Texas Rangers seek identity of teen victim

The Texas Rangers and Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office hope a new facial reproduction of a teenage homicide victim, found in Lubbock County four days after Christmas in 2005, will help identify him.  With the image and active effort to expand the search regionally, Rangers hope to, “bring him home for the holidays.”

The victim suffered a violent death and was discovered in a wooded ravine outside of Lubbock (near Buffalo Springs Lake/Yellow House Canyon), near the intersection of FM 835 and FM 3020. He was found by a motorist who had pulled over to make a cell phone call on Dec. 29, 2005. 

Investigators believe that the victim could be from the Lubbock area, somewhere else in Texas or from a neighboring state. The Texas Rangers and Lubbock County investigators hope this new forensic drawing will result in information that will help bring the victim home.

The victim’s DNA profile is already on file with law enforcement, so a DNA sample from the victim’s relative, if provided, could identify him. Although DNA from the victim’s parent or sibling is preferred, any relative may submit their DNA to be matched with the victim’s. Anyone wishing to submit their DNA for this case should contact Texas Ranger Sergeant Tony Arnold in Lubbock at 806-472-2885, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division Sergeant Terry Stephens at 806-775-1600 or the DPS Unidentified Persons and DNA Unit at 1-800-346-3243.

The victim is believed to be a black male (possibly of mixed race but predominately of African-American descent). His age is estimated at 12 to 19 years old (most likely between 12 and 16 years old), and his height was approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches. At the time of his death, the victim was wearing a white short-sleeved t-shirt, size large gray sweat pants, underwear size 36-38, white socks and no shoes.

The victim also had other physical traits that are unique to him, including the fact that he had six lumbar vertebrae, which is uncommon. He and his family may or may not have been aware of this physical anomaly. Also, his lower canine teeth are rotated inward (facing his incisors), and his upper canines are still “baby teeth.” For a closer examination of his smile, please see the drawing with this story.

For more information on this case, please visit the Missing Persons Clearinghouse by clicking here. 

Law enforcement encourages anyone with a missing relative to contact the agency that investigated their relative’s disappearance to submit a familial reference sample of DNA. The process is simple and free, but must be done through a law enforcement agency.