A serial killer said he killed a woman in Texas. Four decades later her remains have been identified. (Henry Lee Lucas)

CBS News website ^ | July 28 2023 | Cara Tabachnick

[texas booster]

More than four decades since law enforcement found the remains of a young woman on the side of a Texas highway, her remains have been identified, Bastrop County Sheriff's Office announced at a news conference on Thursday.

The woman was found in Elgin, Texas, when law enforcement was driving by. She was wearing a white shirt with red neck trim and dark blue jeans, according to DNA Solves, which helps crowdfund identification investigations.

Her name was Kathy Ann Smith. She was just 22 years old, almost 23, at the time of her murder, the sheriff's office said. Investigators at the time had no leads on who she was or who killed her.

In 1984, serial killer Henry Lee Lucas –who confessed to killing hundreds of people, although only three were confirmed– claimed responsibility for Smith's death. But local officials still didn't know the identity of the woman they had found.

Lucas recanted some of his confessions, but didn't recant this particular case, the sheriff said at the news conference. "I know Henry Lee was capable of committing murder," said Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook, but couldn't definitely say he was responsible for this particular crime. However, Lucas was listed in the investigation files, and still remains the only suspect, the sheriff said.

The grave was exhumed in 2019 to collect DNA samples after Sergeant James Miller began examining the case, the sheriff's office said. There was not enough information to produce a DNA profile at that time. In 2022, another exhumation was conducted, the sheriff's office said, and enough DNA existed for a lab to identify the remains through forensic genealogy.

[texas booster]

he lab built a profile and provided law enforcement with a name in April 2023. "The problem was she was adopted," Cook said at the news conference. Law enforcement had to get court permission to get access to the adopted family's information so they could notify both families of what happened to the victim, before they notified the public.

The sheriff's office worked the case "to give closure to the family," they said.

Last week would have been Smith's 67th birthday, the sheriff's office. Smith left behind a daughter, who asked not to be identified, the sheriff's office said. "The daughter now knows what happened to her mother," Cook said.

[texas booster]

Texas Ping, the Best State in the USA!

A ping out to the Texas Ping list, founded by Windflier.

Posting this since most of us who lived in Texas during the 70's and 80's knew about Henry Lee Lucas, about his "confessions" and we watched the media circus flowing around him.

Also noting that since the girl was adopted, how difficult it was to come to a satisfactory solution.

Prayers for the daughter that she left behind.

Another special Texas summer edition for your perusal.

As always, please FReepmail me if you want on or off the Texas Ping list.

Blessings, and stay cool!

[FLT-bird]

Kathy Ann Smith.

[Phoenix8]

I went through a serial killer interest phase and read quite a few books, several on Henry. Also watched a few movies. He is one of the reason why I’m a big death penalty proponent now. —how many did he kill??? —he had no merit at all, ignorant, ugly, man whore, drunk, liar, pervert, involved in incest, matricide, child killer on and on —he was bisexual. His lover was Otis Toole also a serial killer —Otis Toole is one of the prime suspects in the kidnapping and murder of the Walsh boy (of Matt Walsh fame, Cops show) Personally i would have all murderers, serial rapist, child molesters, career criminals executed. As I get older I see death come to so many good people I ask why we suffer the evil to live.

[mabarker1]

I remember that media circus on the scumbag POS.

[texas booster]

Thank you for posting her picture.

IIRC we had lively discussions on FR about HLL when the case was coming apart.

I think it must have been before the database crash in 2001(?) ... I am not finding much.

[texas booster]

Lucas was one of the first ones that I remember the media “experts” claiming that it wasn’t all his fault, he was molested as a child ...

I am sure that media creations happened before him, but that really got to me.

I also think that he got airtime before the McMartin preschool case, and I wondered then if the media was just trying to gin up a replacement for Lucas and Simpson.

May try to do a timeline if I have a moment today.

[larrytown]

Although the man Lucas was a near-complete waste of humanity, he was a zelig - just reflecting what people (in this case) law enforcement, wanted to see.

Law enforcement will never stop trying to link unknown cases to HLL, because they have to justify executing this simpleton for his serial lying, and to cover the fact that many killers got a free pass when HLL took the fall for them.

[Phoenix8]

Henry Lucas guy—serial killer and child rapist/ be-header Otis Toole. True love…

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

It should be remembered that Hollywood, and the media, abhorred the movie made about him. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. For the wrong reasons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_portrait_of_a_serial_killer

The movie is dull, banal, ordinary, as is the star. The killer fails all Hollywood beauty and acting standards. He is stupid and not “entertaining”. And, oh yes, he kills people. As routinely as he brushes his teeth or other activity without a shred of emotion.

He has no backstory or interesting motives. And it scared the pants off the MPAA and Hollywood. The gave the movie an ‘X’ rating and there were no edits it could make to take away its ‘X’ rating.

[Phoenix8]

Oh and BEST OF ALL. The man who has admitted killing around 600 people (probably exaggerated) was COMMUTED from the death sentence by no other than our very own..near and dear to our hearts (im sure 🤮). JORGE BUSH!!! This act alone should have kept him from getting the nomination IMO.

[InkStone]

“As I get older I see death come to so many good people I ask why we suffer the evil to live.”
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Good post, and you are correct. God’s law (from the Bible) says murderers must be stoned to death. We should still use stoning, since murder harms the entire area/town, the population should exact justice by direct involvement.

[9422WMR]

Another serial killer that should have been put down in the 60’s, Kenneth Allen Mcduff. He killed many in Texas. Read “Bad boy from Rosebud”.
The state finally killed that scum…

[Cen-Tejas]

I lived 10 miles from Elgin for 17 years. So, Elgin was my go to town for everything.

I came along to the Elgin area about 10 years AFTER Kathy Smith’s death.

I can say it would be easy for some low life vermin like Henry Lucas to find and kill a young woman. Elgin is a rural and very trusting, small Texas town. I’m sure it is less now.

[high info voter]

Stoke the fires of Hell.

He may have gotten off here but God NEVER lies. He's on his way soon. imho

[Bubba_Leroy]

Henry Lee Lucas and Kenneth McDuff were the poster children for the death penalty.

McDuff was convicted of multiple murders, sentenced to death, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison, and he was then released. After his release, he started a new killing spree. He was convicted again and that time his death sentence was carried out.

Lucas was also sentenced to death and his death sentence was also commuted to life in prison. Fortunately, he died of heart failure in prison before he could be released.

[texas booster]

Thank you for adding this.

I could not remember the details in my rush to post and get out of the house.

[luvie]

Yes, I live in Odessa and knew what Henry Lee Lucas did. He was evil and deranged...a deadly combination.

I’m happy one of his victims has been found and identified. Maybe that will help her family. It will NOT give them closure, but might answer a lot of questions that they have had over the years.

[Bubba_Leroy]

Personally i would have all murderers, serial rapist, child molesters, career criminals executed.

I fully support the death penalty for serial or mass murderers, for serial rapists and child molesters who murder their victims, and for anyone who kills in order to escape arrest or prison; however, I do not support the death penalty for serial rapists or child molesters who do not kill their victims. Personally, I would be fine with shooting them all, but there needs to be some punishment distinction between those how kill and those who do not to discourage serial rapists/molesters from killing their victims.

For example, consider the Elizabeth Smart rapist. When she was 14, she was kidnapped from her home during the middle of the night and kept prisoner for months, during which time she was chained in the woods and raped daily. At one point her rapist decided to add to his harem and attempted, but failed, to kidnap a second child victim. After she was found, he was tried and sentenced to two life terms in federal prison. He was not eligible for the federal death penalty, because he did not kill his victim.

Suppose he was given the death penalty. Child Rapist #2 then kidnaps a child to rape. After temporarily satisfying his urges, he realizes that if he is ever caught, he will get the death penalty. However, he can greatly reduce his chances of ever getting caught or of being convicted if he is caught by killing his victim and disposing of her body. So, he murders his victim and disposes of her body. Then, when the urge arises again, he kidnaps another child to rape and murder, repeating the cycle whenever the urge arises. I have basically described the Kara Robinson rapist. What additional penalty can we give Child Rapist #2 to discourage him from killing his victims?

Unless and until we bring back drawing and quartering or burning at the stake, then the death penalty needs to be reserved for murderers.

[Phoenix8]

You might be using an outlier…a selective rare event to justify an argument about a broad topic.

On the other hand a serious study showed for every execution 6 potential murders are deterred.

————

Naci Mocan—2002 published a study 5-6 fewer murders for each execution and even more amazing for each pardon about 1.5 extra murders took place.
Washington Post—article, murderous pardons?