A Texas woman was arrested Friday in connection with a cold-case murder that occurred in 2005. According to KHOU-TV, a local station.
Shelley Susan Thompson Lemoine, 41 years old, has been identified by DNA evidence from a blood-stained rag as the capital murder suspect.
Antonio Rodriguez, 80 and Luz Rodriguez 77 were both bludgeoned in Cleveland, Texas. They were discovered by Carolina Tejeda, their daughter.
According to the outlet police dogs were used to track the scent of a suspect over railroad tracks to a nearby apartment building. However, it did not end there.
Investigators discovered blood in several parts of the home, including one large rug. The rug’s DNA was not identified and it was entered into a database, but no results were returned.
On March 20, 2021, Cleveland (Texas) detectives received a notification from the DNA database system about a hit pointing to Thompson Lemoine. Her sentence was for an unrelated offense in Texas at the time.
According to the outlet, investigators visited the prison to interview Thompson-Lemoine and swab her DNA. She denied any knowledge about the crime or the Rodriguez family.
KHOU was informed by detectives that Thompson-Lemoine had been under investigation for numerous drug- and property-related offenses but she did not receive a felony conviction. She will be released in 2021.
According to police, in 2022, Thompson-Lemoine’s DNA was found to match the DNA on the Rodriguez home’s bloodstained rug.
“Sometimes such small pieces of evidence can solve a case and in this case that piece of carpet that was found inside the home that had a spectacle of blood on it,”KHOU-TV spoke with Chief Darrel Broussad of the Cleveland Police Department.
After reviewing the case, the district attorney determined that there was enough cause to issue an warrant for Thompson-Lemoine. He issued one for Thompson Lemoine’s capital murder on July 5.
Thompson-Lemoine had been released from prison but was then arrested by a Texas Ranger and detectives from the Cleveland Police Department.
Thompson-Lemoine’s bond was set at $1 million.
“After 17 years, it feels good,” said Tejeda, the deceased couple’s daughter.
Investigators continue to search for additional suspects. Multi-County Crime Stoppers can be reached at 1-800-392-STOP if you have any information.