New reward for info on contract hit that killed Texas police officer

>>>Click through the gallery to see other unsolved homicides in the Houston area and in Texas less The Texas Department of Public Safety is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to whoever shot and killed Alice Police Officer Matthew Murphy during a traffic stop in 1974. Murphy, 33, was the first officer killed in the line of duty in Alice, Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to whoever shot and killed Alice Police Officer Matthew Murphy during a traffic stop in 1974. Murphy, 33, was the first ... more Photo: Texas DPS Photo: Texas DPS Image 1 of / 75 Caption Close New reward for info on contract hit that killed Texas police officer 1 / 75 Back to Gallery

Alice Police Officer Matthew Murphy made what appeared to be a routine a traffic stop on Dec. 1, 1974.

A second officer rolled up on the scene at West Main Street and U.S. Highway 281 a few minutes later and found Murphy with several gunshot wounds.

Murphy, 33, was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

PUZZLING CRIMES: 12 unsolved mysteries from the Houston area

Now, the Texas Department of Public Safety is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for Murphy's death.

The shooting made Murphy the first police officer to be killed in the line of duty in Alice, a town about four hours southwest of Houston.

Murphy's then-partner, Albert "Tito" Bernal told The Paris News in 1993 that he and Murphy were working a drug investigation that year and one of the suspects told the officers a contract was out for their lives.

"(The suspect) said, 'I hope it's not true, but they say you're a narc, you and your friend.' I said, 'Do I look like one of those guys?," Bernal said.

UNSOLVED MURDERS: Police are still trying to figure out these puzzling slayings

Witnesses told investigators a two-door car left the area of the shooting. Police believe there were multiple people in the car.

Investigators couldn't find the car in the area after the shooting.

To be eligible for the cash rewards, anyone with information about the murder of Officer Matthew Murphy can provide anonymous tips by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477) or texting the letters "DPS"– followed by thetip – to 274637 (CRIMES) from a cell phone.

Scroll through the gallery to see more unsolved homicides in the Houston area and South Texas