Check out the full list of winners. Though the swampland crime scenes are outside their jurisdiction, Detective Heigh is unable to turn his back on solving the gruesome murders. It was only after his death that a number of police officials, including the former Harris County District Attorney, stated their belief that Self was wrongly convicted. 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. [52] A jury deliberated for about 30 minutes and found Smith guilty. Last seen accepting a ride near an island ice cream shop with Maria Johnson. Most of the victims were aged 12–25 years. Without the strong female performances, there is very little to recommend. 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. A tale of lust, greed and one woman's scorn. Railroad bridge I-45, Ferris, TX. Since 1971, the Highway of Hell claimed 30 young girls and women ranging in age from 10 – 25, with similar features. As Schneier points out, one major element of a perfect killing field is a hot, damp climate, something that Texas has in spades. Her remains were identified along with Georgia Geer's in an Alvin, Texas ditch. King and Zwarst were convicted of aggravated kidnapping, and received life imprisonment sentences in 1998. Fourteen days later, her body was found in the. She died six weeks to several months prior to being found. Southeastern Texans know it better as the “Killing Fields.” The bodies and bones pulled from the old oil field along Calder Road in League City between 1984 … 1 With ‘A-’ CinemaScore; Director Ilya Naishuller On Redefining Action Genre With Bob Odenkirk Pic – Update, Federico Frusciante: Meglio e Peggio 2012, Top 10 Best Jessica Chastain Acting Performances, Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.14. Last seen accepting a ride near an island ice cream shop with Debbie Ackerman. Michael Land served as a study for Sam Worthington’s film character. "Texas Killing Fields" begins along the lines of a police procedural and might have been perfectly absorbing if it had played by the rules: strict logic, attention to detail, reference to technical police work. It stars Sam Worthington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jessica Chastain, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Clarke, Annabeth Gish and Stephen Graham. Her skeletal remains were found in a marsh near. Located about a mile off of Interstate 45, bordering the Calder oil field and League City, between Galveston and Houston, Texas, is a remote, uninhabited patch of land measuring around 40-kilometer (25 mi) long and marked by abandoned oil fields, marshes, and thick, nearly impenetrable tangles of overgrown brush. The murders of four women in League City, Texas, are known locally as "The Calder Road Murders" or "The Killing Fields." 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. Both men were asked to indicate the whereabouts of Sikes' body in exchange for dodging the life sentence, but their directions failed to uncover it. 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. The filmmakers hired officers Goetschius and Land as consultants while making the movie. Tags from the story. If there's a place where getting away with murder is easy, it's here. After hours of interrogation, Self confessed to the murders. Discovered in a field in the 3000 block of Calder Road alongside Laura Miller, coroners estimate the woman was 22 to 30 years old and 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8, and that she died six weeks to six months prior to being found. They were mainly the bodies of girls or young women. 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. This was met with a complete underutilisation of some of my favourite actors. "[3], In 1972, a gas station operator and convicted sex offender from Galveston, Michael Lloyd Self, became a suspect in the murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw. Thanks to the use of genealogy, the public will finally learn the victims' identities after over 25 years of mystery. Her body was found bound and partially nude in Turner's Bayou along with her friend, Debbie. Discovered in a field in the 3000 block of Calder Road. Her severed remains were found near Addicks Reservoir in the same area as Colette Wilson. After telling her mother she was going on a 20-minute jog, Laura was last seen running down the same street that her home sat on. Her mother reported her missing after finding Alison had disappeared from their apartment near. Since 1971, well over thirty women have disappeared along a fifty mile-long patch of I-45 between Houston and Galveston. Mark Roland Stallings is clear and convincing in his account of what happened 25 years ago. He had been arrested at least 12 times on charges of showing his genitals to children, but each time avoided imprisonment. The "Texas Killing Fields" is a boggy, 25-acre stretch of land along Interstate 45 where four women's bodies were found between 1983 and 1991, including … Last seen at a convenience store located off of West Main Street and Hobbs in League City, Texas. Last seen at her job as a night clerk at the Casa Del Mar Condominiums at approximately 6 a.m. [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.' Texas Killing Fields (2011) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Youtube/TexasEquuSearch100 There's such ease of access, too, making it even more enticing to murderers. Based on E.L. Doctorow's story, "Jolene: A Life.". Her remains were found in the 3000 block of Calder Road after a dog brought her skull to a nearby house. Thirty years later, the secrets the Agents share come back to haunt them. Was this review helpful to you? In 1978, Bell, while masturbating on the street in front of a group of teenage girls, was confronted by 26-year-old former marine Larry Dickens, while his mother called the police. Music is by Dickon Hinchliffe and cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh. This page was last edited on 13 April 2021, at 00:41. A Nebraska teen gets more than she bargained for when she sets out for the bright lights of Las Vegas. Last seen walking near the Green Caye Subdivision on Halloween night. 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. He was sentenced to life in prison. In retaliation, Edward killed him. The main plot itself was rather predicable and ultimately let me shaking my head in disapproval. Texas Killing Fields is a bayou noir, where although the title hints at human devastation unbound, it’s actually a slow burning skin itcher more concerned with the people investigating crime than that of the perpetrators. Coroners estimate that that female victim was 24 to 34 years old, 5 feet to 5-foot-3 and weighed 100 to 130 pounds. After his arrest, Zwarst told the police that he had hidden the body in one of the fields, where the other bodies were found. The Texas killing fields and the highway of death. He posted bail several weeks later. In 2015, his DNA was matched to the killer of 19-year-old Tiffany Johnston, who was found murdered in Oklahoma in 1997. Some shared similar physical features, such as similar hairstyles. View production, box office, & company info, Rated R for violence and language including some sexual references, ‘Nobody’ Opening To No. After a robbery gone awry, a young man breaks into an apartment and takes a wheelchair bound girl hostage. Last seen at a teen club with her friend, Lynette Bibbs, and a 22-year old companion. The film is loosely based on the murders while depicting a fictional portrayal of the struggle that local police faced while attempting to solve the murders. In the mid-1970s, he acquired a plot of land in Dickinson and lived near the place where two more victims, Brooks Bracewell and Georgia Geer, were last seen alive. At the time of the murder, Stallings was living and working in League City, and was near the homes of some of the girls who went missing and were later found dead. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. A mile from I-45, lies the 25-acre patch known as 'The Killing Fields', where the bodies of several young women have been found. “It’s basically the U.S. Highway of Tears,” University of Western Ontario criminology professor Michael Arntfield told The Toronto Sun. [2] The first known victim of the I-45 Killer to be found in the killing fields, Colette Wilson was a 13-year-old girl who went missing from her bus stop in June 1971. Morris was sentenced to 55 years, while Deal to 30. Relive the most surprising wins, inspirational speeches, hilarious dance breaks, and more highlights from the 2021 Academy Awards. The 25 mile area is comprised of marshes, overgrown vegetation, abandoned oil fields, and wildlife and ferocious natural elements that destroy evidence in the blink of an eye. Her body was found in a ditch two days later. A detective deals with the loss of his own son while trying to uncover the identity of a boy whose mummified remains are found in a box buried for fifty years. Released in 2011, “Texas Killing Fields” went on to critical acclaim, but the mystery of what actually took place in those fields remains etched into the minds and memories of investigators. Police to reveal identities of 2 victims in Texas 'Killing Fields' case. Maybe a family can then know what happened to their daughter. 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. 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. Her skull was found in Clear Lake, and the rest of her remains were recovered in a marsh nearby, alongside those of Rhonda Johnson. A poetic road trip through Pulitzer prize-winning CK Williams' life. Last seen with Brooks Bracewell at the U-Totem convenience store off of FM 517 and I-45. The parents should know what's going on." This 50-mile stretch of land, bordering Calder Oil Field, sits a mile from Interstate 45. "[52], Location in Texas which is the scene of 30+ murders, mostly unsolved, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw § Michael Lloyd Self, List of fugitives from justice who disappeared, List of serial killers in the United States, "The real-life mystery of Texas' killing fields", "Authorities reveal identities of 2 'Killing Fields' victims", "Names, real-life photos of 2 'Killing Fields' victims released", "Can DNA provide answers in deaths of 2 women in 'Texas Killings Fields'? 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 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. 2 Women Found Dead in 'Texas Killing Fields' Are ID'd, as Police Investigate Decades-Old Murders Since the 1970s, the bodies of dozens of women … ", "FamilyTreeDNA Helps Identify Two Victims from the 'Texas Killing Fields, "Houston-based DNA company helps identify 'Killing Fields' victims", "Texas 'Killing Fields' victim from Memphis, police say", "The Texas killing fields and the highway of death", "Man convicted in 'Killing Fields' murder of Texas City teen", "DNA linking man to teen's '96 death gives her family answers", "Krystal Baker murder case featured on TV series Tuesday night", "Man convicted in Texas City girl's 1996 slaying", "Krystal Jean Baker Act Aids Law Enforcement in More Quickly Connecting Missing Links in Unsolved Cases", "The disappearance of 12-year-old Friendswood girl Laura Smither", "The killing fields: Disappearance of Texas girl still haunts reporter", "William Reece Indicted 19 Years After Deaths of Cain, Smither", "Suspected serial killer charged in 1997 murders of 2 Texas girls", "Remembering Jessica Cain, 20 years after her disappearance", "Parents of slain girl face Reece in courtroom", "Man seen at Jessica Cain body search site linked to young girls' disappearances", "Body found in SE Houston field confirmed to be Jessica Cain", "Remains confirmed to be those of Jessica Cain, who vanished in 1997", "Alleged serial killer indicted in Texas in fourth death", "Family awaiting news about missing woman", "Dickinson family hoping for break in Halloween cold case murder", "Elderly Inmate Claims to Have Committed Nearly a Dozen Murders", "Texas killer's death leaves unanswered questions in girls' slayings", "Experts: William Reece fits 'serial killer' profile", "Cases against accused killer William Reece at a standstill", "Convicted kidnapper reveals location of Kelli Ann Cox's remains", "Confessed killer details murder of Texas Killing Fields victim", "League City police determine identities of 2 women found in 'Texas Killing Fields, "The Killing Fields – 48 Hours – CBS News", "Man convicted in one of 'I-45 Killings' cases dies in prison", "Kidnapper convicted in Texas City teen's 1986 disappearance denied parole again", "Detectives hope 'Killing Fields' film help solve 60 murders", "Victims' kin skeptical on film on Galveston Co. killings", Unidentified decedents in the United States, Unidentified murder victims in the United States, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Texas_Killing_Fields_(location)&oldid=1017482078, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles needing additional references from October 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Last seen on her way to visit her aunt. [50][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. Three days later, her body was found strangled, raped, and with her hair cut off in a field across from Dickinson High School. When an op goes wrong and FBI agent Zack's partner dies, his search for the one responsible takes him to a yakuza in Japan. The following year, he was found guilty and convicted, receiving a 60-year imprisonment term. [56], Screenwriter and Federal Agent Donald Ferrarone said he drew information from an interview with a kidnapping victim, Michelle Ann E. and the family of one of the murder victims. 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. Texas Killing Fields is directed by Ami Canaan Mann and written by Don Ferrarone. He was taken to the district prison, later aiding with locating the bodies. Locals call this area “the killing fields” after the bodies of murdered women were dumped near an infamous highway. After this, Self regularly applied for an appeal, but was rejected every time. Her body was found two days later, near Lynette's off the side of a dirt road near Cleveland, Texas. A teenage orphan spends ten years traveling cross-country experiencing life, love and heartbreak. A well-respected businessman is sometimes controlled by his murder and mayhem-loving alter ego. Unfortunately, the movie often seems to stray from such discipline. In 2009, Smith had been arrested on a drug charge in Louisiana. The skilled pilot Denis Hopkins lives with his pregnant wife Valerie and has a comfortable lifestyle. The plot is difficult to follow and some scenes seem completely unnecessary and others feel as though there needs to be more detail. [42], Michael Self died on December 21, 2000, still in custody. He remained a prime suspect until his death in April 2019. But if you yelled, no one would necessarily hear you. After this revelation, Reece confessed to killing Jessica Cain and Kelli Cox, leading the investigators to the bodies' burial sites. He even knew two of the victims, Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, who frequented his store. King died from natural causes behind bars in October 2015,[54] while Zwarst remains incarcerated, his most recent parole bid (in 2017) being rejected.[55]. In 1994, he was arrested in Panama and extradited back to the United States, where he was subsequently convicted of Dickens' murder and received a 70-year sentence. Texas Killing Fields. Last seen at the same convenience store Heide Villarreal-Fye was last seen at a year earlier, using a pay phone to call her boyfriend. She is believed to have hitchhiked, but it is unclear how she ended up in Texas. 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