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

[ludakristen]

My gut tells me that this person was not known by Elizabeth, her husband, or anyone else in her close circle. I agree that if this person was known to them, they'd have been caught by now. (I guess it's possible the police know who it is but don't have the evidence, but let's assume that's not the case).

But it does feel personal, I agree. So when does something feel personal even if the killer isn't known? In stalking situations, or in situations where the perp has become fixated on the victim but the victim doesn't know the perp. For example, Jayme Closs comes to mind - both parents killed in a way that it felt SO personal, and everyone assumed it was personal, until we learn it was just some random dude who saw Jayme in passing and became obsessed with her.

My gut is leaning in that direction. The shooter knew Elizabeth and/or her husband, was fixated on her and/or her husband, but Elizabeth didn't know the shooter.

 

[NervousNellie]

I share the opinion expressed in many recent posts (suggesting the motive is personal, yet the shooter is unknown to Elizabeth and/or her family). I think this is why it is so difficult to solve the crime.

ETA: I'm stating the obvious, I know. Guess I'm feeling it more than usual it today.

 

[stmarysmead]

My mind keeps going back to the large Cosplay organization that they were so active in. Were they leaders in the group...popular and part of an “in-crowd?” Was someone quietly seething...feeling demeaned or slighted?

How does someone become part of that group? Is everyone welcome or are some people rejected because of their costume requirements? Does anyone know?

Someone posted that the words of the killer sounded something like “I knew it was you.” Could the note have been a rejection letter from the group? Or do they take everyone?

 

[ludakristen]

My mind keeps going back to the large Cosplay organization that they were so active in. Were they leaders in the group...popular and part of an “in-crowd?” Was someone quietly seething...feeling demeaned or slighted?

How does someone become part of that group? Is everyone welcome or are some people rejected because of their costume requirements? Does anyone know?

Someone posted that the words of the killer sounded something like “I knew it was you.” Could the note have been a rejection letter from the group? Or do they take everyone?

Eh, if ANY sort of public conflict happened in that group, police would've been all over that. IMO, the cosplay stuff is a red herring.

 

[stmarysmead]

Eh, if ANY sort of public conflict happened in that group, police would've been all over that. IMO, the cosplay stuff is a red herring.

How many times, after an arrest, have we heard neighbors exclaim...”But he was so quiet and friendly.”

And it doesn’t have to be public...not at all.

Not everyone broadcasts their anger...sometimes the most dangerous people are those who bottled up their rage. The point is...something that seems minor to most people...maybe a joke at their expense...a criticism of their attendance, outfit, anything...can be a slight that festers and grows.

Sometimes it just the person you are...Liz is described as so well liked, so personable, with a happy stable marriage and a nice home. To someone who feels left out...admiration on its flip side can be intense jealousy.

I keep looking at the wig, the flowing bathrobe with boots....a stranger would not need a disguise. But if this was a fellow cosplay member...that weird outfit might have served the purpose of seeming harmless to Liz, putting her at ease... while, if I saw someone who looked that strange approaching me....I’d have headed inside and locked the door.

Just my opinions, as always..

 

[Cryptic]

I think the firearm use is really interesting: no two handed grip. not even after the first shot. comes back on target even after recoil. So no training, but accustomed to the recoil and finding a target. learned how to shoot a gun from the movies and is comfortable with it?

I think you have a good summary of the shooting and have also presented a possible source of the shooter's abilities.

I think the movie possibility needs to be expanded. Though one can be inspired by the movies, the inspiration needs to be put to practice. Range time and ammunition are expensive. Likewise, the act of going to ranges involves a time commitment. These aspects could raise two possibilities:

A. The shooter is from a rural background and had sufficient private property where "range time" was convenient and free.

B. The shooter is an afficionado with sufficient interest to spend the time and the money at ranges though never having received formal training.

I would also add the possibility of natural athleticism to the shooters possible characteristics. Accurate one handed shooting under stress is very hard- which is why it is so discouraged by instructors.

Not wanting to read to much into it, but also realizing that all ready leads have apparently been exhausted.....

The shooter, when approaching the victim, has feminine vibes to me in gait. When running away, however, the possible "she" seems to assume the more efficient male running stride (natural feminine stride is arms low, and crossing over the hips).

To me this indicates possible formal sports participation as a youth and could also illustrate natural athleticism. Combine sports with the apparent pistol familiarity and perhaps one arrives at an increased chance of "Daddy got a girl- who was then steered towards tom boyhood" type background?

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Or it could be a neighbor not wanting a garage sale.

 

[moslym3]

A. The shooter is from a rural background and had sufficient private property where "range time" was convenient and free.

B. The shooter is an afficionado with sufficient interest to spend the time and the money at ranges though never having received formal training.
...

The shooter, when approaching the victim, has feminine vibes to me in gait. When running away, however, the possible "she" seems to assume the more efficient male running stride (natural feminine stride is arms low, and crossing over the hips).

To me this indicates possible formal sports participation as a youth and could also illustrate natural athleticism. Combine sports with the apparent pistol familiarity and perhaps one arrives at an increased chance of "Daddy got a girl- who was then steered towards tom boyhood" type background?

Selectively clipped by me -- I really like the idea of a potential rural background allowing for firearm familiarity. Do you think their firearm handling rules out that they had stolen the gun or received it for the crime? or is it smooth enough to to assume that they have worked with that particular firearm before?
And your comment about athleticism also strikes me - I also thought the approach looked feminine. But the way the suspect ran away reminded me of how girls on the basketball team and soccer team ran rather than girls "jogging".

 

[Cryptic]

My mind keeps going back to the large Cosplay organization that they were so active in.

Was someone quietly seething...feeling demeaned or slighted?

Though I have no direct knowledge of the group, cosplay by its nature, can serve as an escape from reality. This aspect could attract some people pre-disposed to dive in deeply.

One forum member who knows the cosplay sub culture related that a noticeable minority (but still only a minority) of participants dive in deeply. "Diving in deeply" does not mean blurring reality and cosplay.

Rather, it just means deriving friends, self esteem, social status from the cosplay world. The form member also related that some participants can view cos play as the source of their chosen family.

So to somewhat answer your question (finally).....

The aspects above increase the odds that at nearly all times, somebody in the group would be upset at someone about about something.

How does someone become part of that group? Is everyone welcome or are some people rejected because of their costume requirements? Does anyone know?

As a history buff, I used to have contact with a variety of living history groups from Elizabethan to mountain man, to civil war. Groups could range from very strict to relaxed regarding accuracy uniforms and equipment. But.... they also valued participation.

Even the strict groups seemed to be willing to work with interested people to get uniforms up to standards via suggestions, loaning extra outfits and pieces of equipment.

Thus, I don't think somebody would be unhinged over "costumes not good enough" notices since such a notice could well be accompanied by advice and help.

The group in question is serious. So the $49.99 "Dark Forces Chick" costume from the Halloween store mixed with say, black fishnets and neon nails that would be perfectly fine with me for going out to have fun, would not pass muster with the group.

Though my guess is that group members are willing to help costume wise, there will still be an expense. This expense then increases the emotional "buy in" for somebody on a limited income. This, in turn, can increase a bad reaction if cosplay stops to work out for someone in deep.




.

 

[Justiceforelizabeth]

I find it funny that people are still entertaining the idea that the shooter might be female. No matter if you can make out the words or not, the voice on the recently released video is very clearly male.

 

[Cryptic]

Selectively clipped by me -- I really like the idea of a potential rural background allowing for firearm familiarity. Do you think their firearm handling rules out that they had stolen the gun or received it for the crime? or is it smooth enough to to assume that they have worked with that particular firearm before?

And your comment about athleticism also strikes me - I also thought the approach looked feminine. But the way the suspect ran away reminded me of how girls on the basketball team and soccer team ran rather than girls "jogging".

With a rural or urban "Daddy's tom girl" possibility, I would think they favor the possibility of the pistol being owned by the shooter rather than stolen.

Ownership of the pistol could have come from a gift, an earlier "becoming a n adult" type purchase (perhaps encouraged the Daddy who got a girl). Likewise, the pistol could be accessible for borrowing at say Daddy's house.

I also think the Daddy's tom girl possibility is increased by the fact that anybody who had a dispute with victim and an overt interest in fire arms such as a carry permit, recent purchases, known to go to ranges or known to engage in self defense type talk would have been scrutinized.

But..... "Trish" whose father guided her into hunting, target shooting, and sports could be a "sleeper". For example, 'Trish mixed a guided pistol shooting in the back pasture with natural athleticism as a teenager.

Today, 'Trish has no real interest in guns. Thus, no purchases, no concealed carry permit, and no self defense talk. But...."Trish still has genuine skill with a pistol and has access to one. Likewise, as you stated- 'Trish runs. She does not jog.

And your comment about athleticism also strikes me - I also thought the approach looked feminine. But the way the suspect ran away reminded me of how girls on the basketball team and soccer team ran rather than girls "jogging".

Thank you for support on the possibility of an athletic female. My daughters plays a variety of sports. Though their walk is feminine, they as you stated, run, not jog.

 

[moslym3]

With a rural or urban "Daddy's tom girl" possibility, I would think they favor the possibility of the pistol being owned by the shooter rather than stolen.

Ownership of the pistol could have come from a gift, an earlier "becoming a n adult" type purchase (perhaps encouraged the Daddy who got a girl). Likewise, the pistol could be accessible for borrowing at say Daddy's house.

I also think the Daddy's tom girl possibility is increased by the fact that anybody who had a dispute with victim and an overt interest in fire arms such as a carry permit, recent purchases, known to go to ranges or known to engage in self defense type talk would have been scrutinized.

But..... "Trish" whose father guided her into hunting, target shooting, and sports could be a "sleeper". For example, 'Trish mixed a guided pistol shooting in the back pasture with natural athleticism as a teenager.

Today, 'Trish has no real interest in guns. Thus, no purchases, no concealed carry permit, and no self defense talk. But...."Trish still has genuine skill with a pistol and has access to one. Likewise, as you stated- 'Trish runs. She does not jog.



Thank you for support on the possibility of an athletic female. My daughters plays a variety of sports. Though their walk is feminine, they as you stated, run, not jog.

THIS is the kind of discussion and profiling type stuff I come to this forum for. Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. I really couldn't have said it better myself. And I think this entire line of discussion should be followed further. I hope LE is reading.

 

[BaffleMe]

I've been trying to get caught up on this case, so I started reading from the beginning, first thread. Does anyone know why Elizabeth was already packed for vacation? (and with a link please). I did a garage sale once, and never again. It consumes your time and energy. I would think garage sale and packing would not coincide. So next question, does anyone know when they were leaving for vacation? I have read she took the day off. But was the next week the vacation? I'm reading the second thread, and maybe I missed these things. If so, I apologize. I just found this odd, her being packed.

 

[JnRyan]

I found this article. (It may have already been posted, but this is first time I'm reading it.) In first video we saw that killer did not police his or her brass, i.e., pick up spent shell casings. So from looking at that either shell casings were left behind or they were shooting a revolver. This article states that LE did not find any spent shell casings, so that would narrow it down to a revolver. (I'm thinking a .38 special, .357 magnum, .32 magnum or other such similar caliber.) Not a great deal of help, but it does narrow down the field somewhat.
Father of slain Tomball woman hopeful new clues help | khou.com

 

[cluciano63]

If this was a hit” murder, there has to be a money trail, phone trail, somewhere. It is hard to believe that police could not have gotten a clue as to a suspect and I hope they have. Most people only have a limited number of other people who are in a position to benefit from their death in some way...luckily. Jmo

 

[cluciano63]

A neighbor would not be stalking the neighborhood the night before...anyone who would be bothered by a garage sale would probably live within walking distance, imo.

 

[cluciano63]

I've been trying to get caught up on this case, so I started reading from the beginning, first thread. Does anyone know why Elizabeth was already packed for vacation? (and with a link please). I did a garage sale once, and never again. It consumes your time and energy. I would think garage sale and packing would not coincide. So next question, does anyone know when they were leaving for vacation? I have read she took the day off. But was the next week the vacation? I'm reading the second thread, and maybe I missed these things. If so, I apologize. I just found this odd, her being packed.

Yes I seem to recall an anniversary trip?

 

[SAMS]

If this was a hit” murder, there has to be a money trail, phone trail, somewhere. It is hard to believe that police could not have gotten a clue as to a suspect and I hope they have. Most people only have a limited number of other people who are in a position to benefit from their death in some way...luckily. Jmo

This makes me think this wasn’t a “hit”, but someone that wanted to be rid of her for their own benefit. And this person flaunted something in front of Liz, then made sure she wasn’t going on that vacay with her husband. Ever. IMO MOO This perp is able to lie low due to (luck &) the fact that he/she has been lurking from a distance. Maybe someone infatuated with Liz or Sergio. Just a thought.

 

[JnRyan]

Probably a long shot here, but one possibility that has nagged at me is if this is a hit could it be connected to Elizabeth's job? I believe she worked as part of the office staff (data recorder?) for a company that inspected pipelines. Public safety and environmental law compliance is probably involved. And since she took off from work that day for the garage sale, she very likely mentioned at work why she needed off and where/what she would be doing.

 

[SAMS]

Do we know if Liz set anything out the night before? Or was she unloading all the stuff from her garage early that morning?