The nail-biting documentary on Netflix shows us the vicious crimes men committed against women in the 80s. The three-episode limited series gives us an insight into the lives of the suspects in the infamous “Texas killings.” In the series, we see how women disappear out of nowhere and are found dead months later. We heard the stories of the victims; it’s now time to talk about the suspects. Where are they now? Who was sentenced? Read on.
Spoilers Ahead
What Is The Docu-Series ‘Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields’ About?
The series sheds light on the mystery surrounding the disappearance of women. We get to hear the side of their families and how they coped with the trauma. The series stars famous journalists, authors, and officials working on an unsolved case. Who killed all these women in Texas, and what was the motive? Was it a pure hate crime, or just a bunch of psychopaths on the loose? Well, in the 1980s, Texas was a state that was full of opportunities because of the rampant industrial development. A lot of people were coming to Texas in search of jobs. However, a serial killer on the loose sent many families into shock, and a lot of the women in their community started dying or disappearing. At first, these cases were not taken seriously, and these issues have been highlighted in the documentary. The series was created by various people who were involved in solving these shocking, unsolved crimes. After watching the series, one realizes that women are still not safe in society, and the situation is not so different today from the 1980s. Communities are still in shock when they hear about the Texas killing field. A lot of women disappeared on a stretch of I-45 between Houston and Dallas. At the time, these places were considered very safe until the deaths of women started occurring. It was a very dark phase in the history of these small towns and suburbs. More than that, the frightening part was the lack of evidence. There were a lot of suspects; however, the technology at that time was not potent enough, and incriminating evidence wasn’t found against any person. But who were the suspects?
Person Of Interest: Who Is The Prime Suspect In The Case Of ‘The Texas Killing Field’?
The prime suspect in the case is Clyde Hedrick, and a ton of accusations are leveled against him, even today. In the documentary, it is shown how his ex-girlfriends and ex-wives informed the officials of his anger issues. Apparently, he was very abusive and was also a convicted sex offender. When he was young, he looked like any other normal guy. He would dance in competitions and often win, too; he would go to bars and work in the construction industry. During that time, the construction business was booming due to the rampant growth and development happening in Texas. He was convicted of murdering Ellen Beason. After the case came to light, Tim Miller also filed a lawsuit against him. However, he was just convicted of Ellen’s murder. When Ellen’s body was found in July 1984, Clyde informed the police that she met with an accident underwater and died. In fear of getting convicted falsely, he dumped her body; however, years later, it was found out that Ellen’s skull was fractured. It was an intentional killing. Also, the woman Clyde later dated was also abused by him. She was so scared of him that she believed everything he told her. The lady’s daughter, Marla, also shared her experiences, and through the documentary, she expresses how nobody listened to her complaints at the time and the police did not care much about sex offenders. The blame was always pinned on the victims instead of the offenders. The women were heavily judged, and the rumors always found a way to justify the murders. The series sheds light on such issues and how problematic it is to victim-blame. Women are still blamed for offenses committed against them; it is always “why was she out at night?” instead of “why are women not safe at night?” People are too busy victim blaming instead of working on the root cause of crimes. Anyway, Clyde was not convicted of any other murders because the evidence was completely washed off. For a brief period of time, there was another person of interest named Robert Abel. However, after Tim Miller openly threatened him, he filed for protection. Robert was seen as a murderer his entire life until he also died under mysterious circumstances. Nobody knows if his car met with an accident on a railroad track or if it was suicide because of the rumors about him being the infamous serial killer. Along with these two suspects, there was another suspect named William Reece, who was a sex offender in Oklahoma. He was convicted of two different sexual assaults. He abducted Sandra Sapaugh after he stalked her in a general store. However, she made it alive and reported it to the police. This was a breaking point in the case of the famous killings. He fit the description of a serial killer perfectly; however, he was serving time when Jane Doe was found. So, he couldn’t have killed all of them. However, in 2016, he did confess to killing two women and let the officials see the remains of the victims. Also, he was sentenced to 60 years for putting Sandra’s life in danger.
Where Are Clyde Hedrick And William Reece Now?
The families are still holding on to the evidence they have and seeking help from anyone who has information on the cases. As far as William Reece is concerned, he was sent to jail for life for committing three murders. However, Clyde Hedrick had a long list of convictions, but he is now out on parole and not charged with any crimes that took place on Calder Road. Marla mentioned in the documentary that he is an abusive guy who seeks out weaker women and commits heinous crimes. She still lives in fear of him, and the community that fought this case seeks justice.
See more: ‘Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields’ Victims: Were There Any Survivors Of Calder Road Killings?
