VERONICA ANN TAYLOR, 13, was last seen leaving a relative’s residence at the Phoenix Apartments in Lubbock, Texas the evening of 03/25/87. Her body was found the following morning several miles away.1
At the time of her death she was a 6th grade student at Murfee Elementary (now closed), and listed at Phoenix Apartments.
Lorene Taylor, her aunt, says “We never stop thinking about her. We know one day justice will be served.”2
Veronica is interred at the City of Lubbock Cemetery.3
CRIME SCENE
According to Sheriff Sonny Keesee, Veronica’s body was discovered 03/26/87, just before 7am, in a field adjacent to FM 1729 in east Lubbock. Her panties were tied around her neck, and she’d been severely beaten, her face almost unidentifiable. Evidence collected at the scene included a comb and school supplies in her pockets.4
An autopsy later determined cause of death was blunt force trauma (single blow to the back left the head by unknown instrument), and confirmed Veronica suffered sexual assault and been strangled.
THEORIES & SUSPICIONS
Jim Hansen, a Lubbock County Justice of the Peace and former reporter who initially covered the case in 1987, believes her killer(s) were residents of Phoenix Apartments.4
LIMITED INFORMATION
My research revealed very little about Veronica’s background. If you have a reputable source of information, please let me know so it can be incorporated into this summary.
HAVE INFORMATION?
Texas Rangers is working to solve the Veronica Ann Taylor case and bring her killer(s) to justice. If you have information about this crime, please contact detectives at (800) 346-3243 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 252-8477. A reward of $6k is offered for information leading to an arrest.5
Submit corrections/updates here.Sources:
- Texas Rangers: Cold Case Investigation Details, accessed 02/21/22. [↩]
- Everything Lubbock: Family still seeking justice for 13-year-old Veronica Taylor 34 years after brutal murder, published 04/30/21. [↩]
- Find A Grave: Veronica Ann Taylor, accessed 02/21/22. [↩]
- KCBD News Channel 11: 25 years since violent death of Veronica Taylor, accessed 02/21/22. [↩][↩]
- Texas Dept of Public Safety: Increased Reward Offered in Lubbock County Cold Case, accessed 02/21/22. [↩]