A family in Jacinto City is hoping someone will come forward with answers in their son’s cold case from 2004. To this day, Abel Vera’s mother, Juanita, does not know when or where her son was murdered.
“Each child has their own talent and their own sweetness,” Juanita Vera said from her garden. “His blooms didn’t come to fruition. When I think about it, I think it was just yesterday.”
The third of four children, Juanita explains that Abel was special in his own way.
“He was an exceptional child. Since he was little, he was very good and kind-hearted. He’d help anybody.”
Born premature, Abel is remembered for his strength and heart. He became an aide who cared for people.
“I’m going to cry. He was my friend,” Juanita said.
His absence still leaves a longing void, even in her dreams.
“I was running to where he was, and I hugged him and wouldn’t let him go. He said, ‘Mom, I’m not there anymore. You need to hold on to the people that are there because I’m not here,’” Juanita recalled.
To this day, authorities are unsure when or where Abel was murdered. His body was found in a ditch in Fort Bend County on April 28, 2004.
“He was beaten to death, beaten and hog-tied and taken out there,” Juanita said.
Investigators believe that after disposing of his body in Fort Bend County, they took his car to Needville and set it on fire.
“They torched it down to the ground,” Juanita said.
“I miss him so much. He was that kid who, like I said, would think about other people before himself all the time,” she added.
Abel’s father passed away years ago, and Juanita is making it her mission to solve her son’s cold case.
