Texas Rangers Offer $6,000 Reward to Identify 1992 Murder Victim
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Unidentified woman found shot dead on Texas ranch in 1992, remains at scene one to three years before discovery.
- Texas Rangers offering $6,000 reward for information identifying victim and killer; modern facial reconstruction created in 2020 to aid investigation.
- No statute of limitations on murder keeps case active; authorities believe community members possess information critical to solving decades-old homicide.
Three Decades Without Answers
On March 2, 1992, a pipeline construction crew found the remains of an unidentified woman on a ranch along FM 2678, about four miles east of Refugio. The woman, whose remains were covered by dense brush, had died from a gunshot wound. It's believed her remains had been at the location between one and three years before she was discovered.
Clothing found at the scene included a long coat, black leotards, a short black dress, a red belt, white knee-high boots and a red earring. No identification for the woman was found with her body. Based on forensic examinations, the woman is believed to be white or Hispanic, between 20 and 35 years old and approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall.
For decades, investigators with the Refugio County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers have worked to identify the woman and arrest her killer. No identifications or arrests have been made.
Modern Technology Brings New Hope
In 2020, forensic artists used new anthropological analysis to produce an updated facial reconstruction image of the woman, hoping to generate more leads. The image is an approximate likeness based on data from that analysis, and hairstyle, hair color and eye color are all open to interpretation and may differ from the woman's actual appearance.
Law enforcement continues to explore forensic testing and is actively investigating the case. Investigators believe members of the community have information that could help identify the woman and those responsible for her murder.
Increased Reward Seeks Justice
A $6,000 reward is available for information leading to an arrest in her murder, but only if the tip is received before the next featured Texas Rangers cold case is announced. Texas Crime Stoppers rewards are increased to up to $6,000 for featured cases to generate additional tips.
To be eligible for cash rewards for this case, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of these two methods: Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). Submit a tip online through this link only and select "Cold Cases Featured" and "Cold Case" in the type of crime and offense type sections.
A System That Never Gives Up
The Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created to assist Texas law enforcement agencies in investigating unsolved homicides or violent serial crimes. Since there is no statute of limitations for the offense of murder, investigators pursue these cases to a successful resolution or until no viable leads remain.
As part of a DPS public awareness program, one case from the Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation (Cold Case) Program is featured bi-monthly to generate new investigative leads and bring attention to these cold cases. Someone, somewhere, holds the key to finally giving this woman her name back and bringing her killer to justice. The increased reward represents more than just money – it's a commitment that her life mattered and her story deserves an ending.