feel that the results of that warrant will be critical in the investigation and most likely will expose a suspect and who's responsible for this."

 

[JnRyan]

I wonder how many Nissan Pro owners also have a carry permit in the area?

I suppose it depends on how TX has set up their concealed carry permits. VA used to have the vehicle registration linked to the permits - IOW, when LE ran your license plate they could tell if the registered owner had a permit. If TX does the same it shouldn't be hard to make a list. Of course, I believe TX is close to passing constitutional carry or permitless carry. If that occurs it changes things.

 

[dgfred]

Still... a killer is not going to care too much about a permit to carry. IMO