Dec. 29, 1989, began like any other day at the (then) Charter Bank Building on Westheimer Road in Houston.
Employees were preparing for the end of the week, eager for the New Year. But for one worker arriving around 7:15 a.m., the day took a horrific turn. Sprawled on the sidewalk near the shrubbery was the body of a young woman.
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The employee immediately called 911. When officers arrived, they found her lifeless body. She had been shot in the head. The question wasn’t just who killed her, but who she was.
The young woman, who was believed to be between 16 and 22 years old, was Hispanic. She stood around 5′4″ and weighed 160 pounds, with thick, wavy black hair that tumbled 20 inches long. She had scars: a small half-moon-shaped one below her right knee and another on her right forearm.
Her clothes were simple—black “Lee” corduroy pants, a white t-shirt, black socks, and black Coasters lace-up shoes. Investigators found no purse, no wallet, and no ID, but they did find a handwritten schedule.
Detectives determined she was likely killed elsewhere, and her body was dumped outside the office building located at 5433 Westheimer. They scoured databases, hoping her fingerprints would reveal her identity. But there was nothing. Not in local records, not in immigration databases.
The absence of information was baffling. Was she new to the country? A runaway?
Years turned into decades. In 2017, investigators exhumed her body, hoping new technology could reveal answers that eluded them in 1989. Yet, even with advancements, her identity remains unknown.
The Houston Police Department’s Cold Case Squad continues to seek answers, urging anyone with information to come forward.
35 years later, her story deserves an ending, and her killer should be held accountable.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the Houston Police Department Cold Case Squad at 713-308-3618 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.