1 00:00:45,769 --> 00:00:50,090 Elizabeth Barraza, known to her family and friends as a fiercely compassionate 2 00:00:50,090 --> 00:00:55,490 and imaginative woman, was creative, resourceful, and sought to live life to 3 00:00:55,490 --> 00:01:00,490 fullest. Her deep -rooted passion for charity work, as well as her 4 00:01:00,490 --> 00:01:05,510 dedication to bringing joy to the world around her, was cut short by an 5 00:01:05,510 --> 00:01:07,990 unexplainable, unsolved murder. 6 00:01:08,510 --> 00:01:13,790 in the early morning hours of January 25th, 2019, leaving all who knew her 7 00:01:13,790 --> 00:01:19,250 across northwest Harris County, Texas, and the entire state at large, grasping 8 00:01:19,250 --> 00:01:23,010 for answers in a sea of evidence that drowned us all in doubt. 9 00:01:23,330 --> 00:01:28,030 As a hope to provide more substantial reasoning built upon observable evidence 10 00:01:28,030 --> 00:01:33,970 and situational analysis, this is an examination of the murder of Liz 11 00:01:34,380 --> 00:01:38,960 and the gut -wrenching video captured that fateful morning, giving us a 12 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:42,260 window into her final moment of life. 13 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,360 This is Cold Case Detective. 14 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,700 I believe that everyone on Earth has the potential to do wonderful things. 15 00:02:18,020 --> 00:02:23,000 But there are undoubtedly those who exemplify the absolute brightest version 16 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,080 humanity, who go out of their way to bring peace to others, to bring a smile 17 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,840 the faces of everyone they meet, seemingly without any effort. People who 18 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,360 after their friends and families, and even strangers before themselves, who 19 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,980 that the only way to push us forward as a society is to surround ourselves with 20 00:02:40,980 --> 00:02:43,580 happiness, selflessness, and charity. 21 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:48,880 People who were quick to encourage, slow to judge, and effervescently authentic. 22 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:51,360 Everyday heroes. 23 00:02:51,980 --> 00:02:58,220 Elizabeth Barraza was one of these people. A shining star and great 24 00:02:58,220 --> 00:02:59,220 all she met. 25 00:02:59,380 --> 00:03:05,780 A child of the 1990s and native of Southeast Texas, Elizabeth, called Liz 26 00:03:05,780 --> 00:03:10,520 who knew her, grew up infatuated with fantasy, storytelling, and pop culture. 27 00:03:10,970 --> 00:03:15,490 Her love of imagination and specifically science fiction fandom was nurtured by 28 00:03:15,490 --> 00:03:16,950 her father, Robert Jr. 29 00:03:17,310 --> 00:03:22,030 She was particularly fond of Star Wars, growing up with the movies and later 30 00:03:22,030 --> 00:03:26,370 exploring the rich worlds provided in television series, comic books and 31 00:03:26,730 --> 00:03:31,050 If there weren't any new expanded universe books to pick up, Liz would 32 00:03:31,050 --> 00:03:33,630 her other escapist entertainment, Harry Potter. 33 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:39,660 Liz was a self -described potterhead, an expert in all things witchcraft and 34 00:03:39,660 --> 00:03:44,360 wizardry. She was first in line to grab a copy of every new release, and, like 35 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,700 Star Wars, spent endless hours of childhood wrapped up in the comforting 36 00:03:48,700 --> 00:03:53,920 confines of their creativity, her own imagination moulded by the adventures 37 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,300 was so absorbed with. 38 00:03:55,900 --> 00:04:01,020 Alongside her love of the premier pop culture lexicon, Liz also discovered a 39 00:04:01,020 --> 00:04:03,040 strong skill set in arts and crafts. 40 00:04:03,380 --> 00:04:07,920 She was a meticulous costumer, able to construct complex designs and outfits 41 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,000 matching her favorite movie and comic book characters. 42 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:16,820 As she grew older, she discovered there was an entire community of hundreds of 43 00:04:16,820 --> 00:04:21,640 thousands of fellow costume fanatics and creatives. This turned Liz onto comic 44 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:26,010 conferences around the United States, where fans would come together dressed 45 00:04:26,010 --> 00:04:31,630 head to toe in homemade costumes and show off their intricate creations, a 46 00:04:31,630 --> 00:04:33,350 known as cosplaying. 47 00:04:33,970 --> 00:04:38,770 It was through cosplaying and a love of Star Wars that Liz became quite close to 48 00:04:38,770 --> 00:04:44,130 Sergio Barraza, a fellow Texas native, and entranced by the escapist pastime 49 00:04:44,130 --> 00:04:45,130 himself. 50 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,600 In the winter of 2014, the pair got married and combined their love of Star 51 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:50,660 and cosplaying together. 52 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,660 The newlywed couple would travel to various Comic -Cons around their home 53 00:04:54,660 --> 00:04:58,960 and America at large, showcasing Liz's expert crafting capabilities. 54 00:04:59,580 --> 00:05:03,080 When they weren't dressing up for comic conventions, Liz and Sergio were taking 55 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:08,560 part in the 501st Legion, a world -renowned group of the biggest Star Wars 56 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,760 who dress up in screen -accurate replicas of Star Wars' most notorious 57 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:14,820 and their costumes. 58 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,200 This wasn't just any old hobby, however. 59 00:05:18,420 --> 00:05:24,280 The 501st Legion consists of over 14 ,000 volunteers who use their costumes 60 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:27,480 cosplaying skills to attend charities and hospitals. 61 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:32,520 visiting sick children and adults alike, raising money for research efforts, 62 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,220 medical fundraisers, and the fight against countless diseases. 63 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:42,500 These charitable contributions were a linchpin in Liz's vision for her life. 64 00:05:42,500 --> 00:05:47,160 went above and beyond to attend these visitations and events, bringing joy to 65 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:52,720 many people whose very lives were in jeopardy. And most importantly, Liz 66 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,120 think twice. It was just her nature to give hope. 67 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:57,820 to those who needed it. 68 00:05:58,580 --> 00:06:03,180 Through their five years together, Liz and Sergio were an immeasurably happy 69 00:06:03,180 --> 00:06:07,740 couple. Their tireless work ethic at both their jobs and their recreation did 70 00:06:07,740 --> 00:06:10,380 not push them apart, but drew them closer together. 71 00:06:10,700 --> 00:06:15,400 To celebrate their five -year anniversary, Liz planned a magical 72 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,780 Orlando, Florida, where Universal Studios awaited them. 73 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,880 The couple was excited to visit the new immersive Harry Potter attractions, and 74 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:28,060 Liz prepared specially homemade costumes for the pair to wear during their 75 00:06:28,060 --> 00:06:31,940 travels. To make things easier on their finances and enjoy the upcoming 76 00:06:31,940 --> 00:06:36,020 anniversary without a worry, Sergio and Liz got together some old things from 77 00:06:36,020 --> 00:06:39,020 around their house to sell at a garage sale. 78 00:06:39,340 --> 00:06:44,480 However, things swiftly took a tragic turn, when this innocent attempt to make 79 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,900 ends meet resulted in a terrifying murder. 80 00:06:48,729 --> 00:06:54,010 Let's now turn to a timeline of events that led to the unsolved murder of Liz 81 00:06:54,010 --> 00:06:55,010 Barraza. 82 00:07:00,550 --> 00:07:03,570 It's just after New Year's Day in the year of 2019. 83 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:08,660 Liz and Sergio Barraza celebrate another year of love and success together, and 84 00:07:08,660 --> 00:07:11,120 prep for their upcoming fifth year anniversary. 85 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:15,740 The two plot out the perfect celebration, deciding that the new Harry 86 00:07:15,740 --> 00:07:20,240 fantasy attractions at Universal Studios Florida would be their dream locale. 87 00:07:20,540 --> 00:07:24,240 They chart a course for an end of the month departure, and begin preparations. 88 00:07:24,860 --> 00:07:29,360 As January progresses, Liz and Sergio realize all of their expenses for the 89 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,580 anniversary trip will push them to the max of their budget. 90 00:07:33,610 --> 00:07:37,790 also hopes to buy Sergio a couple of gifts herself, and the pair decide to 91 00:07:37,790 --> 00:07:42,630 a garage sale right before they leave, selling a few odds and ends, and items 92 00:07:42,630 --> 00:07:46,710 they no longer need from around their house, hoping to raise some spending 93 00:07:46,710 --> 00:07:47,710 for the trip. 94 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,920 The end of the month nears, and Liz and Sergio finalize the garage sale details. 95 00:07:53,220 --> 00:07:57,500 They schedule it mere days before they leave for Florida, and inform their 96 00:07:57,500 --> 00:07:59,880 friends, families, and co -workers of their plans. 97 00:08:00,220 --> 00:08:05,540 They do not broadcast it on social media or around the town, however, keeping it 98 00:08:05,540 --> 00:08:07,360 close -knit until the day arrives. 99 00:08:08,010 --> 00:08:13,010 The final full week of January arrives, and Liz requests time off work for both 100 00:08:13,010 --> 00:08:14,950 the vacation and the garage sale. 101 00:08:15,350 --> 00:08:19,810 Employed as a data reporter for a pipeline inspection company, Liz is able 102 00:08:19,810 --> 00:08:21,450 get the extended dates approved. 103 00:08:21,930 --> 00:08:26,810 On the night of January 24th, Liz and Sergio make their final preparations. 104 00:08:27,830 --> 00:08:32,370 Sergio is to go into work as per usual, and Liz says she'll get up early with 105 00:08:32,370 --> 00:08:36,830 him to start putting up signs advertising their sale before the sun 106 00:08:36,990 --> 00:08:41,809 The two go to sleep, excited at the prospects that await them, unknowing of 107 00:08:41,809 --> 00:08:43,510 horrors lurking as well. 108 00:08:43,970 --> 00:08:48,290 The rooster crows the following morning on Friday, January 25th, 2019. 109 00:08:48,810 --> 00:08:54,070 It is barely dawn, and Sergio Barraza gets ready for work while Liz gathers 110 00:08:54,070 --> 00:08:55,070 signage supplies. 111 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,980 She goes outside with her husband as he climbs into the truck. 112 00:08:59,540 --> 00:09:06,360 Concurrently, security and CCTV cameras capture a 2013 or newer four -door, dark 113 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:12,280 -colored Nissan Frontier Pro 4X drive around the Barraza's Tomball suburb, a 114 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:17,100 vehicle not recognized by the neighbors and never seen driving around the area 115 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:19,020 at such an early time of day. 116 00:09:19,380 --> 00:09:24,920 At around 6 .48 a .m., Sergio kisses Liz goodbye and departs in a truck of his 117 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:30,720 own. captured by CCTV cameras leaving the housing complex heading towards his 118 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:31,720 place of employment. 119 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:36,040 Over the next four minutes, Liz takes the signage and begins setting them up 120 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:40,500 her front lawn for any passers -by to notice their pending garage sale. 121 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:45,880 She works alone and seemingly doesn't expect a visitor or anything particular 122 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:46,879 happen. 123 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:52,940 At around 6 .52am, the same Nissan Frontier truck seen driving around 124 00:09:52,940 --> 00:09:57,300 captured once more on a security camera set up on the doorbell of a neighbouring 125 00:09:57,300 --> 00:10:02,700 house in the Tomball suburb, facing the front yard of Liz Barraza's home, where 126 00:10:02,700 --> 00:10:04,340 she continues working outside. 127 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:09,800 The dark coloured truck passes the house, and parks in another home's 128 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:11,400 from the driver's seat. 129 00:10:11,690 --> 00:10:16,510 A person with either long hair or a wig exits the vehicle and walks towards the 130 00:10:16,510 --> 00:10:18,290 spot where Liz places a sign. 131 00:10:18,590 --> 00:10:22,470 The pursuant, wearing what could either be a trench coat or a long robe, 132 00:10:22,630 --> 00:10:24,830 conceals something as they walk up to Liz. 133 00:10:25,190 --> 00:10:28,350 Liz looks up, startled, but doesn't run away. 134 00:10:29,030 --> 00:10:34,310 Only eight seconds pass of what appears to be a quiet conversation before the 135 00:10:34,310 --> 00:10:39,270 figure in the long garment pulls out a gun and shoots Liz three times at point 136 00:10:39,270 --> 00:10:40,270 -blank range. 137 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:45,160 The killer then steps over Liz's body, seemingly checking for something, before 138 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,560 firing off one final point -blank shot. 139 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:54,800 As the clock ticks forward to 6 .53am, the shooter sprints from Liz's body back 140 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:59,260 to their truck. They hop inside, back out of the driveway, and drive up and 141 00:10:59,260 --> 00:11:04,040 the street once more, almost as if observing the crime scene, before 142 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,980 from the neighbourhood, away from the cameras, and forever into anonymity. 143 00:11:09,340 --> 00:11:13,380 At the same time, a male subject who heard the gunfire and saw the truck 144 00:11:13,380 --> 00:11:19,380 runs outside and calls 911 to report both the shooting and ask for an 145 00:11:19,380 --> 00:11:20,680 medical response. 146 00:11:21,180 --> 00:11:24,840 Meanwhile, another neighbor who comes outside in response to the commotion 147 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:29,840 quickly understands what has happened and personally calls Sergio to inform 148 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,340 Liz has been shot. 149 00:11:32,010 --> 00:11:37,470 Not even ten minutes go by, and Sergio returns to the neighborhood to tend to 150 00:11:37,470 --> 00:11:39,250 his critically injured wife. 151 00:11:39,630 --> 00:11:44,050 Medical and emergency response personnel join him, and Liz is rushed to the 152 00:11:44,050 --> 00:11:48,730 hospital. Meanwhile, police begin interviewing neighbors to try and find 153 00:11:48,730 --> 00:11:53,970 exactly what transpired. Liz makes it to the hospital, still breathing with a 154 00:11:53,970 --> 00:11:58,280 heartbeat. However, after surviving through the night, The following day, on 155 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:03,140 Saturday, January 26th, she succumbs to the gunshot wounds and passes away. 156 00:12:03,740 --> 00:12:08,340 Soon after, on the investigation side of the ordeal, authorities are quick to 157 00:12:08,340 --> 00:12:12,720 label the death a murder, as the crime scene suggests an execution -like 158 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:17,760 shooting combined with the eyewitness testimony of the male subject who saw 159 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:18,760 killer flee. 160 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:23,220 Within a matter of weeks, police canvass the Tomball suburbs for any and all 161 00:12:23,220 --> 00:12:26,280 security footage that may give them a better glimpse. 162 00:12:26,830 --> 00:12:30,690 of what happened on January 25th at 6 .52am. 163 00:12:30,950 --> 00:12:34,770 One of the Barraza's neighbours then gives law enforcement a copy of their 164 00:12:34,770 --> 00:12:40,230 doorbell cam tape from that morning, the now infamous recording of Liz's final 165 00:12:40,230 --> 00:12:45,030 moments. In the coming days, detectives study the security footage and release 166 00:12:45,030 --> 00:12:50,030 it to media outlets, hoping someone will come forward to identify either the 167 00:12:50,030 --> 00:12:51,370 truck or the shooter. 168 00:12:51,790 --> 00:12:56,150 Tips pour in, but nothing substantial rises to the forefront of the case. 169 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:58,840 A case growing colder by the minute. 170 00:12:59,140 --> 00:13:04,300 It wouldn't be for another year until the Barraza family finally receives a 171 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:06,360 major update in the investigation. 172 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,920 During a one -year memorial held by family members, community members, and 173 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:15,520 members of the 501st Legion in honor of Liz's life at the tail end of January 174 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:20,400 2020, reporters hear from a lead detective on the case that police have 175 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,000 a warrant that could lead them directly to the party responsible. 176 00:13:25,020 --> 00:13:29,680 There are no other details given, and the exact type of warrant is not 177 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,360 whether it be an arrest warrant or an evidentiary warrant. 178 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,880 Again, however, the leads stop there, without any major announcement until 179 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:44,160 30th of 2020. A breaking news bulletin reveals that police unveiled an 180 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:49,500 additional nugget of information stemming from the CCTV footage capturing 181 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:54,300 murder. Authorities announce after analysing discernible audio from the 182 00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:59,060 recording, it can be said confidently that as the suspect approached Liz at 6 183 00:13:59,060 --> 00:14:03,100 .52am, Liz could be heard saying good morning in response. 184 00:14:03,580 --> 00:14:08,480 It is not a major clue, but it does make detectives wonder if Liz didn't 185 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,000 actually know the suspect, as opposed to earlier theories. 186 00:14:12,750 --> 00:14:17,750 Sadly, that news alert on June 30th is the last piece of evidence the public 187 00:14:17,750 --> 00:14:20,130 received in Liz Barraza's case. 188 00:14:20,390 --> 00:14:24,750 As of today, Liz's brutal murder remains unsolved. 189 00:14:25,070 --> 00:14:29,410 The investigation did undergo a change in top leadership, so that must be 190 00:14:29,410 --> 00:14:34,410 considered as to why there are apparently no sizable leads despite 191 00:14:34,410 --> 00:14:38,710 years of sleuthing, as well as the global pandemic slowing down the world 192 00:14:38,710 --> 00:14:40,990 general beginning in March of 2020. 193 00:14:41,980 --> 00:14:47,280 All that being said, police maintain that this case is still very much 194 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:52,440 and will continue to pursue any and all leads provided by the public or 195 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:53,440 otherwise. 196 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:02,240 Without a doubt, the biggest and really the only case point in the Barraza 197 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:07,720 investigation is the CCTV security footage procured from around the crime 198 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:13,740 by police in the direct aftermath of January 25th. senseless murder the video 199 00:15:13,740 --> 00:15:18,360 shows the murder take place albeit from a distant and grainy point of view 200 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:23,940 however it also shows the suspect flee and most importantly the side profile of 201 00:15:23,940 --> 00:15:30,420 the nissan frontier pro 4x driven by the shooter before i play the video in its 202 00:15:30,420 --> 00:15:35,240 entirety as first released by authorities i want to be upfront about 203 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:40,780 disturbing nature of the footage the shooting depicted is real And if you, 204 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:45,680 understandably, wish to avoid seeing any sort of extreme violence, it would be 205 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,000 best to fast forward or turn away for the next few minutes. 206 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,080 I want to give you fair warning, so please be advised, what you're about to 207 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,340 witness may be hard to watch. 208 00:16:13,740 --> 00:16:17,680 What you have just seen is the murder of Liz Barraza. 209 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:23,340 As you saw, a figure with long hair, a long coat or robe, and what could be 210 00:16:23,340 --> 00:16:27,980 boots, parks across the street from the Barraza residence, walks over to the 211 00:16:27,980 --> 00:16:32,520 front yard where Liz works on the garage sale sign, confronts her with eight 212 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:37,200 seconds of unknown dialogue, then shoots her four times at point -blank range 213 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,500 before standing over her body and running off. 214 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:45,420 The most contested part of the video, is whether or not the shooter is a woman, 215 00:16:45,580 --> 00:16:50,160 as it might seem at first glance, or a man dressed to appear as a woman. 216 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:52,500 It truly is hard to tell. 217 00:16:52,820 --> 00:16:57,600 Some point to the end of the video, where the killer runs away, stating that 218 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,260 gait is most often attributed to the form of a female run. 219 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:05,680 However, it is also widely believed that the killer was wearing boots as a part 220 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,640 of their peculiar getup, and that may have changed the appearance of their 221 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,640 movement. 222 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,480 Nevertheless, we don't share this video to determine whether or not the killer 223 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,660 was male or female or disguised or in plain clothes. 224 00:17:18,180 --> 00:17:22,380 It's meant to spread awareness and hopefully catch the eye of someone who 225 00:17:22,380 --> 00:17:27,800 seen it before, recognizing something that could be game -changing, a vital 226 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:33,060 clue. If anything in this video rings a bell, even the slightest memory in the 227 00:17:33,060 --> 00:17:37,320 back of your mind, whether it be the identity of the shooter or the origin of 228 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:43,250 the Nissan Frontier truck, contact Crimestoppers at 713 -222 229 00:17:43,250 --> 00:17:44,530 -TIPS. 230 00:17:45,530 --> 00:17:50,190 Let us now turn to the most prominent theory that attempts to explain the 231 00:17:50,190 --> 00:17:52,990 unsolved murder of Liz Barraza. 232 00:17:56,730 --> 00:18:01,910 Because of how recent the Liz Barraza murder case is, the theories surrounding 233 00:18:01,910 --> 00:18:03,470 it are few and far between. 234 00:18:04,110 --> 00:18:09,270 Both its recency and a withholding of most case details by law enforcement are 235 00:18:09,270 --> 00:18:10,270 to blame for this. 236 00:18:10,450 --> 00:18:13,150 But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. 237 00:18:13,430 --> 00:18:17,770 Police usually keep important clues and even pieces of evidence that don't seem 238 00:18:17,770 --> 00:18:22,590 relevant close to their chest in order to avoid tipping off the real suspects 239 00:18:22,590 --> 00:18:25,990 their findings or threatening their chances of making an arrest. 240 00:18:26,410 --> 00:18:31,690 It's why studying cold cases within their first few years of investigation 241 00:18:31,690 --> 00:18:32,690 so tricky. 242 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:37,780 There simply isn't enough yarn to thread together a solid board of theories. 243 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,020 At least, not yet. 244 00:18:40,380 --> 00:18:42,880 However, there are still some ideas. 245 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:47,880 One of the very early hypotheses speculated by case followers was that 246 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,900 Sergio or Liz was involved in a secret love triangle, and the shooter from the 247 00:18:52,900 --> 00:18:57,340 video is an enraged lover, or person who was intimately involved with one of the 248 00:18:57,340 --> 00:18:58,340 members of the couple. 249 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,040 However, we don't believe this is the case. 250 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:06,460 Personal and melodramatic gossip often circulates after a murder, and it can be 251 00:19:06,460 --> 00:19:11,400 harmful to the Barraza family and disrespectful to the memory of Liz 252 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:13,200 presented without any real evidence. 253 00:19:13,580 --> 00:19:17,360 In fact, there is a very simple and straightforward observation regarding 254 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,640 theory that helps delegitimize it from rampant belief. 255 00:19:20,980 --> 00:19:25,540 If there was indeed a love triangle and a secret partner involved, There would 256 00:19:25,540 --> 00:19:30,640 be a paper trail, or at least a digital one. There would be emails or texts or 257 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:35,120 some sort of communication remaining on a phone or a computer, a forgotten 258 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:38,720 voicemail or letter, or something left over to make a connection. 259 00:19:38,980 --> 00:19:42,840 The absence of any evidence of this nature speaks for itself. 260 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,260 It also shouldn't have to be said, but Sergio himself has been very clear and 261 00:19:48,260 --> 00:19:49,300 concise with police. 262 00:19:49,630 --> 00:19:54,970 and has fully cooperated with both law enforcement and the media. He has shown 263 00:19:54,970 --> 00:19:59,310 no signs he has something to hide, and until police uncover something to the 264 00:19:59,310 --> 00:20:04,470 contrary, we must focus on other possibilities than those that likely end 265 00:20:04,470 --> 00:20:05,470 a tabloid magazine. 266 00:20:05,970 --> 00:20:10,910 Of course, the shooter could be connected via a close relationship to 267 00:20:10,910 --> 00:20:15,130 or her husband, but to immediately point fingers towards a scandalous 268 00:20:15,130 --> 00:20:17,910 extramarital affair would be jumping the gun. 269 00:20:18,590 --> 00:20:22,930 Another commonly held belief about who the killer could be is that they met Liz 270 00:20:22,930 --> 00:20:27,190 somewhere at a comic book convention or similar cosplaying event, and for 271 00:20:27,190 --> 00:20:31,010 whatever reason, fixated on her with the intent to murder. 272 00:20:31,310 --> 00:20:34,150 But why or how could this happen? 273 00:20:34,490 --> 00:20:39,330 One explanation is the passion behind fan -based activities such as Comic 274 00:20:39,330 --> 00:20:43,510 and other global events is normally brought to the absolute extreme. 275 00:20:44,250 --> 00:20:48,850 It regrettably doesn't take long when investigating some pastimes such as 276 00:20:48,850 --> 00:20:55,090 to find there is a history of toxic fandom, misogyny and elitism. Certainly 277 00:20:55,090 --> 00:20:59,010 in the majority, but that 1 % is known to exist. 278 00:20:59,470 --> 00:21:03,530 Of course cosplaying and passionate fandoms are a good thing, full of good 279 00:21:03,530 --> 00:21:07,090 people with good intentions and are meant for escapism and passion. 280 00:21:07,690 --> 00:21:11,230 but there are cases where people have taken their favorite pop culture 281 00:21:11,230 --> 00:21:16,730 iconography a little too far, and that bad blood has been known in the past to 282 00:21:16,730 --> 00:21:19,970 spill over into nefarious and criminal territory. 283 00:21:20,650 --> 00:21:24,990 Thus, it is suggested that somewhere along their travels, or even in an 284 00:21:24,990 --> 00:21:30,510 community, Liz met someone who became overly jealous of her or Sergio, made 285 00:21:30,510 --> 00:21:35,260 advances, and when they didn't get what they wanted, went after her in the most 286 00:21:35,260 --> 00:21:36,920 horrific way possible. 287 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,580 Now, while this is also somewhat unlikely to not have a trail of 288 00:21:41,580 --> 00:21:46,140 somewhere on the internet for police to track, it's possible this connection was 289 00:21:46,140 --> 00:21:51,220 made in person, and the killer was an unknown stalker, following Liz around 290 00:21:51,220 --> 00:21:52,760 waiting for her to be alone. 291 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:57,040 There have been confirmed cases of women being stalked at comic conventions 292 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,400 before, and has even led to abuse and assaults. 293 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:05,320 It is not a common occurrence, but it has happened frequently enough for some 294 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:07,860 consider it in connection with Liz's case. 295 00:22:08,570 --> 00:22:13,070 The biggest criticism to the cosplay -related stalker theory is how out of 296 00:22:13,070 --> 00:22:15,230 the subject was in Tomball itself. 297 00:22:15,830 --> 00:22:19,610 The neighbors never reported seeing the Nissan Frontier truck in the housing 298 00:22:19,610 --> 00:22:24,810 complex prior to that night, and it wasn't recorded on CCTV cameras in the 299 00:22:24,810 --> 00:22:26,730 or days leading up to the murder. 300 00:22:26,970 --> 00:22:30,710 For the stalker to have been following Liz leading up to the shooting, they 301 00:22:30,710 --> 00:22:34,650 would have had to stalk her discreetly, using another vehicle and tracking her 302 00:22:34,650 --> 00:22:38,320 every movement to confirm that she would be alone when she... she was. 303 00:22:38,780 --> 00:22:43,720 Because the garage sale was not widely broadcast or marketed to the public, the 304 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,020 stalker wouldn't have known to go out to the neighborhood that morning. 305 00:22:47,580 --> 00:22:52,620 Coincidentally showing up would require an intense amount of dumb luck, and by 306 00:22:52,620 --> 00:22:57,340 all accounts, this was a calculated assassination, beyond the odds of pure 307 00:22:57,340 --> 00:23:02,600 fortune. We must also remember that the stalker was wearing what some believe is 308 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,740 a disguise in the security footage. 309 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:08,440 with a long robe and possible wig hiding their true identity. 310 00:23:08,860 --> 00:23:13,360 It is possible that the stalker was going an extra mile to hide who they 311 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:18,460 are, but that also goes against what a stalker typically is, someone in the 312 00:23:18,460 --> 00:23:22,460 shadows, undetected, a disguise not necessary. 313 00:23:23,020 --> 00:23:27,660 That is unless the shooter wasn't a random stalker, but someone with a more 314 00:23:27,660 --> 00:23:32,320 personal relationship to Liz, who somehow knew about the garage sale. 315 00:23:32,910 --> 00:23:37,270 Again, this is banking on the idea that detectives did not obtain a list of 316 00:23:37,270 --> 00:23:40,770 everyone who knew about the garage sale and clear them of involvement. 317 00:23:41,130 --> 00:23:45,910 If they did, which frankly should have been routine investigative work, it 318 00:23:45,910 --> 00:23:48,370 be immensely difficult to slip through the cracks. 319 00:23:48,690 --> 00:23:53,510 This is unless the friend or co -worker rented a car, or better yet, borrowed 320 00:23:53,510 --> 00:23:55,270 one from a friend or family member. 321 00:23:55,470 --> 00:23:59,730 This way, if the cops searched car rentals from around the area for that 322 00:23:59,730 --> 00:24:04,600 model of a Nissan Frontier Pro 4X, the subject would sneak through the cracks 323 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:08,960 without a public or even private record connecting them with anything. 324 00:24:09,380 --> 00:24:13,980 And while it seems perhaps overly elaborate for a killer to rent a car for 325 00:24:13,980 --> 00:24:18,700 in a murder plot, keep in mind that many think the shooter was also wearing a 326 00:24:18,700 --> 00:24:23,020 disguise, the longer hair appearing more like a wig than a natural hairstyle. 327 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:28,520 Of course, this is impossible to discern on such a low -quality camera feed, and 328 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,320 can neither be confirmed nor denied. 329 00:24:30,940 --> 00:24:35,080 But if the killer dressed up, they may also have used a car under someone 330 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:39,900 name, knowing there could be many prying eyes identifying the make and model of 331 00:24:39,900 --> 00:24:41,040 their getaway vehicle. 332 00:24:41,740 --> 00:24:46,060 Overall, however, the idea that the killer was a personal friend is hard to 333 00:24:46,060 --> 00:24:50,640 sense of when considering the most recent update from law enforcement 334 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,540 the first words spoken by Liz when the shooter approached her. 335 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:56,960 An unexcited good morning. 336 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:01,700 that was described by law enforcement as a greeting someone would extend to a 337 00:25:01,700 --> 00:25:06,800 stranger or passerby doesn't give much credence to the thought that Liz knew 338 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:10,540 killer. Again, this loops back to the disguise theory. 339 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:14,600 Liz simply may not have recognized her killer at first glance. 340 00:25:14,900 --> 00:25:19,140 We also must remember that it was just 6 .50 in the morning. 341 00:25:19,470 --> 00:25:24,270 In the very early phases of daylight, the shadows of twilight may have cloaked 342 00:25:24,270 --> 00:25:29,290 the face of the perpetrator. We also don't know what exactly the killer and 343 00:25:29,290 --> 00:25:34,770 spoke about in the eight seconds between good morning and gunfire. Once the 344 00:25:34,770 --> 00:25:38,370 killer got close, Liz may very well have realized who it was. 345 00:25:38,750 --> 00:25:44,450 The CCTV footage doesn't reveal any sign of alarm or attempt to flee by Liz, but 346 00:25:44,450 --> 00:25:48,750 the gunman also drew their weapon quickly, allowing very little time to 347 00:25:49,420 --> 00:25:54,200 There are admittedly many holes with this theory, but it is also only one 348 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:58,120 breakthrough or piece of evidence away from explaining everything. 349 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,060 Sadly for now, it is too vague to be counted on. 350 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:07,320 The final theory most discussed by sleuths so far is that the shooter is a 351 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:11,740 contract killer. Someone who was hired by an associate or even a stalker of 352 00:26:11,740 --> 00:26:14,260 Liz's to kill her that fateful morning. 353 00:26:14,460 --> 00:26:18,980 This would explain all the irregularities of the video and the 354 00:26:18,980 --> 00:26:21,200 large as we currently see them. 355 00:26:21,690 --> 00:26:25,610 A contract killer who has no connection to the Barraza household wouldn't be 356 00:26:25,610 --> 00:26:26,890 identified by Liz herself. 357 00:26:27,230 --> 00:26:31,210 The vehicle would not be traced to any of her family and friends, and they 358 00:26:31,210 --> 00:26:35,550 have been given the garage sale information by whoever hired them or 359 00:26:35,550 --> 00:26:37,390 to do such a terrible thing. 360 00:26:38,110 --> 00:26:42,210 Obviously, this depends on the idea that it was someone who knew about the 361 00:26:42,210 --> 00:26:44,630 garage sale that sealed Liz's fate. 362 00:26:44,850 --> 00:26:48,930 But the way that the perpetrator's truck drove around the neighborhood that 363 00:26:48,930 --> 00:26:53,370 morning... makes us believe that they knew Liz would eventually be alone that 364 00:26:53,370 --> 00:26:58,050 day, understanding Sergio would go to work while Liz set up the supplies. 365 00:26:58,650 --> 00:27:02,790 There's even a hypothesized conversation to go with this theory, with some 366 00:27:02,790 --> 00:27:06,890 thinking that the 8 second conversation before the muzzle flashes consisting of 367 00:27:06,890 --> 00:27:12,510 the killer asking if Liz was who she really was, if her garage sale was 368 00:27:12,510 --> 00:27:16,650 garage sale, and then firing the gun when Liz confirmed this. 369 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:22,080 It should be noted that if the killer was hired by contract, they were by no 370 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:26,880 means a professional assassin or had much experience in violent crime. 371 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,700 Someone who murders with intent per contract surely wouldn't have been so 372 00:27:31,700 --> 00:27:35,980 obvious, would have used silencing techniques for maximum stealth, and most 373 00:27:35,980 --> 00:27:39,980 certainly wouldn't have done it wearing a pair of boots and a long flowing robe. 374 00:27:40,260 --> 00:27:44,180 There are of course thousands of characters around the country that might 375 00:27:44,180 --> 00:27:46,480 that bill, but a hired gunman... 376 00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:51,980 likely isn't one of them. Is this, by design, another way to camouflage intent 377 00:27:51,980 --> 00:27:53,720 with ridiculousness? 378 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:59,000 It can't be ruled out, but at this point everything is still in play. 379 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:08,200 Before we divulge our hypothesis of Liz Barraza's unsolved murder, we want to 380 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,260 make known that our conclusions presented in Cold Case Detective are 381 00:28:12,260 --> 00:28:14,740 logical speculation based on evidence 382 00:28:26,940 --> 00:28:31,120 We simply observe, research, and report. 383 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:37,160 In the case of Liz Barraza, we believe that she was, in fact, murdered by an 384 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,880 associate, whether it be a co -worker or someone she met at either a cosplaying 385 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,500 convention or other fandom -related events. 386 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:49,760 Who this could be, whether it was a male or female, is impossible to specify. 387 00:28:49,940 --> 00:28:54,920 However, we are confident that whoever it was committed murder due to an 388 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,140 unsolved confrontation with Liz. 389 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,920 It was someone who was silent in their wrath, but instead of sorting out 390 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:06,340 whatever differences they may have had, turned into a cold -blooded murderer to 391 00:29:06,340 --> 00:29:07,860 try and solve their problems. 392 00:29:08,340 --> 00:29:12,640 Whether the long hair was a wig or the robe and boots the disguised can't be 393 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:17,600 proven at the moment, but it can be assumed that in those eight seconds 394 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:21,740 Liz cautiously greeted them with a good morning, the killer laid out what they 395 00:29:21,740 --> 00:29:26,500 were about to do before firing the gun four times at point -blank range. 396 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,780 Whoever the killer was then ran off, got rid of their vehicle when its 397 00:29:30,780 --> 00:29:34,460 description hit the rounds of local news, and either seamlessly embedded 398 00:29:34,460 --> 00:29:39,200 themselves back into society like nothing ever happened, or dropped off 399 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:43,960 completely. We also believe that whoever it was did know about the impending 400 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,860 garage sale, and used that to their advantage. 401 00:29:47,610 --> 00:29:51,830 They probably canvassed the Tomball suburbs previously, and maybe even 402 00:29:51,830 --> 00:29:57,290 the Barraza residence prior to January 25th to decode Sergio's movements and 403 00:29:57,290 --> 00:29:59,630 know the window in which to strike. 404 00:29:59,910 --> 00:30:06,290 It's all additional support to the fact that this was premeditated murder, not a 405 00:30:06,290 --> 00:30:09,650 whimsical dark fantasy born from someone's nightmare. 406 00:30:10,230 --> 00:30:15,800 Nobody just woke up one morning and decided to drive to southeastern Texas 407 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:17,320 kill an innocent young woman. 408 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:22,320 This was no serial killer. This was no escaped convict. 409 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:28,060 This was someone who chose, with every fiber in their body, to commit an evil 410 00:30:28,060 --> 00:30:33,100 act. They picked the red paint for the walls. They were not forced or held at 411 00:30:33,100 --> 00:30:34,100 gunpoint themselves. 412 00:30:34,420 --> 00:30:39,080 And therefore they shall be pursued as such, as the cold -blooded killer they 413 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:43,340 are, deserving of all the justice that is awaiting to befall them. 414 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,680 There are not a lot of details to pour out into the world, but there is always 415 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,320 the chance for more to come in. 416 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:54,920 If you have absolutely any connection to Liz or Sergio, or may know something 417 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,640 not yet expressed in this episode or other case coverages, we implore you to 418 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,960 the proper authorities know, so that the offender out there, who is still 419 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,520 running around in the dark, is thrust into the light. 420 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:12,340 Until then, let us return to the moments mentioned in the opening of this 421 00:31:12,340 --> 00:31:17,520 episode, about the brilliant and beautiful way Liz Barraza lived her life 422 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:18,760 her final breath. 423 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:25,820 It may sound cliché, but Liz truly embodied the idealistic lifestyle of 424 00:31:25,820 --> 00:31:26,960 and goodness. 425 00:31:27,450 --> 00:31:31,250 She never lost her will to make the world around her the best version of 426 00:31:31,630 --> 00:31:36,390 impacting each and every person she came into contact with and ensuring their 427 00:31:36,390 --> 00:31:38,210 lives would be improved as well. 428 00:31:38,430 --> 00:31:43,750 She tackled issues with the utmost dignity, helping those in need with 429 00:31:43,750 --> 00:31:49,110 charity. Her tireless work in the 501st Legion was a testament to creative 430 00:31:49,110 --> 00:31:53,830 empathy and passionate imagination, a reminder for everyone that it doesn't 431 00:31:53,830 --> 00:31:56,810 matter about outside opinions or how the world will view you. 432 00:31:57,340 --> 00:32:02,100 If you love something that brings you boundless joy undiscovered anywhere 433 00:32:02,380 --> 00:32:05,500 hold onto it with all of your heart. 434 00:32:05,780 --> 00:32:10,260 In the end, doing what we love and surrounding ourselves with things that 435 00:32:10,260 --> 00:32:13,620 us hope will bring upon the same atmosphere for others. 436 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,700 Liz was the best of her community, and of the community ourselves. 437 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,880 We owe it to her memory to preserve the goodness she spread. 438 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:26,220 We will remember Liz Barraza. 439 00:32:26,990 --> 00:32:32,550 and all the while continue working tirelessly to solve the question of why 440 00:32:32,550 --> 00:32:38,190 was taken away from the world to begin with, making the Tomball terror unsolved 441 00:32:38,190 --> 00:32:39,190 no more. 442 00:32:39,970 --> 00:32:42,770 This is Cold Case Detectives.