Manuel Pena, 63, has been charged with the murder of his then 19-year-old girlfriend, Sherri Strong.
On Wednesday, June 16, 1982, about 3am, Sherri Strong was found dead at a home located at 10731 Hazy Valley in northwest Harris County. Strong's 34-year-old boyfriend at the time, Manuel Pena, reported finding Strong hanging in the garage. After the original investigation was concluded, the case was presented as a homicide to the District Attorney's Office, but criminal charges against Pena were declined.
Investigators with the HCSO's Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation this year and on Thursday, the charge of murder was filed against Pena. He was taken into custody Thursday afternoon.
This is the eighth case solved by the HCSO's Cold Case Unit since it was reconstituted in 2009 by Sheriff Garcia.
