Grieving Father and Former Marine Dead by Suicide in Texas after Spending 2 Decades in Search for Daughter’s Murderer
A grieving father from Texas, who dedicated a significant portion of his life to uncovering the truth behind his daughter’s tragic murder in 2002, has sadly taken his own life outside a sheriff’s office.
A tragic incident occurred in Bonham this morning when a 76-year-old Marine and Vietnam veteran, Jerry Harris, took his own life in the parking lot of the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office. On Tuesday morning, local authorities informed KXII, a news outlet. According to the outlet, Harris left a letter behind, clarifying that his suicide was not connected to his daughter’s murder case.
For the past 22 years, Harris held onto the hope that justice would finally be served following the tragic murder of his daughter, Jennifer Harris, at the age of 28.
A woman named Jennifer was last seen alive on May 12, 2002. Her green Jeep was found abandoned along the road. After six days, her body was discovered in the Red River by fishermen, in a state of decomposition. The cause of death was determined to be a homicide, yet the case has remained unresolved to this day.
According to Jim Holloway, a private investigator involved in the case, there is optimism that the murder investigation will be reexamined with renewed vigor due to recent changes in county leadership.
“I vividly recall his overwhelming sadness and despair during that time, as he felt completely lost and without anyone to confide in,” Holloway shared about Harris. He was completely overwhelmed, consumed by a deep sense of sadness and sorrow.
Cody Shook, the recently elected Fannin County sheriff, has announced plans to review all of the department’s cold cases. With the advancement of modern technology, Shook believes that a fresh perspective could potentially lead to new breakthroughs in these unsolved cases.
Shook expressed the importance of providing closure to all families and expressed eagerness to review the cases and explore potential investigative avenues.
Sheriff Mark Johnson has made a commitment to pursue the investigation into the tragic murder of Harris’ oldest daughter. However, progress has been hindered due to mishandling of crucial evidence.
Prior to the discovery of Jennifer’s body, Harris mentioned that he was only getting a few hours of sleep each night. He dedicated the rest of his time to tirelessly searching and driving along country roads, keeping an eye out for any signs of buzzards.
“That’s what I did…until they discovered her,” he added.
Following the program’s broadcast, Harris expressed her gratitude for the attention brought to her case.
Source: The Independent
