Connie Fulton

A woman is stabbed to death in a school yard
On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1991, the life of Connie Fulton, a 26-year-old African-American woman, was tragically cut short in San Antonio, Texas. Her death left a void in the lives of those who knew her and began a mystery that has now spanned decades, leaving a community with unanswered questions.

In the early morning hours, the San Antonio Police Department received a call reporting a sexual assault in progress in the 700 block of South Hackberry Street. When officers arrived at the scene, they made a grim discovery in the schoolyard of what was then Douglas Elementary School. Connie was found deceased, her body barely clothed. An autopsy would later confirm she had been brutally stabbed multiple times. The location of the crime, a place meant for the safety and joy of children, added a particularly disturbing element to the violence of her death.

The initial investigation provided some early, though frustratingly incomplete, leads. Investigators learned that shortly before she was killed, Connie had been seen arguing with two unidentified individuals. Police believed that she likely knew her attacker or attackers and publicly stated their interest in speaking with the two people from the argument, hoping to identify them and learn what they knew. Despite this, the trail seemed to go cold, and the identities of those individuals, as well as their connection to the crime, have never been publicly established.

The San Antonio Police Department has continued to work on Connie's case over the years, periodically bringing it back into the public eye in the hope of generating new leads. Her murder became one of the cold cases highlighted by the Crime Stoppers program. In February 2012, police made a renewed push for information, with Lt. Chris Benavides noting an increase in calls for the various cold cases being featured. "We have noticed an uptick in cold calls coming in for the different cases so that's a good thing," he said at the time, remaining optimistic that new clues would emerge.

To encourage public cooperation, Crime Stoppers has consistently offered a financial incentive for information. A reward of up to $5,000 was established for any tip that leads to an arrest or indictment in Connie Fulton's murder. For a brief period in 2012, as part of a special initiative, that reward was temporarily increased to $10,000 before reverting to the standard amount. The offer underscores the commitment of law enforcement to solving the case and bringing a measure of justice to Connie and her family.

More than thirty years have passed since Connie Fulton was killed, and her case remains unsolved. The investigation is now classified as a cold case, waiting for the one crucial piece of information that could break it open. The passage of time has not diminished the hope that someone, somewhere, knows something that could finally identify the person or persons responsible for her death.

As of November 2013, the San Antonio Police Department and Crime Stoppers continue to ask for the public's help. The case remains open, a painful reminder of a life taken too soon. Anyone with information about the murder of Connie Fulton is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 224-STOP (210-224-7867). Callers can remain anonymous.