Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety is renewing its appeal for information in the unsolved 2013 murder of Lillian Desiree Descoteau in Harrison County.
In an effort to generate new leads, DPS has increased the reward to $6,000 for tips leading to the arrest of those responsible—if the tip is received before the next Texas Rangers cold case is featured.
Descoteau, 51, was found dead on October 7, 2013, near the FM 450 ramp onto IH-20, just south of Hallsville. Her partially clothed body was discovered by two truck drivers.
Authorities determined that she had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled. She was last seen wearing a light blue pullover, a white bra, and a single diamond stud earring.
Prior to her death, Descoteau led a transient lifestyle, having lived in multiple states, including Alaska, Colorado, Ohio, Georgia, Maryland, and Louisiana. Her last known residence was in Irving, Texas, where she briefly worked as a commercial truck driver.
This case is one of more than 140 cold cases listed on the DPS website as part of the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program. To boost public awareness and encourage tips, one cold case is highlighted every two months. Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, Texas Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to arrests in these cases.
Tipsters must use one of the following methods to qualify for the $6,000 reward:
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Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
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Submit a tip online through the official DPS tip submission site, selecting “Cold Cases Featured” and “Cold Case” under the relevant categories
Authorities urge anyone with knowledge related to Descoteau’s murder to come forward, stressing that even the smallest detail could be crucial in solving the case.
