Hometown Homicides: 7 Texas Murders That We’ll Never Forget

Texas is known by most folks to be a friendly and charming state. Growing up I never met a native Texan that didn't offer up a "howdy" and a firm handshake. However, these homicides are an awful reminder that evil does exist.

The sad part is that this evil is close to home right here in Texas. We're going to look at 7 of the most popular homicides in Texas according to Only In Your State. Some of these you already know quite well. The others may be a rude awakening.

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LOOK: 7 TEXAS MURDERS THAT WE'LL NEVER FORGET

The UT Tower Shooting

Charles Witman was an engineering student at the University of Texas. He shot and killed his wife and mother both in their homes on August 1, 1966. But, it didn't end there. Witman brought several guns to the university campus and open fire from the clock tower and then the 28th floor of the observation deck. 24 people were killed and 32 others were wounded. He was finally shot by a police officer named Houston McCoy.

These murders happened at a yogurt shop in Austin. 4 women were found dead after a fire was put out at the building. Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, her sister Sarah and Eliza Thomas were the women involved. Years and years of investigating have tuned up zero perpetrators.

Amber Hagerman

It was January 13, 1996, Amber Hagerman was riding her bicycle to an abandoned grocery store with her brother. Her brother headed back as Amber stayed behind. He never saw her again. Days later her body was found at the bottom of a creek. This horrible act attracted national attention which led to the birth of the Amber Alert.

Luby's Mass Shooting

A horrible day for Kileen, Texas. It was October 16, 1991. George Hennard crashed his pickup into Luby's cafeteria and opened fire. He killed 22 people instantly and wounded 27 others before he shot and killed himself.

James Byrd Jr.

James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death by three men. Two of the men have already been put to death. The other is serving a life sentence in Rosharon, Texas. The horrible death of this man prompted the passing of several hate crime acts including the Matthew Shepard Act.

The Phantom Killer

Dubbed the Phantom Killer, this attacker claimed the lives of five people over the course of ten weeks. Prime suspects were gathered but released due to a lack of evidence. The murders remain unsolved to this day.

2009 Fort Hood Shooting

Nidal Malik Hasan, a major and a psychiatrist in the U.S. Army shot and killed 13 people and wounded about 30 others. This happened on November 5th, 2009. He was sentenced to death on August 28th, 2013.

These are just a snapshot. No murder is acceptable. They say Texas is a friendly state but as with anywhere else, it also has its dark side.

Would you ever move into a house where a family was murdered? That's exactly what happened in the house below. Keep scrolling and check out pictures of the house.