Texas
How a serial killer used the highways in Texas and Oklahoma to help him get away with multiple murders
It took greater than 20 years to deliver William Reece to justice for the murders of Laura Smither, Kelli Cox, Tiffany Johnston and Jessica Cain.
October 18, 1996: William Reece is launched from jail
After serving practically 10 years in jail for sexually assaulting two girls in his native Oklahoma, William Reece was launched from jail within the fall of 1996. After his launch, Reece briefly stayed along with his mom in Anadarko, Okla., earlier than shifting to Harris County, Texas the place he discovered work as a farrier (placing sneakers on horses) and building employee. Reece made frequent journeys between his new dwelling in Texas and his mom’s dwelling in Oklahoma in 1997.
April 3, 1997: Laura Smither disappears in Friendswood, Texas
Laura Smither, a 12-year-old aspiring ballerina, went for a morning jog close to her dwelling in Friendswood, Texas, however by no means returned. As days handed, Homosexual and Bob Smither searched for his or her daughter with the assistance of their neighborhood, hundreds of volunteers and even the US Marines, however nobody was capable of finding a hint of the lacking lady.
April 20, 1997: Laura Smither is discovered
After 17 days of looking out, Laura Smither’s decomposed physique was discovered 12 miles from her dwelling in a Pasadena, Texas, retention pond by a father and son out strolling their canine. After weeks within the water, her reason behind demise was unclear. Regardless of this devastating information, a suspect rapidly emerged. It was William Reece, who labored at a building website simply down the street from the Smither’s Friendswood dwelling. Whereas Reece was on their radar and his truck was search in connection to Laura’s case, police didn’t have sufficient proof to make an arrest on the time, so he remained a free man.
Could 16, 1997: Sandra Sapaugh is kidnapped in Webster, Texas
Sandra Sapaugh, 19, stopped at a comfort retailer close to I-45. Sapaugh says she observed a person watching her within the parking zone and when she noticed him once more on the Waffle Home restaurant throughout the road, he supplied to assist her with a newly found flat tire. Sapaugh was confused by this and says earlier than she knew what was taking place, the stranger compelled her into his white pickup truck and sexually assaulted her. He sped away along with her in his truck and bought on the interstate. Fearing what may occur to her if she stayed, Sandra jumped from the fast-moving truck into the center of the freeway. Sapaugh was badly damage from the soar, however survived.
July 15, 1997: Kelli Cox goes lacking in Denton, Texas
Kelli Cox, a 20-year-old mom and pupil on the College of Northern Texas, was taking a tour of the Denton police division as part of her legal justice class however left early to take an examination. Shortly after leaving, Cox found that she was locked out of her automotive and used a pay cellphone at a close-by gasoline station to name her boyfriend for assist. However when he confirmed up, Cox was nowhere to be discovered. Later that day, when Kelli failed to choose her toddler up from daycare, Cox’s mom Jan Bynum, says she knew one thing was terribly unsuitable.
Jan Bynum’s Struggle to Discover Kelli
Kelli Cox was a devoted pupil, taking summer season courses and hoped to graduate early with a level in social work. Though Kelli was a younger mom to her daughter Alexis, she embraced it totally. Alexis was Cox’s complete world and Kelli’s mom Jan Bynum knew that Kelli would by no means go away Alexis behind.
Nonetheless, the times of looking out was weeks and regardless of her finest efforts, Bynum could not work out precisely what occurred to her daughter. With no physique and no sturdy leads, the case started to develop chilly.
July 26, 1997: Tiffany Johnston vanished in Bethany, Oklahoma
Tiffany Johnston was 19 years previous and newly married when she vanished in broad daylight, from a automotive wash in Bethany, Oklahoma. Her ground mats had been nonetheless hanging on the drying racks and keys had been nonetheless within the ignition, however there was no signal of Tiffany and nobody on the automotive wash reported seeing something out of the bizarre that day. Tiffany’s mom Kathy Dobry was left mystified and puzzled what occurred to her youngest daughter.
July 27, 1997: Tiffany Johnston’s physique is found
Only a day after her disappearance, Tiffany Johnson’s partially clothed physique was present in tall grass, subsequent to an unpaved rural street near the interstate. It was simply 15 miles from the automotive wash the place Johnson was final seen alive. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted. Investigators had been in a position to get better the killer’s DNA from Johnson’s physique, however they might not develop a suspect profile from it on the time.
August 17, 1997: Jessica Cain’s truck is present in La Marque, Texas
Simply three weeks after Tiffany Johnston’s homicide, 17-year-old Jessica Cain was final seen leaving a restaurant in Clear Lake, Texas, the place she was out with buddies. When Jessica missed curfew, her father C.H. Cain went out in search of her. After trying to find hours, C.H. Cain discovered his daughter’s truck deserted on the shoulder of I-45 simply a few miles from their dwelling. There was no hint of Jessica and no clues as to the place she was.
Looking for Jessica Cain
Search events and buddies regarded for any signal of Jessica, however that they had no luck. Homosexual and Bob Smither, who had been nonetheless processing the lack of their very own daughter Laura, simply 4 months earlier, joined the search instantly, saying they felt known as by God to assist. After weeks of trying to find solutions, as soon as once more, investigators had been left with out leads and Jessica’s case grew chilly.
October 1997: A survivor comes ahead
5 months after Sandra Sapaugh’s abduction, throughout a gathering with Friendswood police, Webster investigators realized that Sapaugh’s description of her kidnapper’s automobile sounded much like the truck Friendswood police had searched in Laura Smither’s case — belonging to Wiliam Reece. On Oct.16, 1997, Reece was pulled in for a lineup and Sapaugh recognized him as her attacker.
Reece was arrested and charged with kidnapping. He pleaded not responsible.
April 29, 1998: The trial for Sandra Sapaugh’s kidnapping begins
When William Reece was placed on trial for the kidnapping of Sandra Sapaugh, his previous got here again to hang-out him. The jury heard Sandra Sapaugh’s highly effective testimony and his victims from the eighties additionally took the stand and shared how they had been each brutally attacked by Reece in Oklahoma. The jury deliberated for lower than three hours earlier than they discovered Reece responsible. He was sentenced to 60 years in jail.
A second take a look at Tiffany Johnston’s case
In 2012, retired police chief, Lynn Williams had began working for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI) and was assigned to Tiffany Johnston’s case. Williams went by means of the case file methodically, and got here to suppose the crime scene DNA was their finest guess at figuring out Johnston’s killer.
The DNA from Johnston’s physique had already been examined twice, with no outcomes, however with developments in DNA testing, OSBI supervising criminologist Wendy Duke and her crew had been in a position to develop a partial male profile. The crew in contrast this partial profile to the profiles from identified suspects, and eradicated all different suspects, till they bought to William Reece.
A DNA breakthrough
In December of 2013, a buccal swab was collected from William Reece and despatched to the OSBI for comparability. Along with his DNA in hand, Wendy Duke was lastly in a position to join Reece to the DNA recovered from Tiffany’s physique, and Reece couldn’t be eradicated because the contributor. On Sept. 22, 2015, an arrest warrant was issued for William Reece by the state of Oklahoma for the homicide and kidnapping of Tiffany Johnston.
Here’s a take a look at the DNA comparability that was run by the OSBI.
February 2016: William Reece agrees to speak
Oklahoma regulation enforcement shared their new DNA discovery with Texas investigators who puzzled if they might get Reece to speak a couple of potential connection to the instances of Laura Smither, Kelli Cox and Jessica Cain.
Investigators from Texas went to go to Reece in jail, however earlier than he agreed to talk additional, he wished the demise penalty taken off the desk. The Smithers agreed and Jan Bynum agreed; all of them hoped to be taught what occurred to their daughters.
Chilly instances warmth up
Regardless of solely having an settlement to waive the demise penalty for Kelli Cox and Laura Smither’s instances, William Reece ended up confessing to all 4 murders.
March 18, 2016: Jessica Cain’s stays are found
With the assistance of some info from William Reece, after 25 days of digging, Jessica Cain’s stays had been found in a subject on East Orem Drive, close to Pastime Airport. Jessica Cain’s mother and father requested for privateness whereas they buried their daughter.
April 1, 2016: Kelli Cox’s stays are found
Two weeks after Jessica’s stays had been unearthed, Kelli Cox’s had been present in close by Brazoria County. After so a few years of questioning what occurred to her daughter and Alexis’ mom, Jan Bynum now had solutions. Kelli’s bracelet was discovered along with her stays, and Jan had it made right into a locket.
Could 18, 2021: Tiffany Johnston’s homicide trial begins
After William Reece led investigators to Kelli Cox and Jessica Cain’s stays, Oklahoma prosecutors wished Reece transported to Oklahoma, so he may face expenses for the homicide and kidnapping of Tiffany Johnston. Though prosecutors had DNA linking him to TJohnson and his confession, Reece entered a plea of not responsible.
After 9 days, the jury deliberated and took lower than two hours to search out Reece responsible of murdering Tiffany Johnston. He was sentenced to demise.
March 8, 2022: William Reece returns to Texas
After being discovered responsible of the homicide of Tiffany Johnston, Reece returned to Texas to face justice within the murders of Laura Smither, Kelli Cox and Jessica Cain.
June 29, 2022: Justice for Laura, Kelli, and Jessica
Twenty-five years after the murders of Laura Smither, Kelli Cox and Jessica Cain, their households lastly bought their day in court docket. William Reece pleaded responsible in Galveston and Brazoria Counties and was given three life sentences: one for every homicide.
Texas
Texas Land Commissioner Buckingham redraws Texas-Oklahoma border to ensure safe water for 2 million Texans
The Texas Land Commissioner announced the Red River Boundary Commission has redrawn the Texas-Oklahoma boundary in order to ensure safe water for more than 2 million Texans.
The redraw will secure and make available approximately 30% of the drinking water supply for the surrounding area.
“As Texas Land Commissioner, it is my honor to work on behalf of all Texans and bring solutions to the table to benefit our great state. This redrawn boundary line will ensure that millions of north Texans’ water comes from a secure source in Texas,” said Commissioner Dawn Buckingham.
“I am proud of the GLO’s surveying team for playing such a significant role in settling this boundary issue by using their mapping skills and expertise. Surveying has been a vital part of the GLO since the establishment of this agency in 1836.”
‘SHUT IT DOWN’: RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGE
In a press release regarding the move, it was explained that the shift was prompted due to a discovery in 2009 of a pump station that was required to stop operation to prohibit further introduction of Zebra mussels in Texas.
The mussels are believed to have negative impacts due to power plants spending millions removing them from clogged water intakes.
OKLAHOMA INVESTIGATION FINDS LEADERS ‘GROSSLY NEGLIGENT’ IN MANAGEMENT OF PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS
It was during this pause in operation that a question arose regarding where the pump station was located. If the pump was in Oklahoma, operating it could violate federal law prohibiting the interstate transport of zebra mussels.
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“It was determined that the pump station that provides drinking water to certain parts of north Texas was inadvertently built straddling the state lines of Texas and Oklahoma,” it said.
“On October 30, 2024, the Red River Boundary Commission, composed of Texas and Oklahoma commissions, executed the Amended and Restated Texoma Area Boundary Agreement to correct the boundary issue and ensure the pump station is located wholly in Texas,” according to the statement.
Texas
Texas Rangers Spring Training Schedule, Including Game Times, Ticket Information
The Texas Rangers spring training schedule is set with the club announcing game times on Thursday.
The entire schedule is below.
The Rangers play 33 spring training games in 2025, including 31 Cactus League games in Arizona and two exhibition against the Kansas City Royals on March 24-25 at Globe Life field.
The Rangers spring schedule starts against the Royals at Surprise Stadium, the complex the club’s share, on Feb. 21.
Individual game tickets go on sale online at texasrangers.com on Tuesday. In person ticket sales will be available at the Surprise Stadium box office beginning Jan. 25. For more information on 2025 season and individual game tickets call 623-222-2222 or visit surprisestadium.com. Ticket information for the two exhibition games at Globe Life field will be announced at a later date.
Texas begins its 23rd spring training at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz., and will play 17 of its 31 Cactus League games in Surprise.
DATE, OPPONENT, SITE, TIME
Feb. 21, Royals, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 22, Giants, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 23, Cubs, Mesa (Sloan Park), 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 24, White Sox, Glendale, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 25, Royals, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 26, Guardians, Goodyear, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 27, Mariners (ss), Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 28, Cubs, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 1, Brewers, Phoenix, 1:10 p.m.
March 2, Diamondbacks, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 3, Royals, Surprise Stadium,1:05 p.m.
March 4, Athletics, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 5, Reds, Goodyear, 1:05 p.m.
March 6, Padres, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
; Dodgers, Glendale, 1:05 p.m.
March 7, Rockies, Salt River Fields, 6:40 p.m.
March 8, Royals (ss), Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 9, Diamondbacks (ss), Salt River Fields, 1:10 p.m.
March 10, Open Date
March 11, Angels, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 12, Reds, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 13, Giants, Scottsdale, 1:05 p.m.
March 14, Rockies, Surprise Stadium, 6:05 p.m.
; Padres, Peoria, 6:40 p.m.
March 15, Athletics (ss), Mesa (Hohokam), 1:05 p.m.
; Giants, (Spring Breakout Game), Scottsdale, TBA.
March 16, White Sox, Surprise Stadium, 1:05 p.m.
March 17, Open Date
March 18, Guardians, Surprise Stadium, 6:05 p.m.
March 19, Mariners, Peoria, 1:10 p.m.
March 20, Rockies, Surprise Stadium, 6:05 p.m.
; Padres, Peoria, 6:40 p.m.
March 21, Angels (ss), Tempe, 12:10 p.m.
March 22, Royals, Surprise Stadium, 12:05 p.m.
March 23, Open Date
March 24, Royals, Globe Life Field, 7:05 p.m. CT
March 25, Royals, Globe Life Field, 1:35 p.m. CT
Rangers home games are in bold; ss-split squad games.
Note: Surprise, Ariz., is one hour behind Texas time (Central time) through March 8 (Mountain time) and two hours behind beginning March 9 (Pacific time).
You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.
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