The Killing of Katara Johnson

The Killing of Katara Johnson

Author: TTC Productions February 13, 2026 Duration: 21:35
In August 2004, 21-year-old Katara Deboise Johnson finished her shift as an assistant manager at Taco Bell in Taylor, Texas, and drove home to her mobile home on North Dolan Street. By the following evening, her grandmother would discover her shot to death inside her bedroom.

Her car was missing. Her cell phone was gone. Hours after her death, someone answered her phone and claimed to be Katara before laughter echoed in the background and the call disconnected.

Her maroon Mitsubishi Lancer was later found abandoned at the Thorndale Community Pool in neighboring Milam County, miles from her home. No weapon was recovered. No signs of forced entry were reported. More than 50 people were interviewed. Polygraphs were administered. The Texas Rangers and Department of Public Safety assisted. Still, no arrests have been made.

In the months that followed, frustration grew. Family members publicly questioned whether enough resources were being devoted to the case. The NAACP launched its own inquiry. Katara’s sister Kenyatta revealed she had been questioned as a possible suspect, something she strongly denied. Police have never publicly named a suspect.

Years passed. Her mother died in 2012 without answers. In 2019, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation. Authorities now believe more than one person may know what happened that night, particularly how Katara’s car ended up in Thorndale.

If you have any information about the murder of Katara Debois Johnson, please contact Texas Crime Stoppers at (800) 346-3243.

You can support Gone Cold and listen to the show ad-free at https://patreon.com/gonecoldpodcast 

Find us at https://www.gonecold.com

For Gone Cold merch, visit https://gonecold.dashery.com

Follow Gone Cold on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and X. Search @gonecoldpodcast at all or just click https://linknbio.com/gonecoldpodcast

#JusticeForKataraJohnson #Taylor #WilliamsonCounty #WilCo #TX #Texas #TrueCrime #TexasTrueCrime #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast #Podcast #ColdCase #Unsolved #MissingPerson #Missing #Murder #UnsolvedMurder #UnsolvedMysteries #Homicide #CrimeStories #PodcastRecommendations #CrimeJunkie #MysteryPodcast

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gone-cold-texas-true-crime--3203003/support.

The stories that haunt a community often linger long after the headlines fade, waiting for someone to listen. Gone Cold-Texas True Crime is a podcast dedicated to those unresolved narratives, focusing specifically on the vast and complex landscape of Texas. Each episode delves into a different mystery, from long-unsolved homicides and disappearances that have left families searching for decades to other enigmatic cases that have stubbornly resisted explanation. The sheer size and diverse history of Texas provide a unique backdrop for these investigations, where details can be as sprawling as the state itself. Produced by TTC Productions, this series approaches each case with a focus on the facts and the human stories at their core, avoiding sensationalism in favor of thoughtful examination. When you listen, you’ll hear a detailed recounting of events, often including what is known about the individuals involved and the investigative paths that were followed, all while considering the questions that remain unanswered. This podcast serves as an audio record for cases that deserve renewed attention, exploring the lingering impact on communities and the hope that new information might still emerge. It’s for those drawn to the intricacies of real-life mysteries and the understanding that some of the most compelling stories are those without an ending.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Gone Cold - Texas True Crime
Podcast Episodes
The Bathroom Slayings Part Three: Juanita Carroll [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:34
On April 24, 1977, 59-year-old Juanita Carroll was found dead inside the bathroom of her home on Ballinger Street in Abilene, Texas. Natural gas was flowing from a bathroom heater, and Juanita was seated in a chair, full…
The Bathroom Slayings Part Two: Geneva Jackson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:08
Six years after the unsolved murder of Sharon Kay Watts, Abilene was shaken by another brutal killing with unsettling similarities.Geneva Lucille Jackson was a respected seventh-grade math teacher, Air Force widow, mothe…
The Bathroom Slayings Part One: Sharon Kay Watts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:27
In the Summer of 1967, Abilene, Texas, was a growing West Central Texas city where most residents believed violent crime happened somewhere else. Families left their doors unlocked, Dyess Air Force Base brought thousands…
The Disappearance of Roxanne Paltauf Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:59
Just days after Roxanne Paltauf vanished from a Budget Inn near Interstate 35 and Rundberg Lane in Austin, her missing ID surfaced in the wallet of a violent offender arrested after an assault at a neighboring motel. Det…
The Disappearance of Roxanne Paltauf Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:59
In July 2006, eighteen-year-old Roxanne Paltauf vanished from a Budget Inn near Interstate 35 and Rundberg Lane in Austin, Texas. Just hours earlier, she had promised her mother she would be home the next morning.Roxanne…
The Disappearance of Mike Jefferson Adams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:52
In June of 1987, eighteen-year-old Michael Jefferson "Mike" Adams seemed to have everything going for him. A recent early graduate of Cooper High School, Mike had already enrolled at Texas Tech University to study archit…
The Dark History of Wharton County Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:04
In Part Two of our series on the dark history of Wharton County, we examine three more haunting cases that continue to leave families searching for answers.The episode begins in Ganado, Texas, with the unsolved 1999 murd…
The Dark History of Wharton County Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:28
For more than 150 years, Wharton County, Texas, has been shaped by both prosperity and violence. In the first installment of this special series, we trace the county's darker history: from racial terror and vigilante jus…
The Disappearance of Brandi Wells Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:29
Nearly twenty years after Brandi Wells disappeared, the questions surrounding her case remain as haunting as ever.In part two, we examine the investigation that unfolded after Brandi's black Pontiac Grand Prix was found…
The Disappearance of Brandi Wells Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:50
In August 2006, twenty-three-year-old Brandi Wells left her mother's home in Tyler, Texas, for what should have been an ordinary night out. Excited about returning to college and rebuilding her life after a difficult few…