Increased reward for 2001 cold case for SF single mom's death
Family of cold case victim hopes new leads bring answers and justice almost 24 years later
The family of Paula Brien say the pain of losing the 25-year-old single mother of two lingers. It's been almost 24 years since she was killed. San Francisco Police cold case investigator says new leads are pointing to a person of interest, bringing renewed hope for justice.
SAN FRANCISCO - The family of a single mom killed in 2001 in San Francisco hopes an increased reward and new leads will bring them answers and justice.
Paula Brien was 25 years old when she was killed. Police investigators say there is renewed hope that this cold case will be solved.
Brien's family said the pain of loss lingers.
"Her laughter, her personality, happy all the time, and strong-willed," said Norma Brien of her daughter.
Norma Brien treasures a photo of Paula laughing with her sister. Yet Brien has never before spoken publicly about her daughter's death or even with loved ones.
She described it as self-preservation.
"I just shut it out. It was very hard," she said.
Hard even after almost 24 years.
Police said Paula Brien was last seen around midnight on June 18, 2001, in front of a bar that's no longer there at the corner of Sixth and Mission Streets.
Investigators said the single mom got into a small red Nissan or Toyota sports car.
It was driven by the man seen in a composite sketch that police are now releasing, along with a second sketch showing the man's tattoo of a partial skull on his right arm.
Police said "the person of interest" also had a tattoo on his right arm that appeared to be a partial skull.
Investigators said he had green-inked tattoos on his other arm. He is described as being around 6 feet tall, with dark hair, and spoke with an east coast accent.
Two years ago, the police's cold case team showed a KTVU crew where Paula Brien was found dead on Harriet Street just two hours later, not far from the bar.
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Now, San Francisco Police Department's cold case investigator Dan Cunningham says KTVU's story about this case from three years ago has generated leads. Police have a suspect who matches the composite sketch.
The police department has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible to $150,000.
"I believe this case can be solved. I believe there are individuals out there who can make connections for us and may have to revisit their own memories," said Cunningham.
Paula Brien left behind two young daughters. Lulu Brien is now 29 years old.
She describes the wound that never heals growing up without her mother.
"The longing, the what-ifs, how our family would have been so different," she said.
Norma Brien said she doesn't harbor hate in her heart toward the person who killed her daughter.
"He will get back what he put out. That's the way life works. That's the law of karma," she said.
Cunningham declined to speak about the DNA evidence, saying that he doesn't want to compromise the case.
He said the new leads are promising.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU