Texas authorities have increased the reward to $6,000 for information in the 1992 stabbing death of 81-year-old Raymond “Ray” Adolph Lightner in his Taylor home.
The Texas Rangers are seeking fresh leads in the 33-year-old cold case. The renewed push comes as investigators apply modern DNA technology to evidence from the case. Texas officials believe community members hold crucial information that could finally identify Lightner’s killer.
A home health worker discovered Lightner’s body on November 12, 1992, at his residence on Kimbro Street. The widower had recently returned from an assisted living center following glaucoma surgery.
Lightner maintained regular contact with family in Taylor and Austin. He spoke with a relative and friend the evening before his death.
The older adult was known for playing dominoes at a local lounge near his home. Initial interviews ruled out multiple suspects.
Taylor Police and Texas Rangers continue actively investigating the murder. The increased reward applies only to tips received before the next featured cold case announcement.
Tipsters must contact authorities through specific channels to qualify for rewards. They can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-TIPS or submit information online through the designated portal.
The case is part of Texas’s bi-monthly cold case spotlight program. The initiative aims to generate new investigative leads for unsolved homicides across the state.
Texas Crime Stoppers, funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, maintains information on over 140 cold cases. The Rangers’ Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program assists local agencies with murder cases that are not subject to a statute of limitations.
