Marilu Geri

Marilu Geri was a 33-year-old woman building an affluent life with her husband in Fort Bend County, Texas. She and her husband, Stephen Geri, had recently moved into an upscale home in the Tealbriar subdivision, where they also operated an insurance business together. Marilu, a real estate agent, was described as a young, vibrant woman who, by all accounts, projected the image of success and happiness alongside her husband of three years. But beneath the surface, family members would later say her marriage was troubled. On what should have been a day of celebration, her life was cut violently short, leaving her family with decades of unanswered questions.

The morning of February 14, 1986, was meant to be festive. Marilu was planning a party at her home on Chalford Street to celebrate both Valentine's Day and her mother's birthday. Her mother, Maria Serrato, was scheduled to come over to help with the preparations. Shortly after 8:15 a.m., Stephen Geri called his mother-in-law and asked her to head to the house. When Maria tried calling her daughter, however, there was no answer. Worried, she drove to the home and made a devastating discovery. She found Marilu on the floor, bleeding and unresponsive. Paramedics were called, and Marilu was rushed to Fort Bend Community Hospital, but she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

An autopsy revealed that Marilu had been shot four times with two different handguns, a.38 caliber and a.22 caliber. Investigators from the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office found no signs of forced entry into the home. While her jewelry box was open, and her husband later claimed that tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry was missing, Marilu's mother believed the scene was staged and that robbery was not the motive. The investigation quickly focused on those closest to Marilu.

Her husband, Stephen Geri, told investigators he had left the house early that morning, around 6:30 a.m., to run errands before a busy day. He provided an alibi, with witnesses confirming his stops at a convenience store, a post office, and a donut shop. However, a private investigator hired by Marilu's family found discrepancies in his timeline, suggesting he had more unaccounted-for time that morning than he claimed. Stephen owned several handguns, but ballistics tests determined they were not the weapons used in the murder. He has long been considered a person of interest by law enforcement and suspected by Marilu's family, but he has always maintained his innocence and has never been charged with the crime.

For over three decades, Marilu's family has been a voice for her, desperate for justice. "Our lives have been completely changed for 32 years...we've been waiting for some justice for Marilu," her brother, Luis Serrato, said in 2018. Her sister, Diana Serrato Burkhart, spoke of the pain of knowing the killer remains free. "It's hard knowing that the person responsible for this is living their life... enjoying things and not giving a second thought to what they did to our family," she said. Maria Serrato, who found her daughter's body on a day that was supposed to celebrate her own birthday, has lived with the nightmare for the rest of her life.

The case gained national attention when it was featured on the television show "Unsolved Mysteries," but it has remained a cold case. As of February 2018, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office confirmed the investigation is still active. Sheriff Troy Nehls stated, "This was a tragic crime that has lingered for more than 30 years. Despite the time frame, we are hoping there are residents who remain in the Houston area or elsewhere who might recall some detail that will lead to an arrest." Detectives have submitted physical evidence from the scene for re-analysis, hoping that modern forensic technology can uncover new leads that were missed in 1986.

In an effort to generate new information, Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers has increased the reward for tips that lead to an arrest in Marilu Geri's murder. A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered. Anyone with information is urged to call Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers at (281) 342-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at www.fortbend.crimestoppersweb.com. All tips can be made anonymously.