Lorraine Diaz Homicide Cold Case Solved Nearly Six Years After Her Death

FORT BEND COUTY, TX -- A six-year-old cold case involving the gruesome murder of a Houston woman who was shot to death by her boyfriend has been solved by Fort Bend County Sheriff’s detectives.

On January 11, 2017, at around 1:42 a.m., Fort Bend County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a burning vehicle in a rural location off FM 762 in Richmond, Texas, south of George Ranch High School. After extinguishing the fire, the body of a young woman was located in the trunk of a car. The woman was identified as Lorraine Diaz, a 21-year-old Hispanic female and the mother of two young children.

Sheriff’s detectives, with support from the Texas Rangers, reopened the case and continued the investigation. A break occurred in the fall of 2022 when additional information was gained which led to the arrest of Johnny Minh Dang, 33, of Richmond, Texas. Dang was considered a prime suspect in Diaz’s death early on, but there was insufficient evidence to charge him with the crime.

“This was an especially brutal murder of a young woman,” said FBCSO Detective Scott Minyard. “I am extremely thankful for the diligent efforts by detectives originally assigned to this case and our Texas Ranger partners, Ranger Pete Luna and Ranger James Wilkins.”

The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force arrested Dang on November 29, 2022. Dang remains in custody at the Fort Bend County Jail on a $500,000 bond and is charged with first-degree murder. Additional charges are expected.

“Our detectives and our Texas Ranger partners worked tirelessly to solve this cold case,” said Sheriff Eric Fagan. “They never gave up, and their persistence ultimately led up to identifying and arresting the suspect of this heinous crime.”