Texas

The Evidence Room, Episode 37- The Texas Killing Fields, ‘Who killed our girls?’

Published

1 year ago

October 2, 2024

The Evidence Room, Episode 37- The Texas Killing Fields, ‘Who killed our girls?’

HOUSTON – A few mysteries are as chilling and unresolved as the Texas Killing Fields. A desolate field off Calder Road in League City, Texas, became the burial ground for four women between 1984 and 1991. Audrey Cook, Donna Prudhomme, Laura Miller, and Hiede Villareal Fye were all found in an abandoned oil field off Calder Road in League City, Tx.

In part-two of four, KPRC 2 Investigates nationally recognized show ‘The Evidence Room,’ takes you into ‘The Texas Killing Fields.’ Forty years later, the pain and fight for answers live on in the voices of the victims’ families.

“September 10, 1984,” Laura’s father Tim Miller begins, his voice heavy from dealing with decades of grief. “I’ll never, ever forget that day.”

“I did everything I knew how to do to keep her alive, but somebody else was determined to take her life,” Miller shares.

For years Miller returned to the cross marking Laura’s final resting place.

A cross marks the spot where Tim Miller visits his daughter. The KPRC docu-series ‘The Evidence Room’ dives into The Texas Killing Fields murders near Houston. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

“I used to walk up to this cross, and I’d look at Laura’s picture and say, ‘Laura, please don’t’ hate your daddy, I can’t come out here anymore. I have to put my life back together.’ But every time, I’d hear a little voice say, ‘Dad, don’t quit.’ It was like, ‘Damn you, Laura, what are you talking about?”

Miller’s agony didn’t end with the discovery of Laura’s body. Instead, it deepened, when Laura’s remains were finally recovered on February 2, 1986. The family was told they couldn’t bury her right away. The medical examiner needed more time to determine the cause of death.

“60 days came and went. Six months. One year. Two Years. Three years and nine months later, we finally got to get Laura’s remains. Three years and nine months,” Miller bitterly recounted.

A search for answers, and lost faith in the system

The pain of the delay was compounded by the shocking discoveries about how Laura’s remains had been treated.

“I lost faith in the police department,” Miller while anger began to build inside him. “I thought at that time, that if they were to listen to me. If they would have came out here and searched, they would have found her body. She would have been dead, but there may have been some damn evidence.”

In March of 1992, there was another grim discovery. Laura’s remains were sent in a FedEx box to a college for research, even though she was buried in 1989.

“Remember, there 212 bones in a human body. Guess how many there were, 28 bones.” Miller said.

Once Laura’s remains were returned, Miller learned some of Audrey Cook’s remains had been mixed in with his daughter’s remains.

Audrey was found the same day that they found Laura. They weren’t found in the same spot. They were found 60-ft away from each other.

“The fingernails were clipped. They’re not to be found. That’s frustrating because of the DNA that we can have now,” said Audrey Lee Cooke’s sister in law Shirley Love.

The Suspects

Robert Abel, a former NASA engineer, owned property near ‘The Texas Killing Fields,’ and was one of the primary suspects. A League City police warrant, based in part on an FBI profile, named Abel as a suspect. However, after extensive searches of his property and years of questions, Abel was never charged with a single crime. Miller, fueled by anger and grief, confronted Abel.

“I put a gun to that man’s head,” Miller admits.

Despite this, Miller later asked for Abel’s forgiveness when he said he realized he was not responsible for the murders.

In July of 2005, Robert Abel drove his golf cart on to a set of railroad tracks in Bellville, Texas, and was hit by a train. According to Justice of the Peace, Richard Yancey, Abel’s death was ruled accidental. Miller believes Abel committed suicide.

Another suspect in Laura’s case is Clyde Edwin Hedrick.

“I just got to call, to let you know, Galveston County comes SWAT into my house this morning, and I’m over here in Galveston County Jail for that Calder Road stuff and all of them dead girls,” Hedrick was recorded telling someone on his phone after he was brought in for questioning in the death of Ellen Rae Beason.

Don’t miss Part 2 of KPRC 2′s Investigation into the Texas Killing Fields, airing Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on KPRC 2+.

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Texas

Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas

Published

5 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas

Free Press staff writer Arpan Lobo breaks down the Elite Eight matchup between 1-seed Texas and 2-seed Michigan in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Fast facts

Matchup: 1-seed Texas (34-3, 13-3, SEC) vs. 2-seed Michigan (28-6, 15-3 Big Ten); 2026 NCAA Tournament Fort Worth-3 regional final.
Tipoff: 7 p.m., March 30; Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas.
TV: ESPN.
Series: 1-0 Texas. The only other meeting between the two programs was in 2018, when Texas won, 69-52.

At stake: Winner advances to the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3-5.

Michigan women’s basketball: Meet the Wolverines

Location: Ann Arbor.
Coach: Kim Barnes Arico (311-150 over 14 seasons at U-M, 487-284 career).
School tournament record: 15-13 in 13 appearances.
Past 10 games: 9-1
Scoring leaders: Olivia Olson, 19.2 points per game; Syla Swords 14.8; Mila Holloway, 12.4.
Rebounding leaders: Olson, 6.2; Brooke Quarles Daniels, 5.2; Te’yala Delfosse, 4.6.
Assist leaders: Holloway, 4.8; Quarles Daniels, 2.9; Olson, 2.5.
3-point leaders: McKenzie Mathurin, 40%; Macy Brown*, 36.1%; Holloway, 34.9%.

*Out for season.

The buzz: Michigan is back to the Elite Eight for only the second time in program history, with its only other appearance being a loss to Louisville in 2022. They’ve outclassed and outworked their first three opponents in the tournament, most recently overcoming an early deficit against Louisville to run away late in a 71-52 victory in the Sweet 16.

Even after slow shooting starts from stars Olson and Swords in their past two contests, the Wolverines have been able to break down their opponents by deploying constant pressure, picking up ballhandlers deep in their own backcourts. They force turnovers and create easy looks in transition. Olson, a third-team AP All-American, was big in the second half against both North Carolina State and Louisville, and has been Michigan’s leading scorer in the tournament.

Another factor aiding Michigan’s run? Outworking their opponents on the glass. Guard Brooke Quarles Daniels, at all of 5-foot-7, had a whopping seven offensive boards against Louisville. Michigan has won the rebounding battle in all three of its tournament games so far.

The Wolverines haven’t met an opponent like Texas yet, and particularly an individual force like Madison Booker.

Texas women’s basketball: Meet the Longhorns

Location: Austin, Texas.
Coach: Vic Schaefer (177-29 at Texas, 478-211 career).
School tournament record: 58-36 in 38 appearances.
Past 10 games: 10-0.
Scoring leaders: Madison Booker, 19.3 points per game; Jordan Lee, 13.5; Kyla Oldacre, 10.4
Rebounding leaders: Booker, 6.7; Oldacre, 6.1; Breya Cunningham, 5.6.
Assist leaders: Rori Harmon, 6.1; Booker, 3.8; Lee, 2.5.
3-point leaders: Harmon, 45.8%; Bryanna Preston, 44.4%; 43.8%.

The buzz: After a dominating season, the Longhorns find themselves a win away from a second consecutive Final Four appearance. And the team’s biggest star is three-time All-American forward Madison Booker, who’s led the Longhorns in scoring on the way to another deep tournament run.

Booker is more than just a scorer, however, and is able to facilitate in half court. Although her 3-point field goal percentage has dipped compared to her sophomore season, she’s still able to provide spacing for Texas. Against Kentucky in the Elite Eight, she totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists on the way to a 76-54 win for Texas that was never really in doubt.

Although the Longhorns have others with better percentages from deep, guard Jordan Lee is the team’s most willing outside shooter, hitting nearly 36% from range on more than three attempts a game.

Against Kentucky, Texas forced 24 Wildcat turnovers. The Longhorns boasted the third-best turnover margin in the country this season. Against a Michigan team that likes to bring pressure as well, the turnover battle could play a sizeable role in determining which program heads to Phoenix. The matchup represents a styles clash as well — the Wolverines are the eighth-best scoring offense in the country at 83.9 points per game, but Texas owns a top-15 scoring defense, limiting opponents to 56.4 points per game.

The contest is also taking place in Fort Worth, a much shorter trip from Austin than from Ann Arbor. The crowd is likely to be behind the Longhorns.

You can reach Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com

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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss

Published

17 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss

No. 15 Texas A&M walked out of Austin with a hard‑earned win on Sunday, taking Game 3 of the rivalry series 9–7 to avoid the sweep in what felt every bit like a postseason matchup. The Aggies built an early lead, added crucial insurance late, and held off a furious seventh‑inning push from No. 1 Texas to snap the Longhorns’ nation‑leading win streak.

A&M once again struck first, continuing a trend from the entire weekend. Kennedy Powell’s speed immediately created pressure, turning a single into extra bases after a throwing error. Ariel Kowalewski followed with an RBI double, and Micaela Wark delivered a two‑run home run to give the Aggies a 3–0 advantage before Texas recorded its third out.

The Longhorns answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but KK Dement erased it with a solo shot in the second inning. A&M’s pitching and defense kept Texas quiet for the next three frames until a two‑run double trimmed the lead to 4–3.

With momentum shifting, the Aggies responded with their biggest inning of the series. Frankie Vrazel doubled, Powell doubled her home, and after a walk to Mya Perez, Kowalewski punched a two‑RBI single through the infield. Texas appeared ready to escape the inning, but consecutive defensive errors extended the frame and allowed three more Aggie runs to score, pushing the lead to 9–3 entering the seventh.

Texas refused to fold. The Longhorns put two on with no outs and pushed across a pair of runs, one on a sacrifice fly, another on a groundout. Down to their final out with no one on base, Texas launched back‑to‑back solo home runs to suddenly cut the deficit to two. Sydney Lessentine steadied the moment, inducing a pop‑up to the catcher to close out the win.

Across all three games, the rivalry delivered exactly what it promised. Intensity, high‑level softball, and postseason energy. While Texas claimed the series, the Aggies leave Austin with a top‑25 win, a snapped streak, and a performance that reinforced their ability to compete with anyone in the country.

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Texas chose John Cornyn as a principled conservative, not a Trump lackey | Opinion

Published

1 day ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Texas chose John Cornyn as a principled conservative, not a Trump lackey | Opinion

Voters deserve better than scorched-earth partisan politics that divide our country.

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Not for us

In 35 years as a loyal Republican, I watched my party become unrecognizable. Now, Sen. John Cornyn’s transformation from principled conservative to full-throated Donald Trump sycophant is complete.

In the span of a week, Cornyn reversed his longstanding defense of the Senate filibuster, trying to appease Trump and secure his coveted endorsement. He also co-sponsored the SAVE America Act, which would force Texans to present passports or birth certificates that match their current surnames. Texas voters deserve better than scorched-earth partisan politics that divide our country and paralyze effective governance.

– Malcolm Jacobson, The Woodlands

Real fraud

I am sick and tired of hearing about voter fraud. There isn’t any to speak of, and what has been found was not perpetrated by people in the country illegally. Donald Trump has consistently claimed that there’s rampant fraud. Please show us your evidence, Mr. President. You can’t, because there is none, but people still believe him.

Please wake up to what this man is doing to our country.

– Zelda L Blalock, North Richland Hills

Death penalty

Texas is nearing its 600th execution since the death penalty was reinstated, with three already this year and three more scheduled. It should give us pause to know that four of the offenders are not white.

Legislators and district attorneys should step up, lock up the worst of the worst criminals and end the senseless barbaric practice of the state killing in our name.

– Bob Michael, Grapevine

What reason?

For more than 80 years, nuclear deterrence has kept the world safe from nuclear war, largely because of the power of the U.S. military, skilled diplomacy and moral leadership. Even hostile nations have understood the risks of nuclear engagement.

In just a few weeks, the United States’ war on Iran has cost billions, displaced millions and killed thousands of civilians, according to United Nations and Iranian officials. U.S. military stockpiles are degraded, energy prices are rising and the Iranian people are suffering increased repression.

The Iranian regime and military have been set back, but the country still has much enriched uranium and an even stronger incentive to develop nuclear weapons. It is difficult to understand the need for or benefits of this war.

– Karen Myers, Fort Worth

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