Serial Killers, Murders and Crimes of Passion
death and dismemberment in a brutal, horrid and un-timely fashion


[I-45 Murders]

The I-45 Murders and Louisiana and east Texas and Montrose Killer(s)? Bodycount: 50+
aka." The Killing Feilds" and Possible GLBT Serial Killer

Possible Truck Driver Serial Killer(s)?


The I-45 Killer or Killer(s)??? Over that last three decades the FBI has chronicled at least 32 dead women in an area a few miles on either side of Interstate 45 along the 50-mile stretch between Houston and Galveston in Texas. The latest victim was discoveredin early 1999 by a little boy and his dog when they were out for a walk in some marshy woods. The dog came up with a bone, and then the boy saw a skull. Nearby, the police later would find earrings, shreds of clothing and a belt tied around a tree. Investigators believe the killer used it to bind the young woman while she was sexually assaulted.

Now, for the first time since the first victim's corpse was discovered in 1971, investigators believe they are making progress both in breaking individual cases and devising a method to attack the overall problem. But early indications are not good for those who hoped it could be brought to an end by finding one serial killer who could be captured and put behind bars. "It appears that there may be multiple serial killers," said Don K. Clark, special agent in charge of the FBI's Houston division.

If that suspicion proves true--and investigators caution that they remain far from bringing charges in these crimes--then the bizarre pattern of killings along I-45 would be the result of an equally bizarre occurrence. Police now worry that for nearly three decades this stretch of coastal plain has served as a hunting ground for any number of murderers . Over time, it appears to police, the killers have come and gone but shared in common the site they selected to find their victims--or to dump the bodies of people killed elsewhere.

In fact, the bayous lined with longleaf pine, beech and live oaks appear to have served as a dumping ground not only for local killers but also for Houston's predators. The refineries and ports draw transients. The small towns and country roads have proved easy places to hunt victims. The patchwork of jurisdictions makes it easy to cloak activities simply by crossing the city limits.

The victims in the I-45 cases typically disappeared while out alone, only to be found dead and abused in a remote spot weeks or months later, leaving no hint as to their attacker's identity or motive.

The investigation took an important turn after several particularly horrific and well-publicized crimes in 1997. First, Laura Smither, 12, disappeared while jogging near her home, and then Jessica Lee Cain, 17, vanished, leaving behind only her empty pickup truck parked on the shoulder of I-45. Smither's decapitated body was found in a pond almost three weeks after her disappearance. Cain is still missing.

"Before Laura Smither and Jessica Cain, each one of us was in his own little world, investigating our own individual cases, and we would have no way of knowing that some fellow we wanted to question in one murder, and had been a top suspect, had already been questioned in a very similar murder just a few miles down the highway," said Lt. Tommy Hansen of the Galveston County Sheriff's Department.

Some evidence pointed to a serial killer long ago. Two girls disappeared from the same convenience store in the 1970s. Four bodies were found between 1984 and 1991 in a scrubby patch of pastures dubbed the "killing fields." More subtle patterns now are emerging from a computer analysis of the evidence. The victims seem to cluster according to physical type, such that it appears one killer has a preference for short, slim, brown-haired women. Another killer seems to have demonstrated distinctive habits in the way he disposes of bodies, investigators said.

Stark similarities in several early cases suggest that a serial killer was active in the area in the 1970s, but it is unlikely he will ever be identified because so much time has passed. Further complicating matters, Henry Lee Lucas roamed the Gulf Coast when some of the early I-45 murders took place, but he has not been linked definitively to any of the unsolved cases.

Police have been closely following a suspect who remains at large on the I-45 corridor, but who never has been publicly identified. "We know a guy, we know him very well, a guy who has killed before and who had some kind of contact with five of the girls, but all the evidence is circumstantial," said police Lt. Gary D. Ratliff of League City, a town of 50,000 where the "killing fields" are located.

The unnamed suspect suffered physical injuries in an automobile accident a few years ago and appears to have gone "dormant" since then, Ratliff said. While that is good news in one sense, his lack of activity makes it less likely he might commit a mistake that would allow him to be caught.

Houston investigators believe there are a least a dozen serial killers living in or around the city, or passing through it on a regular basis. One killer is believed to be responsible for the deaths of at least two girls ages 9 and 12 whose nude bodies were found dumped in waterways. Another cluster of killings involves at least four women in their late teens and early twenties who dissapeared around the southern Houston and Galvenston area. Between April 1992 and July 1995 three killings in the Houston area have been linked to a serial killer who likes young Hispanic females and becomes anxious if his victims are not discovered quickly. Over a six-year period four other women have been found within a mile of each other in a field off Calder Road in Galveston County.

In the mid- to late '80s, a task force studied the killings of six prostitutes who worked in Houston's Montrose area. In the early '70s a number of young girls were abducted and murdered. In all ther are about 200 unsolved murders of women and girls in Houston and the surrounding areas since 1971.

At this very moment, the city of Baton Rouge is dealing with their own 'serial-killer', lurking in the shadows of their streets, but I began my weekend by studying a case in which a 29 year-old mother, from Shreveport, Louisiana- had vanished July 19, 1996. After leaving her sisters home, with a male companion (who claims to have dropped her off at a shopping mall in Shreveport), Kristi O'Pry and the male left her sisters at approx. 8:00 pm, she has never been seen or heard from again. She took nothing with her, and she gave no indication she would or could just vanish. After seeing a photograph of the male she was riding around with the night she disappeared, and after seeing how intense the statement "Todd & Eric have remained close friends to this day". Todd was Kristi's boyfriend, Eric was simply driving her to do some errands, I began drawing conclusions. Perhaps she knew something about certain people in Shreveport, and they shut her up by taking her, killing, and hiding or destroying her body. She most certainly was a beautiful young woman. HOWEVER, before I knew it, I was in a region that is a 'bermuda triangle' for females. A 'Dead Zone', if you may, that stretches 50 miles between Shreveport, Louisiana & Houston, Texas. In Harrison County, Texas, there are 28 missing women reported, along with the notice of at least 2 'serial-killers'. The ages of the victims range from nine to seventy-seven. 40% of the victims were last seen near convenience stores or convenience store phones. 75% of the victims vanished or were killed on weekends. Many law enforcement authorities believe killer or killer's may be 'stalking' convenience stores looking for females on pay phones, searching for rides. Women have been killed in numerous ways: Shot in the head, beaten, strangled, and even dismembered. Victims have been found in such places as Bossier City, Shreveport, & Logansport Louisiana. Galveston, Texas City, Houston, and Alivin Texas. Places like Addicks Reservoir, Galveston Bay, Turners Bayou, and a place simply called the "killing-fields" off of Calder road. The "dead zone" and it's murderous history began in June of 1971:

On 6/17/71- Collette Wilson (13) vanished from Alvin Bus stop. She was shot in the head and thrown near Addicks Reservoir. Two weeks later, 7/1/71- Brenda Jones (14) was walking to a Galveston hospital to visit an aunt, when she disappeared. Her body was discovered in the Galveston Bay area. She had been shot in the head. Four months passed, 10/28/71, 19 year-old Gloria Gonzales's body was found 35 yards from Collette Wilsons body near Addicks Reservoir. She had also been shot in the head. Less than two weeks later,11/9/71,Allison Craven (12) was dismembered and found in two locations, part of her body found near her apartment in Harris County, other part of her body found in Pearland field. Within' six days, 11/15/71, 2 fifteen year-old girls vanished from a Galveston shopping Mall, Maria Johnson & Debbie Ackerman were found at Turners Bayou, in Texas City, Texas. Both had been shot in the head..............

The murders and disappearances stopped until January 3, 1973: l6 year-old Kimberly Pitchford, disappeared from a Pasadena Driving school. Her body was found in a ditch in the town of Angleton, she had been shot in the head.

Nineteen months later, September 6, l974, Brooks Bracewell (12) & Georgia Geer (14) vanished from a convenience store pay-phone in Dickinson. Their bodies were found in remote Alvin Swamp, they had been beaten and their ribs broken.

On May 10, 1978: Karen Pretty (28) was strangled with a telephone cord, her 7 year-old son, Scott, was strangled and put face first in tub of water, her 5 year-old son, Mark, was beaten and strangled and also put face first into tub of water. Ms.Pretty was also submerged in tub full of water. The case is still unsolved. The family car, a 1978 Mercury Marquis was found in an un-assigned parking spot.

On 11/1/1980, a girl, 14-17 years old, was thrown to the side of I-45 north, 5 miles north of Huntsville, TX. A truckdriver found her body. She had been strangled with panty hose

In 1983, Sandra Rambers' body was found near Friendswood, League City. 10/1/83 Heidi Fye (23), disappeared from League City convenience store pay-phone. Her body was found in 'the killing field' off Calder rd. She had been beaten, her ribs were broken.

Less than a year later, from the exact same location that Heidi Fye vanished, 16-year-old Laura Miller disappeared, 9/1/84. Her body was found in 'the killing field' off Calder rd. She had been shot in head..............

Jane Doe #1) aug-dec 1985 (approx. 16) missing from convenient store. Shot in the back. Found in 'the killing field'. along with the bodies of Fye & Miller.

October 7, 1988-Rene Richerson, a clerk from Galveston vanished, she is still missing.

12 year-old Kimberly Norwood was last seen on saturday, May 20, 1989, in Hallsville, Texas (northeast, TX, close to Shreveport) by her friends as they split up at approximately 5:15 pm. She was less than a mile from home. She is still missing.

Penelopie Madanat left Cowboys nightclub in Bossier City, Louisiana with her husband on the morning of 10/26/91. After getting into an argument, she demanded to get out of their vehicle and was last seen walking down a street alone, her husband drove off alone. She's still missing. Between the months of may-october of 1991, the body of Janet Doe #2 was found in the 'killing field' off Calder road, she was beaten and strangled. Her body was found in the same location as Fye, Miller, and Jane Doe #1.

Kelly Dae Wilson (18), Gilmer, Texas (northeast corner of Texas, just west of Shreveport), last seen 1/5/92. Maria Estrada (21)disappeared from a bus-stop near Houston on April 16, 1992. Her body was found a block from her home in a Dairy Queen drive-thru, she was strangled.

August 7, 1994- Diana RoBollar (9): her body was found in vacant building close to where she disappeared. She was strangled. October 22, 1994, (19)Kayla Mayberry, vanished from a nightclub in downtown Shreveport. She & her sister separated for only minutes while Kayla went to the dancefloor. She was never seen or heard from again. NOTE: CHRISTOPHER TIMON "I-45 KILLER" CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEATH OF KAYLA MAYBERRY, BUT POLICE HAVE ANOTHER SUSPECT THAT FAILED LIE DETECTOR TEST.

On 7/7/95, Dana Sanchez (16) was strangled to death, the I-45 killer called KPRC radio and location of body.

Lynette Bibbs (14) & Tamara Fishers (15), were last seen at a Houston under 21 nightclub 2/1/96: their bodies were found on dirt road at the intersection of highways 10E & 35s, both girls were shot twice in the head. On 3/5/96, Krystal Baker (13), vanished from Texas City convenience store. Her body was found 25 miles north. The victim was beaten, strangled, and sexually assaulted. 7/19/96, Kristi O'Pry, (29),left her sisters home at 8:00 pm with a male friend (who says he dropped her off at Shreveport shopping Mall)- she is still missing and noone has been charged in her disappearance. She left behind a daughter and all of her personal belongings. Two months later, 9/27/96- 77 year-old Lurline DeWitt, of Mansfield, vanished after opening her door to someone after 9:00 pm. She was comfortably well-off and lived with her son. She is still missing.

4/3/97" Laura Smither (12), was last seen jogging near her home in Friendswood. Her body was found in drainage pipe, partially dismembered. Key suspect is serving time on unrelated case. 4/28/97" Syble Brimley (76) failed to show up to work at the DeSoto Parrish Sheriffs Dept. Still missing, no motive, no suspect. 6/7/97" Garcia, last seen at Houston teen nightclub, body found in vacant building, she was strangled. Garcia was l4 years old. 6/8/97" Cleary (19), Morgan (17) their bodies found north of Conroe in Wooded area, in a burnt car.NOTE: Cleary & Morgan cases were solved 2000; 8/17/97" Jessica Cain (17) disappeared from Webster Bennigans Rest. Her abandoned car was found on I-45 south, a short distance from the exit to her home. she's still missing.

12/8/98" Trotter (19): Disappeared from Montgomery College library. Body found, victim died of strangulation. NOTE: SOLVED 1999/

1/17/99" Pitts (18): Disappeared from Montgromery Lodge Motel, she was a clerk, missing/robber. NOTE: SOLVED 2000/

1/27/99" Cory Rubio(25), from Stonewall, Louisiana. Her car was found at boat launch. Police searched boat launch for 2 days and found nothing. Her last known location was Barksdale Air Force Base, Bossier City, Louisiana.

3/21/2000" Greg Vice (23) Princeton, body found on U.S 71, south of Bossier City, Louisiana. 4/14/2000" Louise Johnson (62) of Shreveport, vanished 4/24/2000, from downtown Shreveport near Municipal Auditorium, still missing. 11/25/2000" Deshanna Gray (29), Logansport, Louisiana. Last seen getting in blue pick-up truck.

4/14/2001" Wendi Long (21), last seen at Chevron gas station by man who gave her ride from party in Shreveport. She allegedly sought a ride from 2 men. NOTE: SKELETAL REMAINS FOUND NEAR WESTDALE ARE IDENTIFIED AS THOSE OF WENDI LONG'S. 8/21/2001" Christina Morua (14), Bossier City, vanished.

8/21/2001" Christina Morua (14), Bossier city, missing person.

Teresita Brown (14), Shreveport, missing person.

There "partners-in-crime", does that seem like a normal region to you? If girls weren't abducted from a pay-phone at a convenient store, an elderly woman is taken from her home. Some victims were coaxed from nightclubs in different cities. The dumpsites for the bodies that were recovered are fewer than the places where girls were stolen. Methods of murder were headwounds, strangulation, or severe beatings. What took place in the years where no girls or women were abducted or murdered? How many Killer's were lurking in this 50 mile area between Shreveport and Houston? Did any of these Killers make return engagements after getting out of jail on other charges? Is Kristi O'Pry a victim of one of these killers? Or was she a victim of her own circle of friends? What do you think?