Palo Alto police search for new leads in college student slaying

PALO ALTO (KTVU) – Homicide investigators released a video Friday in the hopes of generating leads in the cold case slaying of a 21-year-old college student who was shot and killed as she stood with her family in front of Palo Alto restaurant in 2001.

Palo Alto police spokesman Lt. Zach Perron said the video -- containing interviews with family and friends and images from the night of the shooting -- would be aired regularly on the agency's social media channels over the next few weeks.

"Someone out there knows the truth about what happened that night," Perron said. "We're hoping this video reaches that person and spurs them to come forward. They hold the key to breaking this case and to bringing a sense of closure to Maria's family."

Maria Hsiao was standing with family and friends in front of the now defunct Q Café located at 529 Alma St. just after midnight on Sunday, June 10th, 2001.

Then the revelry of the evening was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. The 21-year-old college student was struck and died of her wounds.

The gunman remains unknown and the case open.

There is a standing $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and person responsible for the shooting.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Palo Alto Police 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org .