Elizabeth Barraza

Case background and investigation

Elizabeth "Liz" Barraza, a 29-year-old resident of the Tomball area of northwest Harris County, Texas, was shot in the driveway of her home in the 8600 block of Cedar Walk Drive on the morning of January 25, 2019, as she set up for a garage sale. According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the attack occurred shortly after her husband, Sergio Barraza, had left for work around 7 a.m. A neighbor's surveillance camera and the couple's own doorbell camera captured a person walking up the driveway, firing multiple shots, and fleeing. Barraza was critically wounded and, according to authorities and family, was pronounced dead at a hospital the following day, January 26, 2019. Investigators said nothing was stolen and a cashbox was left untouched, leading them to describe the killing as premeditated rather than a robbery.

Investigators said the shooter appeared to be disguised, wearing boots, a nightgown-style dress or muumuu, and possibly a wig, and that the person went to considerable lengths to conceal their appearance. Detectives said the weapon used was a revolver, noting that no shell casings were recovered at the scene; the Harris County Sheriff's Office publicly confirmed the revolver detail in 2022. From neighborhood and doorbell footage, police identified the suspect's vehicle as a dark-colored Nissan Frontier pickup, described in some accounts as a black 2013 model bearing a "Pro-4X" decal, and released enhanced video in hopes of generating tips. Crime Stoppers announced an initial reward in February 2019 that was later increased to $50,000.

No one has been arrested or charged, and authorities have not publicly named a suspect. Police have said they interviewed at least one person of interest, reported in some accounts to have been located in Miami, Florida, but investigators have released few details. Elizabeth's father, Bob Nuelle Jr., has publicly stated his belief that his daughter was killed in a murder-for-hire plot, saying the family believes the shooter was paid; this is characterized in reporting as the family's theory rather than an established or adjudicated fact. The Texas Rangers, the FBI, and the Texas Anti-Gang Unit have assisted the Harris County Sheriff's Office at various points. As of 2025 and into 2026, the case remains unsolved and open, the $50,000 reward remains active, and the family continues public-awareness efforts, including a memorial bench dedicated in Tomball's Burroughs Park in January 2025.