Bedford mother appeals for help in finding daughter’s killers
BEDFORD — The mother of a slain teen fought back tears Wednesday afternoon as she appealed for help to find the killer or killers of her daughter whose body was dumped in a secluded area of Williamson County near Austin.
Latina Woods said she doesn’t know why someone would kill her 18-year-old daughter Tynesia Brown and then leave her body near Interstate 35. Brown’s body was found Monday morning. “I keep expecting her to call,” Woods said. “The not knowing why has been very hard.” Woods talked to repoters in small groups one after the other Wednesday afternoon at the Bedford police station in hopes that someone would come forward with information about her daughter’s killing. Brown’s body was found about 9:30 a.m. Monday in an isolated area of County Road 370 just off Interstate 35 south of Jarrell. The town is about 40 miles north of Austin in Willliamson County. Woods last saw her daughter Friday moring at their Bedford home. “I thought she was staying with friends during the weekend,” Woods said. “I tried to call and text her all weekend.” Officials with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department and Texas Rangers say they believe that Brown, who died from a gunshot wound, was killed somewhere along Interestate 35 and her body dumped near Jarrell. Investigators say the teen had been traveling with an African-American man and woman in a silver sedan. The three are believed to have visited truck stops and hotels up and down Interstate 35. Detectives are not ruling out that the killing may have occurred in a hotel room. “I don’t know anyone with a car like that,” Woods said. “If I did, I would have already called police.” Authorities say they believe the suspect may be known in the North Texas area. Woods said she was unaware of her daughter traveling on the interestate with a man and woman. Bedford police Lt. Kirk Roberts said Wednesday that no missing person report was filed. “I even texted her Monday morning to tell her to call and that I loved her,” Woods said. Woods described her daughter as a typical teen-ager, with her share of problems, but nothing major. Born in Mississippi, Brown was home-schooled and had been looking forward to going back to her home state for Thanksgiving. “She could hardly wait to get back to her family,” Woods said. “She loved her family.” A $5,000 reward has been offered for information in the case through Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information should call the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department at 512-943-1300, the Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-253-7867 or North Texas Crime Stoppers 1-877-373-8477.Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763