HOUSTON — A mother is begging for someone to come forward months after her daughter, 20-year-old Indigo Garza, was murdered.
Houston Police say Garza was killed in the parking lot of a northside apartment complex. KHOU 11 reported last December on the complex, La Casita Apartments on Rosamond, because it saw four murders last year.
“It’s been a nightmare. It’s the worst thing a mother could possibly deal with," said Nancy Bulla, Garza's mother. “She wanted to be a cosmetologist at one point. She had dreams and she wanted to follow them."
On February 23, those dreams were cut short. Houston Police were called to the complex just before midnight. They found Garza shot and killed in the parking lot. Witnesses told police the suspect was in a white mini-van.
“I just don’t know what happened and I really think we all want a little bit of closure," said Emily Stilwell, a friend. "She was probably the strongest person I ever met."
KHOU 11 looked at the Houston Police Department's crime data and found that crime at the complex is down so far this year compared to the same time frame last year. From January through May, there were 52 crimes reported in 2021 and in 2022 there were 28 crimes reported.
Violent crime stayed the same. From January to May, there were 9 violent crimes reported in 2021 and in 2022 there have been 9 violent crimes reported.
“Perhaps she can be a catalyst for change and that’s what we kind of want Indigo’s legacy to spotlight on this complex," said Andy Kahan, director of Victims Services for Crime Stoppers.
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KHOU 11 called Houston City Council Member Karla Cisneros who represents the area. Her staff told us she’s aware of the case and say she’s working with HPD to deploy license plate readers to curb violent crime. Her team also credited Mayor Turner's One Safe Houston program for reducing crime since it started at the beginning of the year.
This mother, though, says she won't rest until her daughter's killer is off the streets.
“Please come forward, please we need your help, we can’t do this on our own," said Bulla.
KHOU 11 reached out to the La Casita Apartments, but a manager told us they are a new team and have no knowledge of the murder. Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.