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How a serial killer used the highways in Texas and Oklahoma to help him get away with multiple murders

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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    

William Reece
William Reece

14th Courtroom of Appeals


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.

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April 3, 1997: Laura Smither disappears in Friendswood, Texas

Laura Smither
Laura Smither

Homosexual Smither


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

Laura Smither
A memorial cross was put up close to the place Laura Smither’s physique was discovered.

CBS Information

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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
Surveillance video reveals Sandra Sapaugh contained in the comfort retailer proper earlier than her assault.

Harris County District Clerk’s Workplace


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 surveillance
The final identified picture of Kelli Cox, captured a the surveillance digital camera on the Denton Police Division, the day she went lacking.   

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KTVT


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
Kelli Cox along with her then toddler, Alexis.

Jan Bynum


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.

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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's car at carwash
Tiffany Johnson’s deserted automotive at Sunshine Automotive Wash on the evening of her disappearance. Her  automotive mats nonetheless hanging up. 

KTVT


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

tkf-johnson-field.jpg
Tiffany Johnston’s partially clothed physique is found on July 27, 1997, a day after her disappearance in tall grass subsequent to an unpaved rural street near the interstate. 

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Oklahoma County District Lawyer’s Workplace


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

Jessica Cain
Jessica Cain

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

Jessica Cain memorial
Mates of Jessica Cain gathered for a vigil, hoping she could be discovered.

The Galveston County Each day Information

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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

William Reece
William Reece

Harris County District Clerk’s Workplace


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.

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April 29, 1998: The trial for Sandra Sapaugh’s kidnapping begins

Sandra Sapaugh
Sandra Sapaugh

KHOU


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

Major Lynn Williams and Wendy Duke
Main Lynn Williams, left, and Supervising Criminologist Wendy Duke at OSBI headquarters in Oklahoma Metropolis.

CBS Information

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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

William Reece
William Reece agrees to speak with investigators.

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Oklahoma County District Lawyer’s Workplace


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

William Reece
William Reese confesses to the murders.

Oklahoma County District Lawyer’s Workplace

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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

tkf-cain-remains.jpg
Jessica Cain’s stays had been found in a subject close to Pastime Airport on March 18, 2016.

Oklahoma County District Lawyer’s Workplace


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

tkf-cox-necklace.jpg
Kelli Cox’s stays and her bracelet had been discovered on April 1, 2016, in Brazoria County.  Her mom had  bracelet made right into a locket

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CBS Information


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

Tiffany Johnson
Tiffany Johnson

Kathy Dobry


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.

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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

William Reece
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.

Texas Division of Felony Justice/AP


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

Jan and Alexis Bynum
Jan and Alexis Bynum, embrace family and friends in court docket. William Reece pleaded responsible in Galveston and Brazoria Counties and was given three life sentences: one for every homicide.

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KTVT


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.



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Texas

Tre Johnson, Texas Longhorns Scrape Past Saint Joseph’s to Win Legends Classic

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Tre Johnson, Texas Longhorns Scrape Past Saint Joseph’s to Win Legends Classic


The Texas Longhorns are heading back to Austin with some early-season tournament hardware in hand.

Tre Johnson battled through another poor shooting night but closed the game out for Texas once again, scoring a game-high 17 points to lead the Longhorns to a 67-58 win over Saint Joseph’s at the Legends Classic championship round in Brooklyn Friday night.

Transfer guard Julian Larry sparked the Longhorns late, scoring all 12 of his points in the second half. Arthur Kaluma added 14 points, four rebounds and four assists while Kadin Shedrick had 10 points and six rebounds.

The Hawks were led by Rasheer Fleming, who stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, 20 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and three steals. Xzayvier Brown added 15 points on 4 of 7 shooting.

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The Longhorns jumped out to an 11-6 lead after seven early points from Kaluma. St. Joe’s started out cold from the field but controlled the game with hard-nosed defense and the occasional press while dominating the offensive glass. This was highlighted by a possession where the Hawks got four consecutive offensive rebounds but only scored one point as a result.

Johnson stayed aggressive on offense for Texas but was off on his shot and was impacted by the on-ball defense of St. Joe’s.

Mark, Pope and Johnson all hit a triple for Texas in about a two-minute span ahead of halftime to give the Longhorns their biggest lead at 32-26 but the Hawks responded with a free throw from Haskins 3-pointer from Brown before halftime to cut the lead to 32-30.

The defense from the Hawks ramped up even more, as the Longhorns were stuck in the mud on offense and had little to no ball movement. St. Joe’s was hardly much better, but its defense continued to set the tone and eventually swung the momentum.

Larry then hit back-to-back triples as the two teams traded buckets on five straight possessions. Consecutive dunks from Ajogbor and Fleming but the Hawks in front 50-46 with 8:25 to play, but Larry continued to take over. He hit 1,000 career points with a driving layup before finding Kaluma for a corner triple to put Texas back in front at 51-50.

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It didn’t stop there for Larry, who found a cutting Shedrick for a dunk before diving on a loose ball down at the other end to secure possession for Texas, which had built a 55-52 lead with 3:13 left. The Longhorns used the momentum to put together an 8-0 run, which essentially sealed the win in a game where scoring felt hard to come by.

Johnson then closed the game out with six points in the final 4:11 of action, including a pullup jumper at the foul line to put Texas up 63-55 with 1:19 left.

Texas will host Delaware State on Nov. 29.

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Other Texas Longhorns News:

MORE: Tramon Mark Injury Update: ‘He’s Close’ Says Texas Longhorns’ Rodney Terry

MORE: Tre Johnson Shines Again as Texas Longhorns Steamroll Chicago State

MORE: Texas Longhorns’ Tre Johnson Named SEC Freshman of The Week

MORE: Texas Basketball Finalist for Elite 5-Star Forward Koa Peat

MORE: Tre Johnson Recaps Texas Longhorns Debut: ‘Didn’t Faze Me’

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UT System’s free tuition plan sparks resistance from some Texas lawmakers

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UT System’s free tuition plan sparks resistance from some Texas lawmakers


WASHINGTON — State Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, said Friday he plans to meet with top University of Texas System officials after they announced a plan to provide free tuition and waived fees to students whose families make $100,000 or less.

While many elected officials have praised the initiative, Harrison criticized it as an “abuse of power” that makes Texas higher education “more socialist than California.”

Harrison said Friday he’s unswayed by statements from the system and supporters who say the move will be funded from university endowments, not taxpayers.

Harrison compared such statements to someone saying they’re removing water from the shallow side of a pool, not the deep end. It’s all the same water.

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“Money is fungible, so that doesn’t satisfy me in the slightest,” Harrison said.

‘Game changer’: UT System announces free tuition for qualifying Texas families

The new initiative is an expansion of the Promise Plus Program, a needs-based financial aid initiative, and comes amid widespread concerns about the impact of inflation and college costs on families. Gov. Greg Abbott recently prohibited Texas colleges and universities from raising tuition for the next two years.

UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken hailed the expansion as a “game changer” that will make “enormous, real difference” to improve college access for all Texans.

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Not everyone is a fan.

Harrison and like-minded House colleagues have compared it to President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan that drew intense blowback from conservatives and was largely struck down by the courts. They also said such a consequential change in policy should come from the elected lawmakers serving in the Legislature.

“There must be consequences,” Harrison said on X. “UT’s budget must be cut, and bureaucrats should be fired.”

He led 10 Republican lawmakers, most of them incoming freshmen, in a letter to the regents demanding answers to a litany of questions, including the price tag of the expansion and the source of that money.

“What specific statutory authority did the regents rely on to make a decision this consequential, which will have direct financial consequences for our constituents, many of whom are already struggling to put gas in their tanks and food on their tables?” the lawmakers wrote.

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UT System spokesman Paul Corliss has said the program is not funded through taxes or any kind of public subsidy.

“Rather it is funded through existing UT System endowments,” Corliss said.

What to know about qualifying for free tuition at UT System schools

Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, hammered that point in a response to Harrison on social media.

“There are no tax dollars involved,” Howard said on X. “Higher Ed institutions are already helping families afford college. This expands philanthropic endowments and helps meet affordability goals of [Abbott and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board].”

Harrison and his colleagues will have to contend with many members of the public embracing a plan that already is encouraging young people to adjust their higher education aspirations.

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Frank Whitefeather, a high school senior, stayed up until 2:30 a.m. Friday working on his college application essay.

He was freshly motivated after the announcement that students whose families make less than $100,000 annually will get free tuition and waived fees at the University of Texas at Austin and other schools in the UT System.

“I wouldn’t be in debt,” said Whitefeather, 17. “I wouldn’t have to have student loans.”

Could free tuition from the UT System impact the competition for Texas college students?

Whitefeather, who attends Dallas ISD’s Sunset High School, thinks the UT news also could change many of his peers’ lives. It’s already changing his plans. Whitefeather hopes to study engineering and be his own boss one day. Texas A&M and UT Austin were his top two choices, but the free tuition announcement has pushed UT ahead.

Harrison said the university system is being contradictory by simultaneously saying it has enough money to offer tuition-free education, but also that a tuition freeze could leave it cash strapped and require more funding from the Legislature.

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“I guarantee you they’re going to be requesting more tax money from the Legislature next session,” he said.



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What to know about the newly named leader of Texas DPS

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What to know about the newly named leader of Texas DPS


The Public Safety Commission has unanimously approved Freeman Martin to lead the Texas Department of Public Safety, tapping a top lieutenant of outgoing Director Steve McCraw.

Here’s what to know about the incoming head of the state law enforcement agency:

Martin, 56, is senior deputy director of DPS, where he has a “crucial role” in planning, directing, managing and overseeing the agency’s activities and operations, according to his staff biography.

Incoming Texas Department of Public Safety Director Freeman Martin. (Texas Department of Public Safety)

DPS has more than 11,000 employees and a $3.5 billion biennial budget.

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His career at DPS began as a Highway Patrol trooper in 1990. He has been a Highway Patrol corporal, narcotics service sergeant and a sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major with the Texas Rangers, the agency’s elite investigative division. He also has been regional commander for the Central Texas Region and deputy director of DPS, a post he was appointed to in 2018.

He has expertise in executive protection, violent crime prevention operations, intelligence, counterterrorism and homeland security, and he led the DPS response to the Sutherland Springs mass shooting, Hurricane Harvey and Operation Lone Star.

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Martin established a Texas Anti-Gang Center in San Antonio, helped develop the Texas Rangers Major Crime Scene Response Team and runs a number of initiatives to support local law enforcement agencies.

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He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

The Public Safety Commission, which oversees DPS, conducted a national search after McCraw announced his retirement in August.

The five-member commission is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. At a Sept. 6 meeting, the commission set minimum requirements for the position, opened a four-week window for resumes and letters of interest through Oct. 4, and created a subcommittee to vet applicants and make recommendations.

The subcommittee selected three finalists for in-person and virtual interviews conducted Oct. 16 and Oct. 24. At its meeting Wednesday, commissioners deliberated privately for nearly 2½ hours before returning to announce Martin as its undisputed choice.

His appointment is effective Dec. 1. He will be sworn in the following day at a ceremony at DPS headquarters.

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McCraw, whose retirement takes effect next month, led the department for the past 15 years, calling it “the greatest honor of my life.”

He rose from Highway Patrol trooper in 1977 to narcotics agent in 1983, when he left DPS to join the FBI. McCraw left the federal agency in 2004 to become Texas’ homeland security director until he was named to lead DPS in 2009.

McCraw was heavily scrutinized over the police response to the May 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, including the inaction of dozens of DPS troopers who responded. Officers from multiple agencies waited more than an hour to enter a classroom to confront and kill the gunman who killed 19 students and two teachers.

McCraw was not in Uvalde at the time. He later called the police response an “abject failure” but resisted calls to step down. McCraw blamed the delayed police response on the local school police chief.

In his retirement note to staff, McCraw didn’t say what’s next for him. Instead, he expressed his “deep pride and heartfelt gratitude” to his employees.

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