TYLER, Texas — According to the Tyler Police Department's website, the city currently has 24 cold cases dating back to 1979.
It is important to note these are only cases that fall under the jurisdiction of Tyler police. Additional cold cases may be open through the Smith County Sheriff's Office.
A cold case refers to a crime that has not been solved and is not the subject of a recent criminal investigation, but for which new information could emerge from new witness testimony, DNA evidence, re-examined archives, retained material evidence, as well as fresh activities of the suspect.
New technical methods developed after the case can be used on the surviving evidence to re-analyze the causes, often with conclusive results.
Typically, cold cases are violent or other major felony crimes, such as murder or rape which, unlike unsolved minor crimes, are generally not subject to a statute of limitations. Sometimes disappearances can also be considered cold cases if the victim has not been seen or heard from for some time.
In many instances, the information provided by individual citizens allows law enforcement officials to make breakthroughs in solving difficult cases.
The list can be seen below:
1. Missing Person - Barre Kallan Monigold, 1979
Barre Kallan Monigold was last seen on June 17, 1979, at 3900 Old Bullard Road in Tyler. He went outside to turn the dome light off of his 1978 blue Monte Carlo around 1:00 a.m. and has not been seen since.
When he disappeared, Monigold stood 5'7", and weighed 150 pounds. He had brown hair and blue eyes with a date of birth of September 11, 1955. As of March 3, 2019, he would be 63-years-old.
2. Homicide - Clarine Jones, 1987
On June 13, 1987, an unknown person entered the home of Clarine Jones, located at 1814 South Kennedy Street. The killer stabbed Jones multiple times, sexually assaulted her and left her for dead. Jones was 77-years-old at the time of her death.
3. Double homicide - Mary Hooper and Emmett Lynch, 1987
On October 7, 1987, a visiting nurse went to a home located at 300 South Lyons Avenue to give care to a patient and discovered Mary Hooper, 62, and Emmett Lynch, 57, had both been murdered inside the home.
4. Homicide - Versie Daniels, 1988
On August 29, 1988, witnesses told police a rolling gun battle had occurred in the 300 block of East Queen Street. Two rounds that were fired from a vehicle entered a trailer home that was parked in front at 313 East Queen Street.
Versie Daniels, 79, was struck by a one of the stray rounds and died as a result.
A witness reported numerous Hispanic males were involved in shootout.
5. Homicide - Fulton Honeycutt, 1989
On April 29, 1989, police responded to a home located at 121 East Berta Street on a reports of a man lying motionless in the doorway of his garage apartment.
The victim, identified as Fulton Honeycutt, 56, was dead and police determined his death was a homicide.
Police believe a struggle occurred inside the apartment prior to his death.
6. Homicide - Earl Ashfield, 1989
On September 30, 1989, Tyler police recovered the body from a burned taxi. The body was identified as that of Earl Ashfield who was employed by the taxi company as a driver.
Ashfield was reported missing, along with the company vehicle, early that morning by the owner of the company.
Ashfield indicated to coworkers he may be in trouble prior to his death.
7. Missing person - Megan Garner, 1991
On March 27, 1991, Megan Garner, 3, was on the playground of her apartment complex, located at 4600 Paluxy Drive, playing with her brother and cousin.
She was last seen that morning around 11:00 a.m.
Her date of birth is October 9, 1987. Today, she would be 31-years-old.
8. Homicide - Donald Ray Thedford, 1991
On April 16, 1991, the body of Donald Ray Thedford, 53, was found in an abandoned tin building located at 916 East Oakwood Street.
Evidence at the scene indicated Thedford was murdered.
Police say Thedford was known for riding his black 10-speed bicycle in the neighborhood.
9. Homicide - Kenneth Jones, 1992
On May 30, 1992, Kenneth Jones and a friend were sitting in their vehicle in front of his residence at 1100 West Queen Street.
The two heard several gun shots in the area and stepped out of their vehicle. When Jones exited out the passenger's side, he was shot in the chest by an unknown assailant.
Jones died at a local hospital from the gunshot wound.
10. Homicide - Baltazar Lopez, 1992
On Christmas Day in 1992, Baltazar Lopez was attending a Christmas party at 117 South Horace Street.
Around 3:00 a.m., a disturbance occurred inside the residence and ended up out in front of the residence with gunfire.
Two victims had been shot by a Hispanic male who was seen running from the crime scene, according to police.
Lopez died at the scene.
11. Missing person - Christine Byrd, 1992
On May 27, 1992, Christine Byrd disappeared from her residence located at 2405 Pineburr Road.
At the time of her disappearance, food was left cooking on the stove.
There were no signs of forced entry at her residence.
Byrd stood 5'8" and weighed around 160 pounds when she went missing.
Her date of birth is listed as July 16, 1949. As of March 3, 2019, she would be 69-years-old.
12. Homicide - Will "Chatt" Harold, 1994
On January 4, 1994, Tyler police found Will Harold, 56, shot to death inside his residence, located at 2518 Franchel Street.
It is believed that a disturbance broke out inside the home that ended in gunfire.
13. Homicide - Curtis Moore, 1994
On July 14, 1994, at 12:40 a.m., officers responded to the Corner Market, located at the intersection of Lake Placid Road and Old Jacksonville Highway, on reports of a man who was slumped over the steering wheel of a pick-up.
Upon further investigation, police discovered the man, identified as Curtis Moore, 35, had been shot and killed.
14. Homicide - Carl Yarborough, 1994
On August 25, 1994, officers were called to 1110 West Third Street on a report of a man, identified as Carl Yarborough, who was shot and killed in the house.
Police say several black men were seen running from the residence after gunfire was heard by neighbors.
They were spotted getting into a white pick-up and a white four-door Nissan Altima.
15. Homicide - Larry King, 1996
On December 23, 1996, Tyler police responded to a traffic accident in the 1200 block of North Pabst Street.
A vehicle driven by Larry King had struck a parked vehicle and then ran into a house.
Upon further investigation, officers discovered King had been shot in the head while driving down the street.
King was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
16. Homicide - Tamika Osborn, 1997
On July 5, 1997, a neighbor found Tamika Osborn, 21, dead in her residence located at 1113 South Francis Avenue in the Butler College area.
Investigators believe Osborn cause of death was asphyxiation.
17. Homicide - Oscar Cocolan, 1998
On September 20, 1998, Oscar Cocolan, 17, was standing in the driveway of his home, located at 1727 North Owens Avenue, talking to a friend around 3:30 a.m.
Police say a four-door vehicle with tinted windows drove by very slow with several Hispanic males inside.
Shots were fired from the vehicle striking Cocolan. He died at the scene.
18. Homicide - Jesse Mobley, 2003
On April 25, 2003, Jesse Mobley, 81, was found dead in a two-story condemned building located at 816 West Queen Street.
Police believe Mobley possibly visited a nearby pool hall before his death and may have been in an altercation with someone outside the venue.
19. Homicide - Harold Jones, 2003
On October 6, 2003, several black men wearing dark, hooded sweatshirts walked up to an apartment complex located at 1309 North Ross Street, according to police.
They knocked on the door of an apartment Harold Jones was visiting.
Police say two men entered the residence, pulled out handguns and shot Jones while he was sitting on the couch.
He died at a local hospital from his injuries.
20. Double homicide - James Thompson and Cassius Robinson, 2005
On July 13, 2005, around midnight, Tyler police were called to Wayne's Car Wash, located at 1120 West Bow Street in reference to a shooting.
Police found two victims inside the business had been shot.
They were identified as James Thompson, 66, and Cassius Robinson, 58.
Both victims were taken to a local hospital were they were pronounced dead as a result of their injuries.
21. Homicide - Jerald Little, 2008
On March 27, 2008, Jerald Little, 37, was found dead inside his residence with a gunshot wound.
There were no signs of forced entry and it is believed Little knew his killer.
22. Missing person - Johnny Franklin, 2008
On October 21, 2008, Johnny Franklin was reported missing by his employer who stated Franklin had not shown up for work in several days.
Police recovered Franklin's vehicle behind a church at 3009 North Grand Avenue.
Franklin's date of birth is listed as July 7, 1955. As of March 3, 2019, he would be 63-years-old.
23. Double homicide - Felecia Mosley and Pedro Flores, 2010
On September 11, 2010, Felecia Mosley and Pedro Flores were found shot to death around 3:30 a.m. at a residence located at 909 East Line Street.
Investigators have followed up on numerous leads and need the public's help with a key piece of information to break the case.
24. Homicide - Harold Miller, 2011
On February 24, 2011, the Tyler Fire Department responded to a house fire at 4516 Edinburgh Drive.
Firefighters discovered Harold Miller, 28, dead inside the home.
Investigators say a struggle occurred inside the residence resulting in Miller being stabbed and shot prior to the house going up in flames.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The TPD's mission is to seek justice for all of victims who have become silent and they are seeking the public's assistance to help solve the above homicide/and missing persons cases.
If you have information on any of these cases, please call the TPD at (903) 531-1000. Tipsters may also reach out to Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at (903) 597-2833.
