Crime Story History Of Texas (2025)

22/04/2025

The Texas Killing Fields: A True Crime Story of Unsolved Tragedies

Along a desolate stretch of Interstate 45, between Houston and Galveston, Texas, lies a haunting piece of land that has been the scene of a chilling series of unsolved murders. This area, known today as the Texas Killing Fields, became infamous in the early 1980s after numerous young women and girls were found dead in the marshy, overgrown fields flanking the highway.

The unsettling pattern began to take shape in 1983, when 23-year-old Heidi Villareal Fye, a bartender from League City, went missing after walking to a convenience store. Her remains were discovered in 1984 in a field off Calder Road, a remote area surrounded by oil rigs, pipelines, and brush—isolated enough to hide a killer's secrets.

Just two years later, in 1986, tragedy struck again when 16-year-old Laura Miller vanished after using a payphone at the same store. Laura’s father, Tim Miller, tirelessly searched for his daughter and pressured law enforcement to investigate the connection between her case and Heidi’s. In 1986, Laura's remains were also discovered in the same Calder Road field—less than 100 yards from where Heidi was found.

The discoveries didn’t end there. In 1986 and again in 1991, authorities found the remains of two other young women—both unidentified at the time—in the same general area. One victim was eventually identified in 2019 as Donna Prudhomme, a mother of two from Seabrook, Texas, who went missing in 1991.

These four victims—Heidi Fye, Laura Miller, Donna Prudhomme, and an unidentified woman—made Calder Road synonymous with tragedy and mystery. The term “Texas Killing Fields” soon expanded to include a broader area along the I-45 corridor, where more than 30 young women had disappeared or were found murdered since the 1970s.

What has baffled investigators and haunted families for decades is the lack of resolution. Despite various suspects over the years, including convicted felons and s*x offenders, very few of the cases tied to the Texas Killing Fields have been officially solved. The remoteness of the area and the lack of surveillance in the pre-digital era made it a prime dumping ground for predators.

Tim Miller, Laura’s father, became a well-known victims’ advocate and founded Texas EquuSearch, an organization that helps search for missing persons. His daughter’s murder remains officially unsolved, but in recent years, attention has shifted to a man named Clyde Hedrick, who was convicted of manslaughter in a different case and has been publicly accused by Miller of involvement in Laura’s death.

In 2022, renewed attention came through the Netflix documentary series “Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields”, which reignited public interest and brought national awareness to the unsolved cases. Investigators and family members continue to push for advancements in DNA technology and digital forensics to finally bring closure to the decades-long mystery.

Despite years of dead ends, cold trails, and heartache, families and law enforcement remain committed to finding the truth.
---
Victims Linked to the Texas Killing Fields Include:

• Heidi Villareal Fye (1983)
• Laura Miller (1984)
• Donna Prudhomme (1991)
•Krystal Jean Baker (1996, case solved in 2012 through DNA)
• Jane Doe (1986) – still unidentified

--If you have any information about these or related cases, contact the Texas Department of Public Safety Cold Case Unit.

21/04/2025

In 1984, 20-year-old SMU student Angela Samota was brutally murdered in her Dallas apartment. For over two decades, her case went cold.

No suspects. No arrests. No justice.

But her best friend never stopped fighting. And in 2008, DNA finally revealed the killer — a convicted ra**st named Donald Bess, free on parole at the time of her murder.

This video tells the story of a vibrant young woman, a tragic night, and a friend’s determination that helped solve one of Texas' most haunting cold cases.

Watch, share, and remember Angela Samota.

19/04/2025

The Daingerfield Church Shooting – June 22, 1980 📍Location: Daingerfield, Northeast Texas

On a quiet Sunday morning in the small town of Daingerfield, Texas, the First Baptist Church congregation gathered for worship. But peace turned to horror when 45-year-old Alvin Lee King III stormed into the sanctuary armed with multiple weapons, including a semi-automatic rifle.

King opened fire during the service, killing five people and injuring ten others. His victims included men, women, and even a 7-year-old girl. It was one of the deadliest church shootings in Texas history.

King’s motive? He believed the church had failed to support him after he was charged with s*xually assaulting his own daughter. Enraged and unstable, he planned the massacre as an act of revenge.

After the attack, King tried to flee but was quickly captured. However, justice was never fully served — he died by su***de in jail in 1982, before facing trial.

To this day, the Daingerfield church shooting remains one of the most shocking and tragic crimes in Northeast Texas history — a moment that forever changed a quiet town.

19/04/2025

“Murder in Wylie: The Candy Montgomery Case”

Wylie, Texas – June 13, 1980

It was a crime that shocked a quiet North Texas town and still fascinates the public to this day.
A wife. A friend. An affair. And 41 swings of an axe.

Candy Montgomery, a 30-year-old housewife and mother of two, stood accused of brutally killing her friend and fellow churchgoer Betty Gore with a wood-splitting axe. The events unfolded inside Gore’s home while her infant daughter lay unattended in the next room.

Candy, who had become close friends with Betty at a local Methodist church in Lucas, was having an affair with Betty’s husband, Allan Gore. What started as a friendship turned deadly when Betty confronted Candy about the affair on that fateful day in June 1980—while Allan was out of town.

What followed was one of the most sensational trials ever held in Collin County, Texas.

---

The Discovery

After Allan was unable to reach his wife by phone, he asked neighbors to check on her. They broke into the house and found a horrific scene:
Betty Gore had been struck 41 times with an axe.
Her daughter, Bethany, had been left alone in her crib for over 13 hours—crying and covered in filth.

---

The Trial That Captivated Texas

Investigated by Steve Deffibaugh of the Collin County Sheriff’s Department, Candy Montgomery quickly became the focus of the case. She was arrested and charged with murder. Represented by civil attorney Don Crowder and defense attorney Robert Udashen, Candy pleaded not guilty by reason of self-defense.

In court, she claimed that Betty had confronted her about the affair and attacked her with the axe first. A violent struggle broke out in the utility room, and Candy claimed she grabbed the weapon and fought for her life.

She passed a polygraph test. But many questioned the extent of the violence—41 blows, most delivered after Betty had already fallen.

The trial, held in McKinney, was presided over by Judge Tom Ryan. The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for just over three hours before delivering a verdict that stunned the community:

Not guilty.

As Candy walked out of the courthouse on October 30, 1980, crowds screamed “Murderer! Murderer!” The public was furious. They believed justice had not been served.

---

The Aftermath

Betty’s father, Bob Pomeroy, said it best:

“As far as I'm concerned, justice will be served. She has to live with it... We don’t know what happened—and we never will.”

Candy Montgomery later moved away and faded from public view.
But the case remains one of Texas’ most chilling and controversial stories—a tale of secrets, betrayal, and the bloody consequences that followed.

18/04/2025

The Lynching of George Hughes – Sherman, Texas, 1930

May 9, 1930.
A day burned into the memory of Sherman, Texas.
A day when the rule of law collapsed, and hate ruled the streets.

George Hughes, a Black man accused of assaulting a white woman, was being tried inside the Grayson County Courthouse. Outside, a white mob had gathered—restless, enraged, and unwilling to wait for the justice system.

As the trial unfolded, the crowd grew violent.
They stormed the courthouse, set it ablaze, and tried to seize Hughes. In a desperate attempt to protect him, authorities locked Hughes in a fireproof vault on the third floor.

But the fire was no accident—and no safety measure could stop the fury.
The building burned around him. Hughes died in that vault, trapped by the very people sworn to protect him.

And it didn’t stop there.

The mob retrieved his charred remains, dragged his body through the streets, and hanged him in the Black business district of Sherman.
Then, they looted and burned the neighborhood, destroying Black-owned businesses and homes.

The National Guard was called in—too late to stop the horror.

No one was ever held accountable.

For decades, Sherman rarely spoke of that day.
But now, efforts by organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative and community historians have brought the story back to light.

George Hughes’ story is part of East Texas history.
It is not comfortable. It is not easy.
But it must be remembered.

Because justice begins with truth.

17/04/2025

The Lynching of Allen Brooks – A Tragic Day in Dallas History

March 3, 1910.
A crowd of thousands filled downtown Dallas—not for a parade, not for celebration, but to witness a horrific act of racial violence that would leave a permanent stain on Texas history.

Allen Brooks, a 65-year-old Black man, had been accused—without a trial—of assaulting a white child. While inside the Dallas County Courthouse, a white mob broke through the courtroom, overpowered law enforcement, and threw Brooks out a second-story window.

They dragged him through the streets to the Elks Arch at Main and Akard.

There, beneath a telephone pole and with the cheers of a frenzied mob, he was lynched.

The scene was horrifying. Photos were taken—some even printed and sold as postcards in the days that followed.
No one was ever charged. No one was held accountable.

For over 100 years, the site remained unmarked—a silent corner of the city, hiding one of its darkest days.

But in 2021, after tireless efforts from local groups like Remembering Black Dallas, a historical marker was installed.
It doesn’t undo the past.
But it tells the truth.
And that matters.

We remember Allen Brooks—not just as a victim, but as a man who deserves justice, and as a name that must never be forgotten.

Photo: (Corner Of Main Street & Akard Dallas, Texas)

17/04/2025

The Newton Boys – Texas' Most Successful Outlaws You've Never Heard Of

They weren’t Jesse James. They weren’t Bonnie and Clyde. But they robbed more banks and trains than both—without killing a single person.

Meet the Newton Boys, a gang of Texas brothers from Uvalde County who became the most prolific bank robbers in U.S. history.

Between 1919 and 1924, Willis, Wylie, Joe, and Dock Newton—along with inside help from corrupt postal clerks—pulled off more than 85 bank robberies and a handful of high-profile train heists. Their take? An estimated $3 million in cash and bonds—worth tens of millions today.

But what made them different?
They were polite. Well-dressed. Strategic.
And, strangely, non-violent.

The Newtons studied their targets carefully, broke in under cover of darkness, and used nitroglycerin to blow open safes.
They didn’t shoot unless absolutely necessary—and even then, they avoided bloodshed. Many who crossed paths with them later described the brothers as gentlemen criminals.

Their biggest score came in 1924, when they robbed a postal train in Rondout, Illinois, stealing over $3 million—the largest train robbery in U.S. history.

But that job also brought the law crashing down. One gang member was shot and captured, others were rounded up soon after.
They served time, but remarkably, all survived prison.
Years later, Willis Newton even consulted on the 1998 film "The Newton Boys," starring Matthew McConaughey and Ethan Hawke.

Texas has had many outlaws—but few as calculating, efficient, and curiously civil as the Newton brothers.

📸: Texas Hill Country

17/04/2025

Step into the darker side of Texas history.

Crime Story History of Texas uncovers the infamous outlaws, forgotten murders, legendary heists, and haunting mysteries that shaped the Lone Star State. From dusty backroads to bustling cities like Dallas and Houston, we bring you true crime stories from the past—some chilling, some unbelievable, all 100% Texas.

Follow us for vintage crime tales, outlaw lore, historical photos, and deep dives into the crimes that time forgot.

Because every town has a story. And some are written in blood.

11/06/2024

Silverback Windows will fully replace your old windows for $599.99 each. Installation, materials and lifetime warranty included. Call or text 469-388-5175

19/05/2024

I-30 Eastbound & John King - 20 minute delay

05/05/2024

Major Rollover Accident - US75 @ SH121 South - Major Delay

30/04/2024

IH35E @ Loop 12 North - Minimal Delay

Crime Story History Of Texas

22/04/2025

21/04/2025

19/04/2025

19/04/2025

18/04/2025

17/04/2025

17/04/2025

17/04/2025

11/06/2024

19/05/2024

05/05/2024

30/04/2024

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share