Thanks to neighborhood surveillance cameras, we know what happened to Liz Barraza, but we still don’t know the reason for this horrific crime three years later.
In the early morning of January 25th, 2019, 29-year-old Elizabeth “Liz” Barraza was setting up for a spur-of-the-moment yard sale in her driveway. Liz hoped to make extra spending money for an upcoming anniversary trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. She was celebrating five years of marriage with her husband, Sergio, and they were both excited about the trip. The couple met while Liz was in college at Sam Houston State University, and the pair eventually married in 2014 and settled in Tomball, Tx, a suburb of Houston.
Liz worked as a data reporter, and Sergio worked with his dad installing flooring. Things were going great for the couple.
A self-professed nerd, Elizabeth loved Harry Potter and Star Wars. Sergio and Liz also loved cosplay and were members of the 501st Legion, a fan group dedicated to recreating Star Wars villain costumes. The couple loved to dress in character and visit sick children in hospitals. She also worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Friends describe her as selfless and kind-hearted.
THE YARD SALE
Liz decided to have this impromptu yard sale the night before the murder. She called out of work and only told a few friends and family about the sale but didn’t announce the garage sale on her social media. Liz and Sergio decided to put yard sale signs around the Princeton Place neighborhood that night.
This is what the security footage tells us.
On Friday the 25th. Liz woke up and, at 6:08 am, drove to Starbucks for coffee. She returned, and Sergio helped her start setting up in their driveway. At 6:47 am, security cameras recorded a black Nissan Frontier pulling into the neighborhood onto Princeton Place Dr. The truck then turned right into the Goddard School parking lot.
The truck leaves at 6:48.
Also, at 6:48 am, Sergio leaves for work in a white panel van.
Two minutes later, at 6:51, the Nissan comes back down the street and heads to the Barraza home.
At 6:52, the Nissan passes Liz’s house, as is seen on the couple’s Ring doorbell camera.
The truck passes the house, does a three-point turn in the street, and stops right before the Barraza home. The killer gets out of the vehicle and walks across the street to Liz’s yard.
The ring doorbell camera recorded audio of the murder, and a neighbor’s camera recorded video. Both are shocking and heartbreaking.
Liz notices the killer approaching and says, “Good morning” This person is dressed in what appears to be a bathrobe or long coat. The suspect has long hair, possibly a wig, and is wearing white knee-high boots—Cops are confident this is a disguise.
Liz jumps back when she notices the person holding a gun.
There are six seconds of conversation, but the voices are muffled. This person then fired three shots into Liz’s chest. Liz collapsed to the ground, and the killer stood over her and viciously fired a fourth and final shot into her head. The killer runs back to the truck and speeds off at 6:53 am.
Two neighbors hear the shots and immediately call 911. The Frontier is seen on the doorbell camera at 6:55 am, driving back by the house as if to make sure Liz was dead and still in the driveway.
Law enforcement was on the scene by 6:58 am. Liz would not survive her injuries and passed away on January 26th. She was an organ donor and saved many lives due to her donation.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is in charge of the investigation. They interviewed Sergio and everyone close to the couple. The killer left no DNA or shell casings, but they quickly learned that several security cameras in the neighborhood had recorded the crime. They also found out the Nissan Frontier had driven through the area at 2 am before the murder.
The killer was driving a black 2013 or new Nissan Frontier with a pro-4x sticker.
This year the Harris County Sheriff’s Office announced that the reward for information in her case has been increased to $50,000.
Please call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477) if you have any information regarding the murder of Liz Barraza.
The police have received hundreds of tips and have traveled to Miami this year to interview a person of interest, but no other information has been released regarding this.
THEORIES
Some believe Liz’s murder was a random act of violence, but nothing points to that being the case.
It’s unlikely she was targeted because of the yard sale as it was a spur of the moment and not advertised. Robbery can be ruled out because the killer took nothing from the crime scene, not even the $100 in cash Liz had for the yard sale.
Liz always left for work well before 7 am to beat the Houston traffic, so she usually wouldn’t be home at the time of the murder. The killer waited for Sergio to leave and parked in an area where the Barraza’s ring camera wouldn’t pick up clear video of the assailant or the vehicle. Was that just luck or direct knowledge of where cameras were positioned?
We know the killer took pains to drive back by the crime scene to make sure Liz was dead.
But who would want to kill Liz Barraza? She had no known enemies or conflicts in her life.
Of course, some people say Sergio is involved. There’s been speculation he was cheating on her. If this is the case, one would assume law enforcement has already discovered this and is aware. It’s hard to hide an entire relationship but not impossible.
Police say no one has been ruled out.
Sergio has been present for press conferences about Liz’s murder and appears very cooperative with the police. He has sold the house he shared with Liz and remarried in November 2021.
My thoughts
I get the feeling like with the Delphi murders, the police know who did this but can’t prove it just yet. They are waiting for one piece of evidence or one person’s alibi to crumble to get the killer. I also think this was a very personal killing, and I believe the killer is female. How did this person know Liz would not be at work that morning and be alone?
Please call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477) if you have any information regarding the murder of Liz Barraza.