Sath Yem, a 67-year-old Cambodian refugee, was found dead in her North Austin apartment on the morning of September 5, 1985. Her adult son discovered the situation when the family could not reach her; a neighbor’s child entered through an open window after the master key failed. Two small grandchildren who had been in the apartment were unharmed. Police and medical personnel determined she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. The unit was ransacked and about $3,000 in jewelry and up to $5,000 in cash were missing.

A key lead came from one of the children, who identified the intruder as 15-year-old Cambodian-American Doeur Seoung. Detectives arrested Seoung; he admitted to repeated burglaries, produced a handgun and ski mask used in the crimes, and led officers to a hiding place where stolen jewelry was recovered. Prosecutors sought adult charges because of the crime’s brutality, but a judge ordered juvenile court. He was convicted of murder, sexual assault, and burglary and received the maximum juvenile sentence then available: two years at the Texas Youth Commission. The unrecovered cash was believed to have been used to buy a motorcycle later seized by police.

Anyone who knew Sath Yem, her family, or the neighborhood in 1985 and has information that could add detail to the case is asked to come forward.