Texas Cold Case Breakthrough Leads to Arrest After 14 Years

A 14-year-old homicide investigation has taken a dramatic turn after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced the arrest of a suspect in the 2012 death of a 16-month-old boy, marking a breakthrough made possible through the state's new cold case initiative.

The La Porte Police Department arrested Eric Johnson in connection with the death of Shawn McCloskey, whose killing remained unsolved for more than a decade despite investigators identifying Johnson as the primary suspect early in the case.

AG Paxton said the arrest reflects the state's commitment to pursuing justice, no matter how much time has passed.

"My Cold Case Unit has secured the evidence needed to arrest Eric Johnson for the murder of 16-month-old baby Shawn McCloskey," said Paxton. "We will continue to do everything we can to solve cold cases across the state."

Shawn died on July 19, 2012, after his mother found him unresponsive, the morning after Johnson, her boyfriend at the time, had been caring for the toddler. The child was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later determined Shawn had suffered multiple blunt force injuries comparable to those seen in a high-speed automobile crash, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Although La Porte detectives conducted an extensive investigation and interviewed numerous witnesses, prosecutors lacked enough evidence to file charges, leaving the case cold for 14 years.

The breakthrough came after the case was reviewed during the Attorney General's Texas Solves: Collaboration Workshop in May 2026. The initiative, led by the Office of the Attorney General's Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit, brings together investigators and forensic experts to reexamine unsolved cases.

Following the two-day workshop, investigators from the AG's office and the La Porte Police Department worked together to reevaluate evidence and develop new investigative strategies. That collaborative effort ultimately uncovered the information needed to establish probable cause for Johnson's arrest.

While the case now moves into the criminal justice system, Shawn McCloskey's family is one step closer to answers after waiting more than a decade for an arrest.