DPS Offers Increased Reward, Seeks Leads In 1994 Murder Of Then 17-Year-Old In Frio County

She had been temporarily staying at different friends’ residences and was last living at the Danbury Apartments in northeast San Antonio…

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is asking for the public’s help in solving the 1994 homicide of Samantha Zublionis, and an increased reward of up to $6,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible if the tip is received before next month’s featured Texas Rangers case is announced. (A $3,000 reward for information leading to an arrest is routinely offered on all cases on the Texas Rangers’ Unsolved Homicides website.)

On Sept. 3, 1994, the body of 17-year-old Zublionis was found in rural northeastern Frio County. The investigation determined that Zublionis was the victim of a homicide. She lived in San Antonio and was last seen on Aug. 30, 1994. Zublionis attended Mac Arthur High School and had recently started working at the Wendy’s Restaurant on Nacogdoches Road and Loop 410.

At the time of her disappearance, Zublionis was in the process of obtaining her own apartment. She had been temporarily staying at different friends’ residences and was last living at the Danbury Apartments in northeast San Antonio. Rangers are seeking information about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and murder.

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 in an effort to help garner public interest in unsolved or “cold cases.” Texas Crime Stoppers offers 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 information, visit the Texas Ranger cold case website.

As part of a DPS public awareness program, one case from the Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation (Cold Case) Program is featured each month in an effort 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. The higher reward amount will only be paid 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.