The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas

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August 2, 2012

Sheriff still hoping to solve murder

By PAUL STONE Palestine Herald-Press

PALESTINE — Nearly four years after the brutal murder of an 81-year-old Anderson County woman, authorities say they still hope to solve a case which has produced few leads.

Around 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2008, Mary Waters, 81, of Palestine was found deceased by her son, her body just inside the door of her residence on CR 363 off of U.S. 79, approximately 5 miles east of the Palestine city limits.

Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor has said Waters had suffered “a deep neck wound” administered by “some type of sharp instrument.”

Approximately 20 members of a tree cutting crew working near Waters’ residence on the day of her murder were interviewed, but no arrests were made and authorities have not publicly named any suspects in the case.

A total reward of $10,000 -- $5,000 from the Anderson County Crimestoppers and $5,000 from the victim’s family -- also failed to generate any leads.

Authorities have not recovered the murder weapon, and, on Thursday, Taylor admitted the unsolved case “haunts all of us up here.

“Any of those unsolved cases wear on us up here,” Taylor said, “wishing we could solve it, wishing we could get a break.”

Sheriff’s Sgt. Jay Russell has been the case’s lead investigator since the beginning. He and the agency’s other investigators and officers have not let it fade from their memory, the sheriff indicated.

“When they’re (officers) talking to some of our harder core criminals around here, that case is mentioned to see if anybody” has any knowledge  or information, Taylor said.

Taylor has theorized that Waters, who lived alone, “may have startled somebody” who was in the process of breaking into her home or committing some other misdeed.

No  items were missing from the residence, authorities have said.

On Wednesday, Taylor said Anderson County Crimestoppers will still pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the woman’s killer. Crimestoppers may be contacted by calling (903) 729-TIPS (8477).

With each passing year, Taylor admitted it becomes “more difficult for sure” to make an arrest in the case. Despite the virtual standstill, he remains hopeful.

“It’s one of those baffling cases,” Taylor said. “Sooner or later, we’re going to catch the person who did it.”

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

 

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