A killing that has gone unsolved for half a century is back in the spotlight in Texas. More than 50 years since a young mother was killed in Travis County, her son is now desperately seeking justice.
The loss came when he was still a small child. Willie Reynolds was just 5 years old when his mother, Carolyn Reynolds, was killed.
Investigators have long had a date and a place, but no resolution. The Travis County Sheriff's Office says Carolyn Reynolds was found on August 19, 1974, near Platte Lane and FM 973 in Southeast Travis County, and that she was 23 years old.
She was not the only one hurt that day. Her 14-year-old brother was found the same day with severe injuries on Rosewood Avenue and survived.
The years since have been shaped by that absence. Willie was raised by his aunts and uncles, and he says he has spent the past 52 years wondering what happened, describing his mother as a sweet, hardworking woman.
Now he is making a direct plea. Willie is asking anyone who knows anything, or whoever is responsible, to come forward, saying he just wants justice and answers.
For the sheriff's office, the case is not closed. The Travis County Sheriff says the office never gives up on cold cases, and that as technology continues to advance, detectives look for new ways to analyze evidence, noting that one small piece of information can breathe new life into an investigation.