AUSTIN COUNTY—A brutal murder in a small town in Austin County has gone unpunished for more than a decade, and authorities believe the killer is still walking the streets of the town.
“If you read the reward, they are confident that that suspects are still here. The people of Austin County need to know that, you’re pumping gas and the person right across from you might have killed four people,” said Mark Schiller.
Mark Schiller’s parents, Bernice and Aldon Schiller were brutally killed in a mobile home on November 14, 1996. His grandfather Will Stetenpohl and his neighbor Ray Paine were also murdered. Investigators say the scene was a blood bath.
“I even asked the funeral director if some of the family members could see the bodies and he said, ‘no, nobody wants to see the bodies,’” said Mark Schiller.
The Schiller couple was survived by their children Mark Schiller, Tracy Schiller, Wendy Lamp, and Sandra Shiflet. The four adults made a painful promise 13 years ago.
“That no matter what it took, no matter how hard, that we would someday see justice for them,” said daughter Wendy Lamp.
Holding a black scrapbook on her lap, Lamp flipped through pages and pages of newspaper clippings – 13 years worth of clippings – that document her efforts to deliver on her promise. Her family says that not a day goes by that they don’t mourn the death of their loved ones.
“They are all missed. They were great people. They didn’t hurt no body. They went about their own business they helped everybody they could. And they are gone because of someone else’s selfishness,” said Tracy Schiller.
It’s hard to believe that a killer or killers could hide in a small town for more than a decade. Evidence was collected and hundreds of people were interviewed, but there is still no sign of the killer.
“It won’t bring them back, but it will give some closure. And we can find out why something really happened,” said Sandra Shiflet.
In 2004 investigators told 11 News that evidence placed a suspect at the scene of the crime. But they didn’t believe they had a case strong enough to take it to court. Today, they believe technology could help them solve the case. Authorities say the old evidence is in the hands of the FBI and they hope that new technology can help them find the killer. A $40,000 reward is also out for anyone with information.
The Austin County Sheriff’s office has set up a 24-hour help line specifically for this case. Anyone with ionformation is urged to call (979) 270 – 0880.
People who have information can also mail it in to:
Raccoon Bend Bass Murders
P.O. Box 1196
Bellville, TX 77418
