TX - Elizabeth Barraza, 29, murdered setting up garage sale, Harris Co, Jan 2019 #3

[PawneeDew]

Interesting to me that 4 minutes after leaving his home he gets the ring bell alert, hears 4 gunshots and doesn’t return home. LE set off the alarm at 7:19 and he didn’t return home.

He returned home at 7:51, an hour after Liz was shot.

And maybe I’m confused on when he heard her shot on the ring video, and maybe he works 30 minutes from home and returned as soon as the alarm was triggered.

That's a real bad sign, imo

 

[ElizB]

Interesting to me that 4 minutes after leaving his home he gets the ring bell alert, hears 4 gunshots and doesn’t return home. LE set off the alarm at 7:19 and he didn’t return home.

He returned home at 7:51, an hour after Liz was shot.

And maybe I’m confused on when he heard her shot on the ring video, and maybe he works 30 minutes from home and returned as soon as the alarm was triggered.

We don’t know that he played the video when he got the alert, do we? He was driving to work at the time. He knew EB was getting ready for the yard sale so he would expect her to trigger the camera.

 

[JnRyan]

First time poster for this case.

While history would suggest that the husband is the primary suspect, I find the behaviour of the shooter to be atypical of a hired hitman (or woman). The shooter seems erratic, and possibly reluctant. This does not fit the profile of someone who would be an ideal target for a hitman. A customer would want someone who is confident, strong willed, and of course, a good shooter. This does not seem to be the case for the shooter.

My theory is that the shooter is a woman, possibly from the fan convention circuit, who had been cyber-stalking Elizabeth and her husband and was jealous of their relationship. Something made the woman finally "crack," and she planned the attack in a few days, finding a murder vehicle, and canvassing the area the night before.

If this was a murder for hire, I tend to believe this was a 'wannabe hit man' - or woman. IOW, not someone that is any sense a professional, but rather just lucky.

That said, given what little we've been given from LE, your theory fits as well as just about any other.

 

[Force Ten]

We don’t know that he played the video when he got the alert, do we? He was driving to work at the time. He knew EB was getting ready for the yard sale so he would expect her to trigger the camera.

Yep totally agree. It doesn’t sound nefarious.

 

[Wowno17]

Interesting to me that 4 minutes after leaving his home he gets the ring bell alert, hears 4 gunshots and doesn’t return home. LE set off the alarm at 7:19 and he didn’t return home.

He returned home at 7:51, an hour after Liz was shot.

And maybe I’m confused on when he heard her shot on the ring video, and maybe he works 30 minutes from home and returned as soon as the alarm was triggered.

We don’t know that he played the video when he got the alert, do we? He was driving to work at the time. He knew EB was getting ready for the yard sale so he would expect her to trigger the camera.

This is bugging me about the husband taking an hour to return home. So, she was killed minutes after he left, so he must have driven 30mins one way and 30mins back?


Even if he didn't check his phone because he was driving, her parents got to the house 17 minutes (if I'm not mistaken) after receiving the alert. Surely they would have try to call their daughter AND HIM, so why didn't he answer their call, even if he couldn't answer the phone, seeing they were calling so early must have been a bad sign. That's me presuming he saw them call him, and that's if they even did.


Another thing, it was short notice about the yard sale, but did she post it on Facebook the night before?

I wish we knew what time she normally left for work, also really want to know if the murderer KNEW about the yard sale or was just 'lucky' she was outside at that moment, you know, just after her husband left.

MOO

 

[Cryptic]

White robe and white boots plus a long wig - Princess Leia? I think that the costume worn could tell us a lot about what the killer was thinking. Did the killer believe Elizabeth had crossed over to the Dark Side and that justified this senseless murder? Could the murderer be a person who is mentally ill and cannot, at times, distinguish between fantasy and reality?

I think a genuinely mentally ill person is possible, but might not be likely.

Not only are genuinely mentally ill perpetrators rare, but a forum member who once participated in several groups in the sub culture (did not participate in the Star Wars genre) did not describe meeting anybody not capable of distinguishing fantasy and reality.

Of course, the fact that she never met such an individual does not mean that they do not exist. That aside, the forum member did relate that a noticeable minority of participants in her groups got uhmm..... "intense" in regards to pursuing the fantasy hobby interest.

Though not blurring fantasy and reality, these people derived all their self esteem, social status, friends etc. through the cosplay group. Some participants even came to view others as their chosen family.

Likewise, the intense participants could react very badly to the "success" of other participants in the group. The forum member then described a long term friend / participant flying into a jealous rage at her when she concluded that a genre actress (the actress, in fact, had not) gave her a brief personal acknowledgement at a fan convention.

So, while a mentally ill perpetrator might be less likely, there could be plenty of motives from sane cosplay participants.

In the end, how the forum member described her cosplay groups seemed to mirror say, 2% bikers. OK- the cosplayers may not be prone to brawling, but some group dynamics could be similar. For example, the group becoming the "entire world" for some participants. Then, by extension, their standing in that "world" becomes everything.

 

[JnRyan]

I've wondered about two connections in particular. Elizabeth's job and cosplay. Her job, if I remember correctly, involved admin work regarding pipelines. Then some possible relationship to the cosplay. It didn't necessarily have to involve an altercation or disagreement with another actor. It could have been some perceived or imagined slight on the part of the person responsible for her death and a connection like that may not be that obvious to LE.

Regarding the disguise, if that was one, I tend to believe it would have been to deceive Elizabeth if she looked through the peephole in her door. The fact that there was a garage sale might have been unexpected for the killer. In the timeline on the website, didn't the truck pass by the house do a 3pt turn and come back. I wonder if the killer saw the sale setup and changed their plan on the fly. I wouldn't be surprised if the killer had planned to shot her when she answered the door and then leave her in her foyer and shut the door.

The timeline of events from the website set up by Elizabeth's parents:

Timeline

default description

whokilledlizbarraza.com

 

[Force Ten]

I think a genuinely mentally ill person is possible, but might not be likely.

Not only are genuinely mentally ill perpetrators rare, but a forum member who once participated in several groups in the sub culture (did not participate in the Star Wars genre) did not describe meeting anybody not capable of distinguishing fantasy and reality.

Of course, the fact that she never met such an individual does not mean that they do not exist. That aside, the forum member did relate that a noticeable minority of participants in her groups got uhmm..... "intense" in regards to pursuing the fantasy hobby interest.

Though not blurring fantasy and reality, these people derived all their self esteem, social status, friends etc. through the cosplay group. Some participants even came to view others as their chosen family.

Likewise, the intense participants could react very badly to the "success" of other participants in the group. The forum member then described a long term friend / participant flying into a jealous rage at her when she concluded that a genre actress (the actress, in fact, had not) gave her a brief personal acknowledgement at a fan convention.

So, while a mentally ill perpetrator might be less likely, there could be plenty of motives from sane cosplay participants.

In the end, how the forum member described her cosplay groups seemed to mirror say, 2% bikers. OK- the cosplayers may not be prone to brawling, but some group dynamics could be similar. For example, the group becoming the "entire world" for some participants. Then, by extension, their standing in that "world" becomes everything.

While a stranger killer, like stranger abductions, is rare, it certainly does happen. Being that this person may have not been known to Elizabeth or anyone else in her life could be the very reason it’s not yet solved. And when you get to the heart of it, clearly the person is unhinged enough to stalk her street the night before and then so brazenly at point blank in her driveway. This could have been some deranged person she had an altercation with in the grocery store or road rage and they followed her home.

Nothing to support this but since the beginning I’ve always had the feeling the killer lives or lived in the neighborhood. So many cases have a perpetrator right under everyone’s noses.

 

[JnRyan]

While a stranger killer, like stranger abductions, is rare, it certainly does happen. Being that this person may have not been known to Elizabeth or anyone else in her life could be the very reason it’s not yet solved. And when you get to the heart of it, clearly the person is unhinged enough to stalk her street the night before and then so brazenly at point blank in her driveway. This could have been some deranged person she had an altercation with in the grocery store or road rage and they followed her home.

Nothing to support this but since the beginning I’ve always had the feeling the killer lives or lived in the neighborhood. So many cases have a perpetrator right under everyone’s noses.

Given that we have a very distinctive truck - make, model, color and possible year range - I have to believe LE asks each person know to the Barraza's what vehicles they own. Maybe check such persons in DMV database and maybe even drive by those places at random times to see not only what they drive, but their neighbors as well. I believe LE has beat what is so far a dead horse and come up with nothing with regard to those with the slightest relationship to the family. Yeah, this looks like a stranger killing. Or someone with a false alibi.

But why the disguise if that was one? To catch Elizabeth off guard if this was someone known to her? I could say to fool witnesses, but you can't really disguise the truck.

 

[Betty P]

Though not blurring fantasy and reality, these people derived all their self esteem, social status, friends etc. through the cosplay group. Some participants even came to view others as their chosen family.

Likewise, the intense participants could react very badly to the "success" of other participants in the group. The forum member then described a long term friend / participant flying into a jealous rage at her when she concluded that a genre actress (the actress, in fact, had not) gave her a brief personal acknowledgement at a fan convention.

Thanks for this observation. Fits with what some here have considered. I hope LE makes some progress in solving this case.

 

[PawneeDew]

This is bugging me about the husband taking an hour to return home. So, she was killed minutes after he left, so he must have driven 30mins one way and 30mins back?


Even if he didn't check his phone because he was driving, her parents got to the house 17 minutes (if I'm not mistaken) after receiving the alert. Surely they would have try to call their daughter AND HIM, so why didn't he answer their call, even if he couldn't answer the phone, seeing they were calling so early must have been a bad sign. That's me presuming he saw them call him, and that's if they even did.


Another thing, it was short notice about the yard sale, but did she post it on Facebook the night before?

I wish we knew what time she normally left for work, also really want to know if the murderer KNEW about the yard sale or was just 'lucky' she was outside at that moment, you know, just after her husband left.

MOO

I have the same questions. It is really sticking out for some reason..It's my opinion that what makes the most sense is usually what happened..ya know? There's a reason why that's bugging you!
(and me)

 

[PawneeDew]

I think a genuinely mentally ill person is possible, but might not be likely.

Not only are genuinely mentally ill perpetrators rare, but a forum member who once participated in several groups in the sub culture (did not participate in the Star Wars genre) did not describe meeting anybody not capable of distinguishing fantasy and reality.

Of course, the fact that she never met such an individual does not mean that they do not exist. That aside, the forum member did relate that a noticeable minority of participants in her groups got uhmm..... "intense" in regards to pursuing the fantasy hobby interest.

Though not blurring fantasy and reality, these people derived all their self esteem, social status, friends etc. through the cosplay group. Some participants even came to view others as their chosen family.

Likewise, the intense participants could react very badly to the "success" of other participants in the group. The forum member then described a long term friend / participant flying into a jealous rage at her when she concluded that a genre actress (the actress, in fact, had not) gave her a brief personal acknowledgement at a fan convention.

So, while a mentally ill perpetrator might be less likely, there could be plenty of motives from sane cosplay participants.

In the end, how the forum member described her cosplay groups seemed to mirror say, 2% bikers. OK- the cosplayers may not be prone to brawling, but some group dynamics could be similar. For example, the group becoming the "entire world" for some participants. Then, by extension, their standing in that "world" becomes everything.

Not trying to be rude, I swear. Just wanted to say, it's the 1% biker gangs call themselves...oops, should have said 'clubs. Not trying to offend anyone.

 

[PawneeDew]

While a stranger killer, like stranger abductions, is rare, it certainly does happen. Being that this person may have not been known to Elizabeth or anyone else in her life could be the very reason it’s not yet solved. And when you get to the heart of it, clearly the person is unhinged enough to stalk her street the night before and then so brazenly at point blank in her driveway. This could have been some deranged person she had an altercation with in the grocery store or road rage and they followed her home.

Nothing to support this but since the beginning I’ve always had the feeling the killer lives or lived in the neighborhood. So many cases have a perpetrator right under everyone’s noses.

I agree. I'm pretty sure road-rage incidents are on the rise where I live...I know that the homicide rate so far in the Springs (Colorado) is high already for the year.

 

[JnRyan]

This is bugging me about the husband taking an hour to return home. So, she was killed minutes after he left, so he must have driven 30mins one way and 30mins back?


Even if he didn't check his phone because he was driving, her parents got to the house 17 minutes (if I'm not mistaken) after receiving the alert. Surely they would have try to call their daughter AND HIM, so why didn't he answer their call, even if he couldn't answer the phone, seeing they were calling so early must have been a bad sign. That's me presuming he saw them call him, and that's if they even did.


Another thing, it was short notice about the yard sale, but did she post it on Facebook the night before?

I wish we knew what time she normally left for work, also really want to know if the murderer KNEW about the yard sale or was just 'lucky' she was outside at that moment, you know, just after her husband left.

MOO

This stuck out for me at first. But then my phone is in my pocket or in a case on my belt when driving. I MIGHT pull it out and look at the number. Right off I can think of only one number I would answer while driving. All others have to wait till I'm stopped, especially in rush hour traffic. In our traffic here in SE VA, it could easily be between 90 minutes and two hours before I could make it back home.

 

[PawneeDew]

This was obviously done by somebody who seemed to have had knowledge of Sergio`s morning routine down to the minute and made sure he had left for work. Either they were being observed or this specific information was provided.
Personally, I also find it strange that the garage sale was planned at the last minute, apparently this was not normally the way Liz would plan a garage sale. Somebody seemed to have been given advance knowledge of this.
I would be interested to know what time Liz would normally leave for work in the mornings.

'They' had the timing down pat, that knowledge could come from watching their house...I wonder if that particular vehicle had been seen in the neighborhood in the past? If 'they' didn't come by that knowledge by staking their house out, then how did 'they' come by that knowledge?? I'm wondering if 'they' knew about the video cameras, also.

 

[JnRyan]

'They' had the timing down pat, that knowledge could come from watching their house...I wonder if that particular vehicle had been seen in the neighborhood in the past? If 'they' didn't come by that knowledge by staking their house out, then how did 'they' come by that knowledge?? I'm wondering if 'they' knew about the video cameras, also.

I've wondered that myself. Their timing was too spot on to not have done more than one or two trips in the mornings. It makes me wonder if they made other trips BUT they didn't drive the truck.

Of course, if I go back to the murder for hire, the person who hired or asked the 3rd party to commit it, may have done the recon and provided it to the killer. As far as knowing about the cameras, maybe the person hiring knew and provided that to the killer as well. Maybe the killer wore a disguise as a precaution IN CASE there were surveillance cameras nearby. Just like the killer in the Delphi murders, the killer might have been surprised to see the video.

I don't get the 2 AM drive by the killer. A practice run? The time line on the parents' website mentions that LE tried tracking the truck through other cameras but lost it when it went through an area with no coverage. I wonder if LE tried to do the same with that 2 AM drive by. IOW, where was that killer between 2 AM and 6:47 AM?

 

[Ajs1004]

Interesting to me that 4 minutes after leaving his home he gets the ring bell alert, hears 4 gunshots and doesn’t return home. LE set off the alarm at 7:19 and he didn’t return home.

He returned home at 7:51, an hour after Liz was shot.

And maybe I’m confused on when he heard her shot on the ring video, and maybe he works 30 minutes from home and returned as soon as the alarm was triggered.

What he said in an interview with someone was that he left the house and went to Lowes to get some supplies for the work he was doing.

Edited to add that I am so sad about this case. I don’t know Liz or anyone involved in this case personally, just happened to come across the news story the day that it happened. But I am so so sad that it hasn’t been solved. I really thought with the fact that they have so much on video, the truck, the murderer, even the murder, that it would be solved within days. But it’s been over 3 years and I have to wonder if law enforcement is anywhere closer than they were the day it happened.

 

[Curiousobserver]

While a stranger killer, like stranger abductions, is rare, it certainly does happen. Being that this person may have not been known to Elizabeth or anyone else in her life could be the very reason it’s not yet solved. And when you get to the heart of it, clearly the person is unhinged enough to stalk her street the night before and then so brazenly at point blank in her driveway. This could have been some deranged person she had an altercation with in the grocery store or road rage and they followed her home.

Nothing to support this but since the beginning I’ve always had the feeling the killer lives or lived in the neighborhood. So many cases have a perpetrator right under everyone’s noses.

I had this theory early on as well- that this was a total stranger who targeted Liz as an opportunistic event, because she was out front with her garage sale. If her neighbor had been out walking the dog, it could just have easily been them instead.... A stranger explains a lot of the behavior (e.g. not being the least bit concerned about being seen) and why they can't figure out who owns the truck. However- when I saw the timeline of events on the parents site I am now leaning the other way. The coincidences are numerous and very precise. The perp seemed to be locked onto her house (drove by at 2:00am) and seemed to have some knowledge of their daily routine. Further, they wanted to be absolutely sure she was dead so they did a U turn and drove back by the house (while the police were arriving!!!). That is a personal grudge thing.

The late night drive-by makes me think this person drove from a long distance and wanted to be sure they were "on-time"- like arriving an hour early for an important job interview... They checked out the house to make sure it was the right one and how to get there. They then went somewhere in between and knew to come back exactly when her husband left for work.

Adding: I would be interested to learn more about Liz's early trip to get coffee. This could be an opportunity for her to have run into a person who followed her home for some reason. I wonder if LE has video from that trip.

 

[PawneeDew]

I had this theory early on as well- that this was a total stranger who targeted Liz as an opportunistic event, because she was out front with her garage sale. If her neighbor had been out walking the dog, it could just have easily been them instead.... A stranger explains a lot of the behavior (e.g. not being the least bit concerned about being seen) and why they can't figure out who owns the truck. However- when I saw the timeline of events on the parents site I am now leaning the other way. The coincidences are numerous and very precise. The perp seemed to be locked onto her house (drove by at 2:00am) and seemed to have some knowledge of their daily routine. Further, they wanted to be absolutely sure she was dead so they did a U turn and drove back by the house (while the police were arriving!!!). That is a personal grudge thing.

The late night drive-by makes me think this person drove from a long distance and wanted to be sure they were "on-time"- like arriving an hour early for an important job interview... They checked out the house to make sure it was the right one and how to get there. They then went somewhere in between and knew to come back exactly when her husband left for work.

Adding: I would be interested to learn more about Liz's early trip to get coffee. This could be an opportunity for her to have run into a person who followed her home for some reason. I wonder if LE has video from that trip.

Maybe a connection from her past...I thought I read on here somewhere that she used to live in Florida? Did L.E. travel to Florida to speak with someone? I thought someone posted it, I can't find it...

 

[JnRyan]

Maybe a connection from her past...I thought I read on here somewhere that she used to live in Florida? Did L.E. travel to Florida to speak with someone? I thought someone posted it, I can't find it...

They were in Miami.

‘We will never give up’: $50K offered to catch suspect who killed woman setting up garage sale 3 years ago

Crime Stoppers and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference Tuesday asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating the suspect(s) responsible for the death of a woman who was gunned down in her front yard while setting up for a garage sale three years ago.

www.click2houston.com