She had gold peace signs on her front teeth. That small detail may be the best clue left in a Laredo murder that is now 22 years old.

On Sept. 26, 2004, her body was found on the bank of the Rio Grande in Laredo. An autopsy showed she was murdered. Nobody has ever learned her name.

Now the Texas Rangers are asking for help. The Texas Department of Public Safety has put out a drawing of her face. It is called a composite sketch. It was made to help someone know her.

Here is what police have said about her.

She was a woman. The state lists her as Hispanic. Laredo police have described her as about 20 years old. She had gold peace signs on her front teeth. DNA tests point to Central America, a Laredo police investigator said.

Laredo police found her near Ana Avenue in west Laredo. That spot is close to the river. Back in 2004, the area was thick with brush. She was near a road.

That comes from Luis Mata Jr., a Laredo police investigator who has worked the case. He talked about it in June 2025.

"She had signs indicative of a struggle. She had lacerations consistent with stabbing," Mata said.

He said he believes she was killed hours before police got there.

Mata said her looks and her clothes made police think she was crossing the river.

"It was indicative that this female was an immigrant who was crossing the river just based on the features she had and her clothing," he said.

No ID was found with her.

Science has helped a bit. Mata said a type of DNA testing that looks at family trees gave them a new lead.

"With the assistance of DNA genealogy, we were able to identify her as a Central American female from Guatemala or El Salvador, somewhere from that general area," Mata said.

That means her family may live far from Laredo. They may not know what happened to her.

Texas Ranger Nathan Mutz has also worked the case. In 2025, he said he had been on it with Laredo police since 2020. He said the hardest part is simple. They still do not know who she is.

"One of the obstacles we have is that we don't have the identity of the victim, which is what makes this case complex," Mutz said in 2025.

He said even a small tip can matter.

"Sometimes it may be something very small in their eyes, but in our eyes, it's a very big lead," Mutz said.

The state still lists the case as unsolved. On the Texas Rangers cold case list, it is reference number 305.

Do you know a woman who went missing around 2004? Did she have gold peace signs on her front teeth? Was she from Guatemala, El Salvador, or nearby? Any of these could help.

Here is how to call.

Texas Crime Stoppers: 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). You do not have to give your name. You get a tip number instead. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $3,000 for a tip that leads to an arrest. You can also send a tip online through Texas Crime Stoppers.

The state says you must go through Crime Stoppers, by phone or online, to get the reward.

Texas Rangers hotline: 1-800-346-3243. Your tip goes to the Ranger on the case. The state says tips on this line may not stay secret. They also do not get a reward.

Laredo police have also asked people to call them at 956-795-2800.

Her sketch is on the Texas Rangers cold case website. Look at her face. Share it with family here and across the border. Someone out there may know her smile.