Woman gunned down while setting up for garage sale dies; suspect sought

HOUSTON – A woman who was gunned down by a suspect Friday morning while she was setting up for a garage sale outside a northwest Harris County home died from her wounds on Saturday, according to deputies.

WARNING: Some might find the video displayed below disturbing.

The shooting happened shortly before 7 a.m. in the 8600 block of Cedar Walk Drive near Princeton Place Drive. 

Neighbors heard the gunshots and dialed  911.

“It was three gunshots, real fast, one after the other. Waited a couple of seconds and then it was another gunshot,” Candy Ellis, a neighbor, said.

In surveillance video obtained by KPRC2, 29-year-old Elizabeth Barraza is seen in her driveway, setting up items. A black pickup truck pulls up and a suspect, who appears to be a woman, gets out and walks up to the victim. The suspect appears to pull something out of a jacket or robe. Then the two appear to exchange words.

VIDEO: Surveillance video shows shooting before garage sale

Within around eight seconds, the suspect raises an arm and a flash of light from a gun is seen. The suspect fires three times and Elizabeth Barraza falls to the ground.

The suspect then appears to stand over the Elizabeth Barraza and fires one more shot.

The shooter then runs back to the black pickup truck and drives off.

VIDEO: Aerials of shooting before garage sale

Barraza was taken via LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where she later died.

There were conflicting reports from the Harris County Sheriff's Office earlier Friday about Elizabeth Barraza's condition. KPRC2 was told shortly before 11 a.m. that Elizabeth Barraza had died, then deputies said during a press conference on Friday a short time later that she was in "very critical condition."

The Elizabeth Barraza's mother-in-law, Margarita Barraza, said her son, who is the victim's husband, had just left for work before the shooting.

“They live such a normal life. I don’t know what went on,” said Margarita Barraza.

Cindy Ghrist told KPRC that Liz and her husband were among the few people who reached out to her when she moved into the neighborhood.

"They're outgoing and friendly and they were helpful when I needed it,” Ghrist said.

Investigators are questioning the victim's husband.

Deputies are still trying to determine a motive.

VIDEO: Police give update on woman shot while setting up garage sale

"It looks very deliberate to me," Lt. Stauber with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Harris County Sheriff's Office.