On Nov. 12, 1992, a home health care worker found Raymond “Ray” Adolph Lightner stabbed to death inside his home off Kimbro Street.
TAYLOR, Texas — The Texas Rangers are asking the public for tips in a 1992 cold case involving the murder of an 81-year-old man in Taylor.
On Nov. 12, 1992, a home health care worker found Raymond “Ray” Adolph Lightner stabbed to death inside his home off Kimbro Street.
Lightner was a widower who lived alone and had recently returned home from an assisted living center where he was recovering from a glaucoma procedure.
He regularly kept in touch with family in Taylor and Austin, and had spoken with a family member and another friend the evening before his body was found, Texas DPS said. Before his death, Lightner was known to play dominoes at a local lounge near his home in Taylor.
DPS said detectives interviewed several people and ruled out “multiple” suspects during the initial investigation.
Now, 33 years later, evidence from the case has been submitted for analysis using modern DNA technology.
“The Taylor Police Department and Texas Rangers are actively investigating Lightner’s murder and believe members of the community have critical information that could help them find his killer,” Texas DPS said in a release on Tuesday.
A reward for information leading to an arrest has been increased to $6,000, if the tip is received before the next featured Texas Rangers cold case is announced.
Anyone with any information should call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-252-8477 or submit a tip online though this link and select “cold cases featured” and “cold case” in the type of crime and offense type sections.