28 Cold Case Murders Solved in Texas Since 2019

Texas is Solving Cold Cases…

Apr 18, 2025

For decades, the grieving families of murder victims in Texas waited in silence — their pain buried beneath dust-covered police reports, faded photographs, and memories of last goodbyes. 😔🕯️ But in a remarkable display of modern forensic science 🔬 and relentless determination 💪, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has helped crack 28 cold case homicides since 2019. 🗂️⚖️

These long-dormant mysteries — some dating back more than 30 years — were once deemed unsolvable. But thanks to a potent mix of technological advances 🚀 and human perseverance, justice is being served, one case at a time. 🙌

🧬 DNA: The Game-Changer

At the heart of many of these breakthroughs lies the astonishing power of DNA and forensic genealogy. 🧬 In the past, hair strands, skin cells, or blood left at crime scenes were little more than frustrating fragments — whispers of the truth. But now, even microscopic samples can become a full-blown ID parade. 🧑‍⚖️👮‍♂️

Genetic genealogy, which uses public DNA databases to trace familial matches, has exploded as a crime-fighting tool. 🔍 Think of it as a genealogical treasure map — starting from a speck of blood and winding its way through family trees 🌳 to identify suspects who thought they had outrun justice.

And Texas DPS has been among the most aggressive agencies in applying this method.

💼 The Unsung Heroes: Detectives and Texas Rangers

While DNA gets the headlines, it’s the detectives and Texas Rangers who grind away for years — sometimes decades — to piece these puzzles back together. 🧩 Their tireless work includes re-interviewing witnesses 👂, tracking down old acquaintances 👣, combing through storage boxes of evidence 📦, and collaborating with national databases.

Often, the original detectives have retired or passed away. 🧓👮‍♂️ But newer generations have taken up the torch 🕯️, driven by a promise: These victims will not be forgotten. 🙏

📈 Progress by the Numbers

According to the Texas DPS Unsolved Homicides website, nearly 50 cold case homicides have now been resolved — and 28 of those since just 2019. 😮📅 That’s a surge of progress, signaling a new era in criminal justice.

Each solved case is more than a statistic — it’s a grieving mother finding peace 🕊️, a wrongly accused suspect exonerated 🧼, or a community finally letting out a breath it’s held for decades. 😮‍💨

Let’s take a closer look at some of these powerful stories. 🧵

🕯️ Spotlight on Selected Cases

1. The 1981 Murder of Tina Gail Farmer 🌙🧥

Tina was just 21 when her body was found near the I-75 in Tennessee. Though this was outside Texas, the Texas Rangers aided the FBI in solving it through DNA technology that pointed to serial killer Jerry Johns. 😱 His match was confirmed after his death.

This case showed how collaboration and new tools could break old silences. 🤝

2. 1986: The Cold Case of Carolyn Armstrong in Brazos County 🏞️

Carolyn Armstrong was found strangled in her College Station apartment. After decades of dead ends, DNA testing in 2021 identified Harold Tremble, who was already in prison for another offense. 🚨

Thanks to forensic perseverance and reopened investigation strategies, justice finally knocked. 🚪⚖️

3. 1990: The Beaumont Breakthrough – Pamela Milliken’s Case 💔🩸

Pamela was brutally stabbed to death in her home. Though her murder haunted the community for over 30 years, a fingerprint database finally matched a partial print to career criminal Ronnie Reece. 🔎👤

He was arrested in 2022, and Pamela’s sister called it “a divine miracle.” 🙏

4. 1982: Houston’s Little-Known Victim Gets Her Name Back 🧍‍♀️🪦

She was known only as “Jane Doe” for decades, a victim without a name or justice. But new facial reconstruction and DNA tools gave her a name — Susan Hutchinson. With her identity came a lead to her killer, eventually arrested in another state. 🚓

This case proved how giving a name back can sometimes be the key to justice. 🔑

🎯 Why Now? What’s Changed?

The surge in solved cases isn’t a coincidence. Here’s why the last five years have seen unprecedented breakthroughs:

Forensic DNA advances 💡: From STR analysis to SNP testing and touch DNA, labs now work with smaller and older samples.
Open-source genealogy 🌐: Websites like GEDmatch allow investigators to build family trees that eventually zero in on suspects.
Public interest and media pressure 📰: Cold cases are now regularly featured in true crime podcasts 🎧 and Netflix documentaries, reigniting public involvement.
Texas DPS commitment 🤠: The agency launched dedicated cold case units and maintains a public-facing website highlighting unsolved murders. This transparency helps generate tips.

👥 Victims’ Families: Healing in the Face of Heartache

When a cold case is solved, it doesn’t bring back the lost loved one. But it does offer answers. 💬 Sometimes, that closure is the only justice left.

Take the family of Roxanne Johnson, a 16-year-old murdered in Dallas in 1991. Her mother, now in her 80s, said she “cried all night” after the arrest in 2023 — not from sorrow, but relief. 😭❤️

“God didn’t forget her,” she whispered. 🙌

🧊 The Ones Still Cold

Even with these major wins, many families are still waiting. 😔 Texas DPS currently lists 13 “Top Unsolved Homicide Cases,” many from the 1970s and 1980s.

Among them:

Patricia “Tricia” Ann Sullins, found in a ditch in 1983 near Lufkin
Oscar “OJ” Cardenas, murdered in San Antonio in 1998
Darnell Charles, a teenager killed in Houston in 1994

Each of these names represents someone loved, missed, and gone far too soon. 🕊️

The message from DPS is clear: “We won’t stop.” 🚫🏁

🔦 Public Involvement: You Can Help

Many cases are solved not just with science, but with people stepping forward. 👀👂

If you have any information, no matter how small, the Texas DPS urges you to share it. 🧾 Sometimes, an old rumor, a suspicious sighting, or a forgotten detail becomes the key to cracking the case. 🧠

You can view the full list and submit tips here: Texas Unsolved Homicides Website

🗣️ Quotes from the Field

“DNA gives us the clues. But human hearts close the case.” – Sgt. Julio Martinez, Texas Ranger 💬🕵️
“When we bring someone to justice, we do it for the families… but we also do it for Texas.” – Director Steve McCraw, DPS 🚨❤️
“Every solved case is a resurrection.” – Victims’ Advocate Michelle Ortega 🕊️📖

🔚 Final Thoughts: A New Era for Cold Cases in Texas

The 28 cases solved since 2019 are more than headlines. They are proof — that truth, like light, finds its way through even the darkest corners. 🕯️

With every DNA match, every fingerprint analyzed, and every phone call made by a caring citizen, justice wakes up from its long slumber. ⏰⚖️

Texas is not done yet. 💥 The ghosts of the past are speaking, and this time — the Rangers are listening. 🎧🕵️‍♂️

💡 Want to Help?

👉 Visit the Texas DPS Unsolved Homicide Database

👉 Share this article to raise awareness 📲

👉 If you know something, say something. ☎️ Anonymous tips are often the tipping point!

🕯️ Justice delayed is not always justice denied. Let’s keep believing. Let’s keep remembering. Let’s keep solving. 💙