SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Police Department on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, authorized a $175,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and filing of charges of the suspect(s) responsible for the homicide of Paula Brien in 2001.

Brien was a 25-year-old Hispanic female and mother of two. She was last seen near 6th Street and Mission in front of Gina’s Bar (no longer there) on June 18, 2001. She was seen with a Caucasian male, standing 5 feet and 11 inches to 6 feet tall, muscular in build, and wearing short pants.

Paula was in a red car with the unidentified Caucasian male. Less than two hours later, Brien was found deceased near 455 Harriet St.

The Person of Interest is described as being 200 pounds, standing 5 feet and 11 inches to 6 feet and 1 inch tall, being 35-40 years old in 2001, having short hair, described as both dark and brown, having deep-set eyes, having a very neat appearance, and wearing baggy shorts above the knee, and was soft spoken with an East Coast accent.

He was seen driving a bright red 2-door Nissan/Toyota GTS early mid 90s and told patrons he had served 9 years in federal prison for bank robbery.

Anyone with details regarding this homicide should contact Homicide Cold Case Investigator Daniel Cunningham at 1-415-553-9515, Investigator Daniel Dedet at 1-415-553-1450, or through the Department Operations Center (DOC) at 1-415-553-1071.

Persons wishing to stay anonymous may contact the SFPD Anonymous Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444, or by sending a text message to Text-A-Tip (TIP411). Begin the text message with SFPD.