BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A single teen mother raising her 9-month-old baby while attending high school was strangled and left on the side of the road for passerby to find; murder remains unsolved 27 years later.
Carol Reed, 18, was seen for the last time on Monday, December 7, 1993.
Reed's body was found a day later by highway crews on the outskirts of Brownsville off of FM Road 1421 South of Highway 77/83, according to a release from Cameron County Sheriff Eric Garza.
With no identification and semi-nude, Carol's belongings were aired on local news stations for her family and friends to soon receive heartbreaking news with the masses.
The Hanna High School senior's body was found with only a pair of tennis shorts on with a Mickey Mouse watch.
Foul play was instantly suspected, Brownsville PD reported to the Valley Morning Star that Reed was believed to have been strangled.
Police adding that "the woman [Carol Reed] had bruises and marks around her neck."
On December 10, 1993, officials confirmed in a preliminary autopsy report that she had been strangled.
Authorities speculated that Reed had been dead for approximately 12 hours before her body was discovered.
Investigators found a receipt to a local grocery store. Reed had been at the Downtown Lopez Supermarket at 9:20 p.m. Monday night.
Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz in 2014 told ValleyCentral that Reed was seen walking into the market with town other people to buy three bottles of Coca-Cola.
The supermarket did have a surveillance camera, unfortunately, there was no tape inside the camera at the time Reed attended the store.
It is believed that the motive for the teen's death may have been retaliation.
Cameron County Sheriffs investigators reported having no suspects, motives, or leads for the killing on Friday, December 11.
In 2014, officials told ValleyCentral that Jorge Medina was a suspect in Reed's Murder. The Cameron County District Attorneys Office announced the suspect and offered a $10,000 cash reward for the whereabouts of Medina.
Reporters spoke to those Reed left behind closest to her.
Carol's mother, Guillermina Rosales of Ramirez Lane, could not understand her daughter's death.
The Brownsville Herald spoke to Carol's roommate and friend, Norma Flores, who was planning to celebrate her birthday the same Friday of the week she was murdered.
Flores' voice quivered as she spoke of Reed.
Telling the Herald that Carol had planned to celebrate her 18 birthday in a club in Matamoros, as many teens did at that time. Replaying her lasting memories of Carol.
As Reed wasn't able to make the planned celebration, her closest friends celebrated her by gathering and remember what they loved about Carol.
Just as Carol's mother, Flores could not comprehend who would do such a thing as murder Carol.
This case remains an open investigation.
If you have any information on this case, please call the Cameron County Crime Stoppers at their hotline: (866)-350-5551 or (956)-350-5551.
