Xiaojia Chen, known to her friends and family as “Grace,” was a beloved mother, teacher, and entrepreneur who had built a life centered on education and community in Austin, Texas. At 47, the native of China was the proud owner of the Grace Language and Culture School, where she taught Mandarin to children. She was remembered as a kind, patient, and energetic woman who was deeply devoted to her students and her son, Jacky. Friends described her as someone who was always smiling, a pillar of her community who poured her passion for her culture into her work. Her dream was to foster understanding and provide a valuable skill to the next generation, a mission she pursued with warmth and dedication.
That dream was cut short on the evening of Wednesday, February 19, 2014. Grace’s son grew worried when she didn't return home from work and went to look for her at her school, located in the Galleria Oaks shopping center in Northwest Austin.
He found her car still in the parking lot and her purse inside the school, but his mother was nowhere to be found. After searching the area, he discovered her body inside a small, private bathroom located in a breezeway just a few doors down from her school. The bathroom was typically kept locked, and police have never publicly stated how the killer or Grace gained entry. The Austin Police Department responded to the scene around 10 p.m. and soon ruled her death a homicide, stating she had suffered trauma to her body.
The investigation into Grace Chen’s murder was launched immediately, but it quickly grew cold. Detectives with the Austin Police Department interviewed tenants of the shopping center and sought information from the public, but a suspect was never publicly identified. The case was particularly baffling as there was no obvious sign of robbery or a clear motive. Police believe the attack was not random and that Grace may have known her killer. Over the years, investigators have re-examined the evidence, hoping that new technology or a fresh perspective might uncover a lead. The case was reviewed by the department's cold case unit, but without new information, progress has been stalled.
In the years since her death, Grace's family, particularly her son Jacky, has continued to fight for answers. He has spoken out on anniversaries of the crime, pleading for anyone with information to come forward. "It's like a wound that never really heals," he said in a 2021 interview. "You just want to know what happened, who did this to her." He remembers his mother as his best friend and the most important person in his life, a sentiment echoed by the community she built. Friends and former students have held onto the memory of her vibrant spirit, struggling to reconcile the joyful woman they knew with the violent end she met.
The lack of resolution has left a permanent scar on those who loved her. The area where she was killed, a busy commercial center off U.S. 183 and Anderson Mill Road, holds a dark memory for the local community. The randomness and brutality of the crime in such a public space created a sense of unease that lingered for years. Each anniversary serves as a painful reminder that a killer has never been brought to justice.
As of March 2024, a decade after her death, the murder of Xiaojia "Grace" Chen remains an open and unsolved cold case. The Austin Police Department continues to seek information from the public, holding out hope that someone, somewhere, knows something that could finally provide a breakthrough. They urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. A reward of up to $1,000 is available through Capital Area Crime Stoppers for information leading to an arrest. Tips can be submitted by calling 512-472-TIPS (8477).
