TYLER, Texas — The City of Tyler is home to numerous cold cases.
A cold case refers to a crime that has not yet been solved to the full 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.
According to the Tyler Police Department, 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.
Below is a list of current cold cases within the city of Tyler, according to the city's cold cases webpage:
- June 17, 1979 - Barre Kallan Monigold (Missing Person)
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 a.m. and has not been seen since.
Monigold was 5'7", 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. His date of birth is September 11, 1955.
- June 13, 1987 - Clarine Ann Jones (Homicide)
On June 13, 1987, an unknown suspect gained entry into Clarine Jones's residence located at 1814 S. Kennedy Street. The suspect stabbed Jones multiple times, sexually assaulted her and left her for dead. Jones was 77 at the time of her death.
- October 7, 1987 - Mary Hooper and Emmett Lynch (Double-Homicide)
On October 7, 1987, a visiting nurse went to 300 S. Lyons to give care to a patient and discovered that Mary Hooper (age 62) and Emmett Lynch (age 57) were both found murdered inside their residence.
- August 29, 1988 - Versie C. Daniels (Homicide)
On August 29, 1988, witnesses told police that 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 of 313 E. Queen. Versie Daniels, age 79, was struck by a one of those stray rounds and died as a result. A witness reported that numerous Hispanic males were involved in this gun battle.
- April 29, 1989 - Fulton Honeycutt (Homicide)
On April 29, 1989, police responded to 121 1/2 East Berta Street on a report of a male lying motionless in the doorway of his garage apartment. The victim was found deceased and evidence determined that it was a Homicide. The victim was identified as Fulton Honeycutt, age 56. Police believe that a struggle occurred inside the apartment prior to his death.
- September 30, 1989 - Earl Thomas Ashfield (Homicide)
On September 30, 1989, Tyler Police recovered the body from a burned Taxi Company vehicle that was identified as 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 Taxi Company. Ashfield indicated to the Taxi Company employee that he may be in trouble before he was no longer heard from.
- March 27, 1991 - Megan Elizabeth Garner (Missing Person)
On March 27, 1991, 3-year-old Megan Garner was on the playground of her apartment complex located at 4600 Paluxy playing with her brother and cousin. Megan was last seen that morning around 11 a.m. when she came up missing. Megan's date of birth is October 9, 1987.
- April 16, 1991 - Donald Ray Thedford (Homicide)
On April 16, 1991, fifty three-year old Donald Ray Thedford's body was found in an abandoned tin building located at 916 East Oakwood Street. Evidence at the scene indicate that Thedford was murdered. Thedford was known for riding his black 10-speed bicycle in the neighborhood.
- May 30, 1992 - Kenneth Jones (Homicide)
On May 30, 1992, Kenneth Jones and a friend were sitting in their vehicle in front of his residence located at 1100 1/2 W. Queen Street. The two subjects heard several gun shots in the area and stepped out of their vehicle. When Jones exited out the passenger side he was shot in the chest by an unknown assailant. Jones died at a local hospital from the gunshot wound.
- December 25, 1992 - Baltazar Lopez (Homicide)
On December 25, 1992, Baltazar Lopez was attending a Christmas Party at 117 S. Horace Street. Around 3 a.m. a disturbance occurred inside the residence that 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. Lopez died at he scene.
- May 27, 1992 - Christine Starrine Byrd (Missing Person)
On May 27, 1992, Christine Byrd disappeared from her residence located at 2405 Pineburr. At he time of her disappearance, food was left cooking on the stove. There were no signs of forced entry at her residence. Byrd's date of birth is July 16, 1949, she was 5'8" tall and weighed approximately 160 pounds.
- January 4, 1994 - Will C. "CHATT" Harold (Homicide)
On January 4, 1994, Officers found Will Harold, age 56, shot to death inside his residence located at 2518 Franchel. It is believed that a disturbance broke out inside the residence that was lit up with gunfire.
- July 14, 1994 - Curtis Moore (Homicide)
On July 14, 1994, at 12:40 a.m., Officers responded to the Corner Market located at Lake Placid Road and Jacksonville Hwy on a subject that was slumped over the steering wheel of a Chevy pick-up. Upon further investigation they discovered that the subject later identified as Curtis Moore, age 35, had been shot and was deceased.
- August 25, 1994 - Carl Yarborough (Homicide)
On August 25, 1994, Officers were called to 1110 W. Third Street on a report of the resident found shot in his house. The resident was identified as Carl Yarborough, age 36, who was found deceased from a gunshot wound. Several Black male suspects were observed running from the residence after gunfire was heard by neighbors. The suspects were observed getting into a white, pick-up and a white four door Nissan Altima.
- December 23, 1996 - Larry King (Homicide)
On December 23, 1996, Tyler Police responded to a traffic accident in the 1200 block of N. Pabst Street. A vehicle driven by Larry King had struck a parked vehicle and then ran into a house. Upon further investigation officers discovered that King had been shot in the head while driving down the street. King was transported to a local hospital and died from his injuries. It is unknown who fired the weapon that killed King.
- July 4, 1997 - Tamika Dianrochell Osborn (Homicide)
On July 5, 1997, a neighbor found 21 year-old Tamika Osborn dead in her residence located at 1113 S. Francis in the Butler College area. Investigators believe that the cause of death to Osborn was asphyxiation.
- September 20, 1998 - Oscar Cocolan (Homicide)
On September 20, 1998, Oscar Cocolan, age 17, was standing out in his driveway located at 1727 N.Owens talking to a friend around 3:30 a.m. A 4-door vehicle with tinted windows drove by very slow with several Hispanic males inside. Shots were fired from this vehicle striking Cocolan where he died at the scene.
- April 25, 2003 - Jesse Mobley (Homicide)
On April 25, 2003, eighty-one year old Jesse Mobley was found dead in a two story condemned building located at 816 West Queen Street. Mobley possibly visited a nearby pool hall before his death and might have been in an altercation with someone outside the pool hall.
- October 6, 2003 - Harold Jones (Homicide)
On October 6, 2003, several black male suspects wearing dark hooded sweatshirts arrived on foot at 1309 N. Ross Street. They knocked on the door of an apartment that Harold Jones was visiting. Two suspects entered the residence, pulled out handguns and shot Jones while he was sitting on the couch. Jones died later in a local hospital from injuries he sustained.
- July 13, 2005 - James Thompson and Cassius Robinson (Double-Homicide)
On July 13, 2005, around 12:00 a.m., Tyler Police were called to Wayne's Car Wash located at 1120 W. Bow in reference to a shooting. Police found two victims inside the business that had been shot. They were identified as James Thompson, B/ M, age 66 and Cassius Robinson, B/M, age 58. Both victims were transported to a local hospital were they were pronounced dead from their fatal wounds.
- March 27, 2008 - Jerald Depaul Little (Homicide)
On March 27, 2008, Jerald Little, age 37, was found deceased inside his residence with a gunshot wound. Their were no signs of forced entry into the residence and it is believed that Little knew his assailant.
- October 21, 2008 - Johnny William Franklin (Missing Person)
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 found at 3009 N. Grand behind a Church. Franklin's date of birth is July 25, 1955.
- September 11, 2010 - Pedro Flores and Felecia Mosley (Double-Homicide)
On September 11, 2010, Felecia Mosley and Pedro Flores were found shot to death at a residence located at 909 E. Line Street, around 3:30 a.m. Investigators have followed up on numerous leads and need your help with the key piece of information to break this case.
- February 24, 2011 - Harold Miller (Homicide)
On February 24, 2011, the Tyler Fire Department responded to a fully engulfed house fire at 4516 Edinburgh. Firefighters discovered a deceased male victim inside the residence identified as Harold Miller, 28. Investigators know that a struggle occurred inside the residence where Miller had been stabbed and shot prior to the house catching fire.
The Tyler Police Department’s mission is to seek justice for all of those victims that have become silent.
"We need your assistance in solving these Unsolved Homicide and Missing Person Cold Cases" the TPD website says.
If you have information that might be useful, please call the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000, or you can call Tyler Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.