Dannarriah Finley was just 4 when she was murdered in Orange, Texas on July 4, 2002. Her case remains unsolved 23 years later.
ORANGE, Texas — Twenty-three years ago today, 4-year-old Dannarriah Finley vanished from her bedroom in Orange. Her body was found four days later on Pleasure Island in Port Arthur, marking the beginning of one of Southeast Texas’ most haunting unsolved crimes.
On July 4, 2002, Dannarriah was taken from her home in Orange while sleeping alongside her siblings and cousins.
The precious little girl, who would have celebrated her fifth birthday just weeks later, was sexually assaulted and murdered in a crime that shattered the community.
Police and Finley’s family believe she was snatched from her bedroom in the middle of the night.
Today, as Orange residents mark another Independence Day, they’re reminded once again of the tragedy that struck one of their youngest residents.
The unthinkable crime united the City of Orange. When Dannarriah disappeared, the community mobilized in unprecedented ways to search for her.
“We searched and searched,” Pastor C.W. Crawford with the Mountain Missionary Baptist Church previously told 12News. “Everybody was afraid. Everybody was holding their children close to them, because nothing had happened like that in Orange, Texas.”
Despite extensive efforts by the Orange Police Department and FBI, no arrests have been made. However, investigators remain hopeful that advancing technology and community tips will eventually solve the case.
Brandon Bess, an investigator with the Texas Rangers who retired in 2024 was working to breathe new life into the investigation through modern forensic techniques.
“In Dannarriah’s case, there’s not necessarily untested evidence, but there might be, for lack of a better term, under-tested evidence,” Bess said in a previous interview. “So, what they did in 2018, even up into 2019, we may have an improvement.”
Law enforcement continues to retest evidence recovered from the scene, believing that improved DNA technology might detect smaller samples that earlier methods missed.
“There’s two items of evidence that they recovered that we believe we’re now going to retest again,” Bess previously said.
Beyond technological advances, investigators believe the key to solving the case lies within the community itself. Bess was convinced that those responsible shared details of their crime with others.
“I think the most important part of this case is that we’ll solve this case with the right witness coming forward,” Bess said. “Everyone agrees that the folks that were involved in this absolutely talked to someone else. They did not keep this a total secret.”
The investigation points to multiple perpetrators, and in a previous interview, Bess said he believed several people possess crucial information.
“We believe multiple persons at least knows about this, and that there’s somebody out there they can bring us that little piece of information that, you know, they may not think it’s important, but it is,” Bess said.
The case has left a lasting impact on Southeast Texas, with its unique and disturbing nature continuing to challenge investigators.
“This is probably the most unique case in Southeast Texas,” said Orange Police Department Lt. Stephen Ward in a previous interview.
For the Orange Police Department, Dannarriah’s case remains a top priority more than two decades later.
“This is the epitome of cases and City of Orange, and so anybody that works here knows the details of this case,” Ward said. “We are constantly reviewing things. This isn’t something we put on the back burner. It’s in the forefront of all of our cases.”
The trauma extends beyond law enforcement, continuing to affect community members who lived through the tragedy.
“Even in my congregation, I’m somewhat nervous when I see little children coming down stairs by themselves to use the restroom,” Pastor Crawford previously told 12News. “I’ve never forgotten what happened to Dannarriah Finley.”
As Orange marks another July 4th without answers, investigators urge anyone with information to come forward. No detail is too small, and the passage of time may have given people new perspectives on what they witnessed or heard.
Texas Crime Stoppers continues to offer a cash reward of up to $3,000 to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest in the case.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Orange Police Department, Texas Rangers, or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
For Dannarriah’s family and the Orange community, the search for justice continues, fueled by the hope that this Independence Day will not pass without bringing them one step closer to answers.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
If you have information about a crime you could earn a cash reward of up to $1000 by providing an ANONYMOUS tip to Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas.
Call 833-TIPS (8477) or download the P3Tips App on your mobile device to submit your tip anonymously.
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