Dallas police are investigating the death of 27-year-old Mariah Murray as a homicide.
DALLAS, Texas — Dallas police opened a homicide investigation after 27-year-old Mariah Murray was found dead Sunday inside a freezer at an abandoned home in East Oak Cliff, officials and relatives said.
Officers were called about 2:30 p.m. to the 1400 block of Georgia Avenue, where they found Murray’s body. Police have not announced an arrest, named a suspect or released a motive. Investigators also have not publicly detailed the cause of death.
Murray’s family went to the Georgia Avenue home this week seeking answers. Relatives said she was found frozen in a freezer and said someone in the area knows what happened. “Somebody seen her. They know who did it,” Murray’s cousin said.
Dallas Fire-Rescue later responded to a fire at the same abandoned home, just hours after Murray’s body was found. Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Police have not said whether the fire is connected to Murray’s death.
The home sits near the Illinois Avenue DART station. Records cited in local reporting show Murray had several minor past infractions tied to DART, including fare evasion. Family members said those issues did not define her life or explain her death.
Neighbors described the discovery as disturbing. Cesar Labrador, who lives nearby, said he felt for Murray’s family. Another neighbor, who spoke off camera, said the empty home had become a place where people gathered and used drugs.
Relatives described Murray as joyful and playful. “Man, Mariah had a good spirit,” one family member said. “Always laughing.” Another relative said Murray may have faced hard choices, but added, “She didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
Detectives are still working to determine how Murray died and who was with her before her body was found. The case remains open as of May 15, 2026, with no arrest announced.
Author note: Last updated May 15, 2026.