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DPS Offers Increased Reward, Seeks Leads in 2002
Cherokee County Murder
Dennis Matlock
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is asking for the public’s help in solving the 2002 murder of Dennis Matlock. They increased the reward of up to $6,000 for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible, if the tip is received before next month’s featured case is announced.
On Jan. 16, 2002, Dennis Matlock was found deceased in his residence in Reklaw, a small town near Rusk in Cherokee County. An autopsy revealed Dennis died from a combination of injuries, including blunt force and stab wounds. Matlock, 44, was a longtime resident of Cherokee County and is survived by his mother, as well as extended family in the Cherokee County area. There are no arrests. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers are investigating.
To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). All tips are anonymous.
Individuals also can submit information through the Texas Ranger Cold Case website or by contacting us at 1-800-346-3243 (DPS Missing Persons Hotline).
The DPS Texas Rangers’ Unsolved Homicides website provides information on more than 75 cases to help garner public interest in unsolved or “cold cases.” Texas Crime Stoppers recently began offering rewards (funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division and administered by DPS) of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for any Rangers cold case listed on the website. For more details, you can visit the Texas Ranger cold case website at http://www.dps.texas.gov/TexasRangers/UnsolvedHomicides/index.htm.
As part of a DPS public awareness program, one instance from the Texas Ranger’s Unsolved Crimes Investigation (Cold Case) Program is featured each month to generate new investigative leads and bring attention to these cold cases. The Texas Crime Stoppers reward is increased up to $6,000 for the featured case in hopes that the higher reward money will generate additional tips. They pay the top award amount only if the tip is submitted before the next case is featured.
The Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created to assist Texas law enforcement agencies investigating unsolved murders or violent serial crimes. Since there is no statute of limitations for the offense of murder, investigators pursue these cases to a successful resolution or until no viable leads remain.