Debbie Catherine Ackerman 23 Jun 1956 - 16 Nov 1971 . While the remoteness of a location can make it desirable in the short-term, its the influence of the surrounding terrain and weather that makes it a prime candidate for a killer. She is known only by an artist's rendering as Janet Doe. In 1987, John Robert King, 30, contacted the El Paso police, where he confessed to killing 19-year-old Shelley Sikes while she was in her car. Favored by serial killers, gangsters and savvy locals, some are home to bodies numbering in the triple digits. Over 30 victims mostly women or girls were found along the 1-45 corridor south of Houston between 1971 and 2016. It is known as the "killing fields," and it is a lonely, spooky patch of land: In the stillness of the day you can hear the yips of small wild animals and the distant rumble of traffic along . Last seen accepting a ride near an island ice cream shop with Maria Johnson. Since the early 1970s, 30 bodies of murder victims have been found within the Killing Fields area. [43], An investigation by the League City police and the FBI in the 1970s identified another local resident, Edward Harold Bell, a known exhibitionist, as a suspect. There have been 30 . .css-azif86{color:#000000;display:block;font-family:GTWalsheim,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-azif86:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-azif86{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-azif86{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-azif86{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3;}}Is "Daisy Jones & The Six" Based on a True Story? The Texas Killing Fields is term that's been used to describe 33 murders that have taken place along the I-45 corrdior since the 1970s, many of them still unsolved. Before long, the killer changes the game and begins hunting the detectives, teasing them with possible clues at the crime scenes while always remaining one step ahead. "Janet Doe" was 34 at the time and was identified as Donna Prudhomme. Was The Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending To Be Law Enforcement? [56][57][58] He has been suspected of kidnapping and killing Laura Smither and confessed, in 2016, to Friendswood Police that he did kill her. In May 1997, he was arrested for the kidnapping and attempted murder of 19-year-old Sandra Sepo and received a 60-year sentence. Roadway Killers Are Still Active In United States Today. In 2009, Smith had been arrested on a drug charge in Louisiana. Then you may live next to one of Americas infamous killing fields. Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields is a three-episode limited series that tells the story of the victims whose bodies were dumped in an oil field that makes up a 50-mile stretch of highway . ", In that rural field off Calder Road, four people were found dead from 1983 to 1991. She had a pretty tough life, but she loved her children so much, and, you know, we all just do the best we can with what we have, sister Dianne Gonsoulin-Hastings told the FBI. However, it is an abandoned oil field, the old League City Oil Field, which is the infamous killing field where the four women were killed and disposed off in the same manner. The victim was later identified as Donna Prudhomme. There is not much around the area. Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller announces documentary Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields on Netflix. I just finished watching the following series (3 episodes) on Netflix, Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields, which documents the investigations of murders of females along the I-45 corridor south of Houston (Texas City, Friendswood, etc) during the 70's, 80's and 90's. One of those murdered was the daughter of the . Page of 2. 1. Her family believes police found a white blouse that belonged to her after one of her convicted kidnappers, Gerald Peter Zwarst, drew them a map of where to find her body, but she still has never been found. In 2010 Killeen's population shot to 127,921. On his office wall is a map of the killing fields and photos of all the missing girls in the county. Last seen at Dobie High School while she was there for a driving test. "It's. Smith was identified as the killer when an officer submitted Baker's dress for DNA analysis. "Indict him!". Copyright 2008 -
This started in 1971 when three Galveston girls disappeared. He was sentenced to life in prison. Police have considered the possibility of transients, known serial killers like Henry Lee Lucas, unrelated crimes of opportunity, and more, but ultimately believe the four women were murdered by the same person, according to Texas Monthly. (League City Police) "We're definitely talking about multiple killers. [6], The soundtrack was scored by Dickon Hinchliffe (formerly of Tindersticks) except for three tracks credited to The Americans. Authorities have never been able to identify the woman. Who Were "The Texas Killing Fields" Victims? Three years later, police chief Don Morris and his deputy, Tommy Deal, were arrested and convicted of numerous crimes, including torture and misconduct against detainees. One of the suspects was Abel himself, who said at the time that investigators wrongly targeted him as a suspect because of his connection to the property. texas killing fields crime scene photos. This led authorities to seek out potential serial killers and other leads, but decades later, these murders still remain a mystery. "Texas has convicted people for less than this," Carroll said. It would take decades to identify the final two victims, until a breakthrough came in January 2019. Edward Harold Bell was also a suspect. Since the early 1970s, some 30 bodies of murder victims have been found within the Killing Fields area. He stated that he did not remember the names of most of his victims, but confidently stated that he had killed Debbie Ackerman, Maria Johnson, Colette Wilson and Kimberly Pitchford, as well as two other then-unnamed girls whom he had abducted from Webster in August 1971, later identified as Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw. . They were mainly the bodies of girls or young women. Last seen with Brooks Bracewell at the U-Totem convenience store off of FM 517 and I-45. The area is quite far away from civilization as well. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! After leaving her grandmother's house during a fight they were having, Krystal was last seen using a phone at a local convenience store to ask her friend if she could stay with her. The series is set to premiere on November 29, 2022. While not the official name, the "Killing Fields" has become a term used to describe the 25-acre stretch of an abandoned oil field located in League City, Texas, not far from the Gulf of Mexico. [52] A jury deliberated for about 30 minutes and found Smith guilty. For me its that little bit of comfort to step into it and give people some answers, he explained. Where Is the Guy Who Allegedly Shot Alex Murdaugh? According to reports, some time later, two boys on dirt bikes found another body. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per I-45 near Calder, TX, 30 Bodies Discovered to Date Since the 1970s, more than 30 young women have disappeared or been found dead along Interstate-45 in Texas. The last time she had been seen or heard from was in December 1985, according to the FBI. Page 1. Browse 205 texas killing fields stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. ", Stallings: "Exactly, when I picked her up I knew what I was going to do.". The killings have been never been solved. [citation needed], In an interview with CBS News for 48 Hours, actor Sam Worthington said, "People you never know might just go and see the movie and go, 'Oh, I remember when someone went down in the fields, and I remember a certain car and a certain person seemed a bit dodgy.' Fourteen days later, her body was found in the. Since the 1970s, more than 30 young women have mysteriously disappeared or been found murdered along Texas' Interstate 45, in what has become the state's most notorious killing spree. From 1971 until 2006, over 30 women were found dead along an area of Interstate 45 that runs for 50 miles between Houston and Galveston. She vanished in 1983, and had last been seen going to use a payphone at a store, according to Texas Monthly. Click here for more information about Janet Doe and who to contact if you think you may know who she is. The three-episode limited series titled Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields tells the story of the victims whose bodies were dumped (and later found) in a desolate oil field along a. We have sent you an . [50] He once said he had murdered four to five women. Roland remains a prime suspect in the 1991 murder and two other slayings in Fort Bend County. Where Is Paul Murdaugh's Ex, Morgan, Now? I-Team: "You knew from the moment you picked her up? One particular part of the highway, off Calder Road in League City, has gotten its own disturbing moniker: It's become known as the "Texas Killing Fields. In 2019, advancements in genealogy led the authorities to identify the two victims as Donna Prudhomme and Audrey Lee Cook, both in their early thirties when they were murdered. "I think he's trying to clear his conscience, because he knows he's not going to get out," Carrol said. The parents should know what's going on." After two decades on the run from U.S. police for the murder of former Marine Larry Dickens, Edward Harold Bell was extradited from Panama to the states to face trial in 1993. [61][62], Janet Miller, mother of victim Laura Miller, said in an interview with the Dallas Morning News that she was angry at first about the film, stating "I was upset because no one notified me. Since. Texas Killing Fields (2011) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Ami Canaan Mann Writing Credits ( WGA) Don Ferrarone . Fye vanished six months earlier after walking from her parents' home to use a pay phone. Brian Goetschius and Mike Land, who dedicated their careers to solving the mysteries of I-45. Since the early 1970s, 30 bodies of murder victims have been found within the Killing Fields area. Does that sound like somewhere you know? Her body was found bound and partially nude in Turner's Bayou along with her friend, Debbie. During the search, there was another gruesome discovery, though: One more woman was found dead. For over four decades, the murders are thought to be the work of multiple serial killers, but has anyone ever been arrested for the countless murders at the Texas Killing Fields? "And I said, "Look, you know, let's go for a ride,'" Stallings said. The search for culprits spanned decades and eventually revealed that two serial killers had allegedly committed the crimes independently of each other. While in real life there have been several itinerant serial killers involved over the years, the film focuses on specific local Texas City suspects. Her remains were found in the 3000 block of Calder Road after a dog brought her skull to a nearby house. They were mainly the bodies of girls or young women. "[52], Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields, a three-part miniseries about the Texas Killing Fields, was released on Netflix in November 2022. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! This remote tract of land became a dumping ground for killers. The Texas Killing Fields is a stretch of abandoned land just off the interstate road the I-45 between Houston and Galveston in Texas. In the following months, he retracted his confession, claiming that he had been tortured into confessing, with the interrogators suffocating with a plastic bag, burning him with cigarette butts and a radiator, as well as being assaulted by the police chief, Don Morris. Last seen with Georgia Geer at the U-Totem convenience store off of FM 517 and I-45. Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields will cover this topic in more detail. For multiple decades on a desolate stretch of road in Texas, a nightmare unfolded. Coroners estimate that that female victim was 24 to 34 years old, 5 feet to 5-foot-3 and weighed 100 to 130 pounds. theYear=now.getYear()
Texas Killing Fields (1,668) 5.7 1 h 44 min 2011 X-Ray R In the Texas bayous, a local homicide detective (Worthington) teams up with a cop from New York City (Morgan) to investigate a series of unsolved murders. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Texas Killing Fields (2011) - Financial Information", "Venezia 68: International competition of feature films", "Sam Worthington Confirmed as Lead of The Fields, Formerly Called The Texas Killing Fields | /Film", "Danny Boyle Probably Not Entering The 'Texas Killing Fields' Or 'Ponte Tower', "Box office / business for Texas Killing Fields (2011)", "Texas Killing Fields (2011): Filming Locations", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Texas_Killing_Fields_(film)&oldid=1138529267, Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention from January 2016, All Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention, Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 04:56. Smith was linked to the murder years later through DNA evidence. Her mother reported her missing after finding Alison had disappeared from their apartment near. Per the FBI, Donna Gonsoulin Prudhomme was discovered in September of 1991, but at the time, she remained an unidentified "Janet Doe" until January 2019. The unidentified victim was called Janet Doe and appeared to have been beaten and possibly strangled, according to the 1997 report. The three-part documentary investigates the strange disappearance of young women in the 1980s and 1990s, only to be discovered dead on Calder Road in Texas. You could see the I-45. Who Died in the Boat Accident on Murdaugh Murders? The murders still haunt their family members. Cemetery Visibility: Public. "I ended up getting the seat belt and hit her in the head with the seat belt buckle, right, and then wrapped the seat belt around her neck and choked her out," Stallings said. But Grant said Stallings later recanted. King and Zwarst were convicted of aggravated kidnapping, and received life imprisonment sentences in 1998. Following their arrests, Zwarst told police where he had hidden Sikes's body, but unfortunately Sikes' body has never been found. The four Calder. Were taking a look at the worst such dumping grounds in the country. The marsh land is 25 acres and was once an oil field. In 1996, the body of 13-year-old Krystal Jean Baker of Texas City was found dumped in Chambers County. One of Netflix's latest true-crime docuseries,Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields, tells the story of the unsolved murders of four Texas women that occurred in the 1980s and 1990s in League City. Her body was found bound and partially nude in Turner's Bayou along with her friend, Maria. Many investigators believe, per the outlet, that these four killings were the work of a serial killer, who turned this remote area into a "personal graveyard. In 1998, he wrote several letters to the Harris County Attorney, in which he confessed to killing 11 girls in total. Joe Berlinger's next installment in the Crime Scene docuseries examines the eerie connections between the still-unsolved murders of three young women. In Texas City, Texas, detective Mike Souder (Sam Worthington) and his partner, Brian Heigh . Last seen accepting a ride near an island ice cream shop with Debbie Ackerman. Initially, investigators wrote her off as a runaway, despite the fact that she needed medication for epilepsy which had been left at home. The disturbing unsolved crimes are the focus of the new Netflix limited series "Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields. The term "killing fields" originally referred to the sites of mass genocide during Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime. It took decades of work before two of the four women were identified. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Last seen October 26, 1983: Sondra Ramber, 14, Last seen May 24, 1986: Shelley Sikes, 19, Last seen October 7, 1988: Suzanne Rene Richerson, Last seen July 12, 2002: Tot Harriman, 57, November 3, 2006: Terressa (or Teressa) Vanegas, 16. Photo:Facebook/Chloe Grace Moretz The Angel. A year after Villareal-Fye's disappearance, 16-year-old Clear Creek High School student Laura Miller went missing. All four deaths had one thing in common, they were discovered alongside the interstate corridor connecting Houston and the beach town of Galveston, known as The Texas Killing Fields. Click here for more information about Janet Doe and who to contact if you think you may know who she is. Netflix released the third installment of the popular docuseries Crime Scene on November 29, and like the first season, The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, these crimes have never been solved. A mile. Two years later, on Feb 3, 1986, children riding dirt bikes in Calder Field smelled an odor and located the body of an unidentified female, who was given the name Jane Doe. Nevertheless, on September 18, 1974, Self was convicted of killing Shaw and received a life imprisonment term, despite the fact that his confessions showed great discrepancies concerning the victims' clothing, the date of the murders, the locations of the bodies, how they were killed, and various other details. But for a handful of families in the area, a serial killer's confession means they finally have answers. In retaliation, Edward killed him and fled, but was subsequently apprehended by police. On September 8, 1991, additional remains were retrieved from Calder Field. The body of Laura Smithers had been left in the water and among harsh elements, rendering it unrecognizable but her identity was later confirmed with DNA. They were mainly the bodies of girls or young women. [12] On a more lenient note, James Mottram of GamesRadar wrote: "Mann Jr. shows plenty of promise in a film that doesnt tarnish the family name. Last seen at a convenience store located off of West Main Street and Hobbs in League City, Texas. 10:12p, 1/9/23. Most of the victims were aged 1225 years. Is "Daisy Jones & The Six" Based on a True Story? The following year, he was found guilty and convicted, receiving a 60-year imprisonment term. Bell confessed to murdering eleven young women in and around Galveston in the 1970s, and there was an A&E miniseries made about it. 10. engagedbbw 18 days ago. Last seen at a teen club with her friend, Lynette Bibbs, and a 22-year old companion. A film adaptation of the deadly events that occurred along the I-45 highway was released on September 9, 2011, with the title Texas Killing Fields. The below map shows the more than 500 cases in our Highway Serial Killings Initiative database; the red dots mark where bodies or remains have been found along highways over the past 30 years. She was a mother of two who had left her husband after he allegedly became abusive, said her sister. Her skeletal remains were found in a marsh near. The Five Biggest Killing Fields In America. Since the 1970s, 30 bodies have been found in and around the area, leading to the. Dianne last spoke with Donna in 1989, when she requested her birth certificate for travel plans. According to a 1997 Houston Chronicle report, the medical examiner noted that Fye had broken ribs and might have been beaten to death. Jan 20, 2013. They were unable to identify this victim, and she became known as a Jane Doe. However, there have only been two convictions for murder, leaving countless homicides unsolved today. [3] Boyle said that the film was "so dark it would never get made". All four deaths had one thing in common, they were discovered alongside the interstate corridor connecting Houston and the beach town of Galveston, known as The Texas Killing Fields. The main focus of the killing fields investigation centered on an area known as the Calder Road oil field in League City, Texas. HOUSTON - A Texas prisoner has admitted he killed one of the young women whose body was dumped in the so-called "Killing Fields" of League City. [44], Despite this, Bell was never charged with these murders, since no evidence, biological or otherwise, incriminated him. 19 relations. Bell lived on a property near the beach in Galveston, where he was a silent partner of a surf shop. Between the early 1970s and mid-2000s decades many girls have been found murdered there. But according to the documentary, investigators learned Reece was in prison in Oklahoma during the span of the Calder Field murders. Seventeen days later, her body was found in a retention pond in, Last seen at the Bennigan's restaurant near, After mapping a route between League City and, After leaving her Algoa, Texas home during the evening hours of the day, she was last seen riding her bike near the Algoa Baptist Church. Furthermore, many additional young girls have disappeared from this area; these girls . Previously, he was a reporter for Houston Community Newspapers covering the Bellaire and Memorial areas. In June 2022, he was extradited to Texas where he was found guilty of the murders of Smither, Cain, and Cox. William Lewis Reece is the only suspect to be convicted of more than one murder linked to the Texas Killing Fields. But the reality of the fields is far more disturbing than any horror movie; their remoteness and atmospheric conditions lend the fields perfectly to anonymous body disposal. Reader discretion is advised. But to this day, Stallings has not been charged in the murder of Janet Doe. She had been beaten, raped and strangled. The Texas Killing Fields is an area bordering the Calder Oil Field, which is a 25-acre patch of land situated a mile from Interstate Highway 45.. More than 30 young women and girls either disappeared or had been found murdered in that corridor, and the mysteries surrounding the cases have never been far from the minds of the Texas authorities that investigated the crimes, including Brian Goetschius and Michael Land, from Texas City. Despite his alleged confession, he hasn't been charged with murder, but in 2021, he remained a suspect in the murders of Donna Prudhomme and Audrey Cook, according to USA Today. What to know about the Texas Killing Fields and Netflix's new docu-series on the League City murders, Timeline: How battle between Houston ISD, TEA has reached the point of a looming takeover. He even founded Texas EquuSearch, a search and rescue organization to help find missing people, according to local outlet Click2Houston. Then, on Sept. 10, 1984, she asked her mother to drive her to a payphone to call her boyfriend. The Texas Killing Fields is an area bordering the Calder Oil Field, which is a 25-acre patch of land situated a mile from Interstate Highway 45. Just off Interstate 45, along the Gulf Coast, the area was a desolate and uninteresting place. The film's screenplay was loosely inspired by true events surrounding the murders of women kidnapped from cities spread along 30-plus miles of the I-45 corridor and dumped in many areas, including various bayous surrounding the oil fields of Texas City, Texas. [51], In April 2012, 16 years after Krystal Jean Baker's beaten, raped and strangled body was found, Kevin Edison Smith was arrested and convicted of murdering her. One of Netflix's latest true-crime docuseries, Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields, tells the story of the unsolved murders of four Texas women that occurred in the 1980s and 1990s in. It is believed that many of the murders are the work of multiple serial killers. Members of the community have left a memorial site for each of the four victims, though, to acknowledge the horrors that happened there and honor the women whose lives were cut too short, according to the FBI.