1981 murder of real estate agent remains cold case investigators hope to solve

Virginia Freeman

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety is hoping the public can help solve a cold case.

On Dec. 1, 1981, Virginia "Ginger" Freeman was found murdered behind a vacant rural residence in Brazos County.

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Authorities said Freeman was a real estate agent and she was showing the property to a man who claimed to be a potential buyer.

Earlier in the day, a man called Freeman's office saying he was a cash investor interested in property in the Bryan-College Station area, according to authorities.

Freeman made arrangements to meet the man at a rural property listed for sale on Greens Prairie Road, authorities said.

Freeman, 40, stopped by her house around 3 p.m. She told her children about the potential sale.

Some time after 7 p.m., Freeman's husband reported her missing.

Her husband found Freeman's vehicle parked at the residence for sale on Greens Prairie Road.

Her body was found behind the vacant residence.

An autopsy revealed that around 3:30 p.m., Freeman was struck on her head, strangled and stabbed to death.

A reward up to $6,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the person or people responsible, if the tip is received before next month’s featured case is announced. The Brazos County Crime Stoppers also is offering a reward up to $1,000 associated with this case.

To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). All tips are anonymous.

Individuals also can submit information to the Brazos County Crime Stoppers hotline at 979-775- TIPS (8477), through the Texas Ranger Cold Case website or contact the DPS Missing Persons Hotline at 1-800-346-3243.

The DPS Texas Rangers’ Unsolved Homicides website provides information on more than 75 cases in an effort to help garner public interest in unsolved or “cold cases.” Texas Crime Stoppers recently began offering rewards (funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division and administered by DPS) of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for any cold case listed on the website. For more information, visit the Texas Ranger cold case website.

As part of a DPS public awareness program, one case from the Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation (Cold Case) Program is featured each month in an effort to generate new investigative leads and bring attention to these cold cases.

The Texas Crime Stoppers reward is increased up to $6,000 for the featured case in hopes that the higher reward money will generate additional tips. The higher reward amount will only be paid if the tip is submitted before the next case is featured.

The Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created to assist Texas law-enforcement agencies investigating unsolved murders or violent serial crimes. Since there is no statute of limitations for the offense of murder, investigators pursue these cases to a successful resolution or until no viable leads remain.

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