TX TX - Paula Puckett, 24, Fort Worth, 28 April 1978

Paula is the cousin of my mother in law. There is only limited information available but I found it interesting to note at least one other female was abducted and killed from a bowling alley in the immediate area. The family indicates Paula was stabbed, not shot, and the feeling is her ex was involved. I looked at Fort Worth (Tarrant Co.) PD Cold Case files and hers is not listed. I found very little information and nothing "official" to go on but feel someone should follow up on this case. My in-laws aren't as curious as I am, preferring to leave this painful chapter closed. Any suggestions on how I can find out more on my own?

I know her DOB and estimated date of death. I am not sure what I can link here and what is allowed. Her married name was Davenport, maiden name is Puckett. Found this on a genealogy site:

8-1 PAULA JEAN PUCKETT: born 19 November 1953 died 28 April 1978, Handley, Texas. Married RR <modsnip> DAVENPORT 5 December 1975, Fort Worth, Texas. She was kidnapped from the parking lot where she had bowled with a team from where she worked. It was several days before they found her shot to death. She was a beautiful girl with big brown eyes and long dark hair. They never did find who killed her. She is buried at the Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery, Colleyville, Texas. Their child:

----9-1 SR <modsnip> DAVENPORT: born 7 October 1976, Fort Worth. Texas

I searched for more info on her ex and her son but found absolutely nothing!

mrsox said:

Paula is the cousin of my mother in law. There is only limited information available but I found it interesting to note at least one other female was abducted and killed from a bowling alley in the immediate area. The family indicates Paula was stabbed, not shot, and the feeling is her ex was involved. I looked at Fort Worth (Tarrant Co.) PD Cold Case files and hers is not listed. I found very little information and nothing "official" to go on but feel someone should follow up on this case. My in-laws aren't as curious as I am, preferring to leave this painful chapter closed. Any suggestions on how I can find out more on my own?

I know her DOB and estimated date of death. I am not sure what I can link here and what is allowed. Her married name was Davenport, maiden name is Puckett. Found this on a genealogy site:

8-1 PAULA JEAN PUCKETT: born 19 November 1953 died 28 April 1978, Handley, Texas. Married RR <modsnip> DAVENPORT 5 December 1975, Fort Worth, Texas. She was kidnapped from the parking lot where she had bowled with a team from where she worked. It was several days before they found her shot to death. She was a beautiful girl with big brown eyes and long dark hair. They never did find who killed her. She is buried at the Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery, Colleyville, Texas. Their child:

----9-1 SR <modsnip> DAVENPORT: born 7 October 1976, Fort Worth. Texas

I searched for more info on her ex and her son but found absolutely nothing!

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I hope you can find the answers you are seeking. Have you had any luck at all finding media mentions of when she was missing/discovered deceased? I did just a quick search and didn't come up with anything.

Do you know where her remains were discovered -- close to where she disappeared, or...?

If this helps any: I see some indications that the relatives you named may have lived in Colorado for a while.

mrsox said:

Paula is the cousin of my mother in law. There is only limited information available but I found it interesting to note at least one other female was abducted and killed from a bowling alley in the immediate area. The family indicates Paula was stabbed, not shot, and the feeling is her ex was involved. I looked at Fort Worth (Tarrant Co.) PD Cold Case files and hers is not listed. I found very little information and nothing "official" to go on but feel someone should follow up on this case. My in-laws aren't as curious as I am, preferring to leave this painful chapter closed. Any suggestions on how I can find out more on my own?

I know her DOB and estimated date of death. I am not sure what I can link here and what is allowed. Her married name was Davenport, maiden name is Puckett. Found this on a genealogy site:

8-1 PAULA JEAN PUCKETT: born 19 November 1953 died 28 April 1978, Handley, Texas. Married RR <modsnip> DAVENPORT 5 December 1975, Fort Worth, Texas. She was kidnapped from the parking lot where she had bowled with a team from where she worked. It was several days before they found her shot to death. She was a beautiful girl with big brown eyes and long dark hair. They never did find who killed her. She is buried at the Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery, Colleyville, Texas. Their child:

----9-1 SR <modsnip> DAVENPORT: born 7 October 1976, Fort Worth. Texas

I searched for more info on her ex and her son but found absolutely nothing!

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:wagon: mrsox. I am so sorry for the circumstances surrounding this case. What do you need us to do? Are you looking to draw some attention to the case? Do you want to know if the case is still on LE's radar?

Let us know and we will see what we can do to help!!!

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses! I guess I am wondering if I should/could reach out personally to LE or does it have to a family member? Regarding where she was found, I will need to verify this but I believe it was close to the abduction site. I guess Fort Worth Star Telegram isn't available for viewing online, I will need to go to the library to locate any possible articles on microfiche. I cannot find any info about her ex or son. There is another similar case, the Carla Walker case, which I found interesting.

So I found an article in the Dallas Morning News, dated April 30, 1978 and the title indicates 24 year old woman died from gunshots. I would love to read the article but don't subscribe to that newsbank/historical archive site. Does anyone have an account on this site who can help pull up the article?

https://verify1.newsbank.com/cgi-bin/ncom/DMEC/ec_signin

EDIT: Actually, I found another article in the local paper, linked here, with some more info on how, where and when she was found. This makes it sound like there was a struggle so is it possible she had DNA under her nails, etc.?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UXI9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=mTUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4700,1714372

EDIT (2): I found 4 articles in the Mid Cities News which referenced this case from April-May 1978. Lt. Coy Martin of FWPD appears to be deceased. If you click on the google link above, you can browse the articles but not using a search function, you have to physically scan the pages.

Hello! Paula was my dads sister. I never knew her because this happened before i was born but I grew up feeling like I knew her because my grandmother would tell me stories about her over and over. I have often wondered what happened to her and would love to see if her case could still be solved which is how I found this website by googling her name. I know her son, he lives in Texas now but did grow up in Colorado. Her ex husband Ronnie still lives in Colorado and has always been who our family thinks did it. Ronnies dad kept in touch with my grandmother until he passed away and he has even told her that he thinks his son is the one who did it. Im not sure what could be done but I wonder if we could get a result with the advancements in technology since then. If anyone knows any more information or knows what the next step should be I am willing to help. Also thank you for posting this it is nice to know that somebody out there still cares about her case

Hello all. I was Paula's boyfriend from 14 years old to high school. May have been her first real boyfriend. We met at a teen dance in Ft Worth. She asked to borrow a nickel, it was love at first sight for me. We spent a lot of time together when we ended up going to different high schools, you know what that can do, my jr year she found other interest and broke my heart. After high school I got drafted in the Army. After 3 years of the Army I lived in Euless, I looked her up when I got out. OMG, she was as pretty as always. Her son was just an infant, I held him for a short moment. Can remember wishing he were mine. We got together a couple of times catching up on old times, but she was terrified of her ex. They were busting up at the time. She broke off seeing me in fear of him finding out and did not want me to be in the middle of it. She made me promise to stay away. Paula oddly liked the bad boys. The one that broke us up, I can remember, broke her finger in anger. Time passed when my old roommate, that had met her, came to my door and told me I needed to sit down. He showed me the news paper with her murder in it. A huge part of my heart died with her that day. I can honestly say I have not been the same since. Her funeral was the day I found out. klpuckett711, if your dad's first name starts with an E, I knew him, and if he thinks back hard enough I know he will remember me. He was always lurking around the corner trying to catch Paula and I kissing. That red hair. lol Your grandmother loved me too. She was a very, very sweet woman. If my memory serves me right, Paula was found out near 820 in Ft Worth on John T. White Road. I don't think that area was very developed at the time. I remember reading that her jeans were removed and folded neatly across her to indicate sexual assault, but there was none. Paula shared many, many secrets with me about Ronnie, and yes, I have no doubt that he did it. I also recall her being shot 3 times, I think it was a 22 cal. I did not come forward at the time. I had just married when it happened, and even though he was the first one I thought of as doing it, I knew I could not prove it. I figured it was obvious who did it. I did not know her case was unsolved until I logged on this web site. I was telling some friends about a love I never got over and her death, and one told me to google her name, so here I am. In case ya'll wonder, rindadink was her pet name for me. I still hope to this day, when I die, that I will get to see her again. I don't know what it would take to get her case reopened. If I can do anything to help, I would love to see this solved for Paula. I have loved her for 47 years.

I am all teared up! That is such a beautiful tribute!

mrsox said:

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses! I guess I am wondering if I should/could reach out personally to LE or does it have to a family member? Regarding where she was found, I will need to verify this but I believe it was close to the abduction site. I guess Fort Worth Star Telegram isn't available for viewing online, I will need to go to the library to locate any possible articles on microfiche. I cannot find any info about her ex or son. There is another similar case, the Carla Walker case, which I found interesting.

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Do you know if she or your family felt she was being stalked by her EX prior to her murder?

Hello RichKelly, Oh absolutely she was being stalked. As I mentioned, during the short few times we got together, she was constantly looking over her shoulder and really feared for my safety. You would have thought she was describing the devil himself. I think she really needed someone to talk to, and he had no way of knowing about me at the time. Hope this helps.

rinkadink said:

Hello RichKelly, Oh absolutely she was being stalked. As I mentioned, during the short few times we got together, she was constantly looking over her shoulder and really feared for my safety. You would have thought she was describing the devil himself. I think she really needed someone to talk to, and he had no way of knowing about me at the time. Hope this helps.

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Im very sorry for your loss...and sadly this is a common outcome of stalking cases gone awry.

The reason I ask is because stalking is usually a drawn out process, that eventually comes, to a head.

Theres often records of communication, prior to the murder via mail, or letters left for the victim, phone records, statements, possibly vandalism to her property

Sometimes theres witnesses as well

She may've and stalking victims often do make statements to friends and family that she was in fear for her life from him.

She mayve even confided, in someone that "if something were to happen to her he was responsible" .. Very common

Reading your statement Im going to assume he was abusive.

In terms of behavior:

Repeated shooting, of a victim sometimes, reflects the same kind of rage, repeatedly beating or stabbing the victim, does.

Its an expression of anger, and hatred , It wasn't enough she was deceased, .. he had to destroy her, teach her a lesson.

It could also mean she was fleeing from him and her attacker continued to fire till she was down.

If you go back you may be able to find some evidence prior to her homicide, again stalking usually has some precursory activity.

Primarily any written or typed letters, that reflect a increase, in intimidating dialogue, throughout ...though not necessarily violent.

Concentrate on the context , instead of the content

"I cant take it anymore !" .. can mean a lot more than "youre gonna suffer" .

I wish you the best in your search, and again condolences, to you and your family

Wow, I had no idea other people wondered about Paula. My MIL, S.O. talked about Paula and said the same thing that the family always suspected her ex. I found it so sad that this young woman, killed before I was even born, never got any sort of justice. I don't know the family all that well beyond immediate In-Laws and parents of FIL and MIL. Rinkadink, that was such a beautiful tribute to Paula; I hope my post at least brings additional attention to her case. Admittedly, the family does not know about my post and I am not trying to bring any unnecessary pain. I just can't understand why with all the technological advancements, more could not be done...

RichKelly said:

Do you know if she or your family felt she was being stalked by her EX prior to her murder?

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Honestly, the family does not talk too much about it unless I ask; and I have on numerous occasions. But it's been about a year now since we last had a meaningful conversation regarding Paula's murder. I read she was kidnapped from a bowling alley which means there had to be witnesses. For some reason, my MIL thought she'd been stabbed which meant the chances of DNA exchange were much greater (up close and personal) but finding out she was shot in the news archives I read means either I misunderstood the first time or my MIL was misinformed - both equally possible. The gist I got was that he was violent and possessive - always the family's one and only suspect but not enough evidence to pursue it appears. I met her mother E.P. at least once but her father passed away.

The gist I got was that he was violent and possessive - always the family's one and only suspect but not enough evidence to pursue it appears. I met her mother E.P. at least once but her father passed away.

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One of the areas Ive had the most experience in is stalking cases.

the type you are describing is exactly the kind that most often murders their significant other

Maybe you can tell me if im off base or not

Im willing to bet their courtship was rapid, they met, he pushed her into a relationship, then hurried to get married, everything was done at an accelerated pace , and deliberately so .

Prior to their marriage there would've been people who didn't really like him .

Once they were married however, he sheltered her away from her family, and friends for the most part .

Especially if any of them would try to entice her to leave him

He would've had her on a leash, made her account for any time she was away from him, when he let her out of his sight in the 1st place.

If he was physically abusive in the early stages, he would deflect blame, by saying his anger was the result of something else .."the alcohol made me do it" .. "the drugs made me do it"

they initially play it off as a isolated problem or a shprt term problem, in which the loving nurturing dedicated, woman stands, by her man because he has a "problem", this actually becomes, a dual edged problem because as more and more she accepts his increasing behavior, so strengthens his resolve that 1) she will stay, and 2) its OK for him to do so

As time goes on his grip on her tightens, hitting her becomes, more accepted, beause of his "problem".. or they'll say he has "issues".

Hell often threaten to or will destroy things that are symbolic, or sentimental to the victim... (For ex things she collects, things left to her by a relative, pictures etc)

He'll always win her back with the promise that its the last time, and that things from the last time on will he better.

In reality he has ZERO intention of ever releasing his grasp on her .

Slowly over time he breaks down her resolve, he destroys her self esteem, and makes her feel worthless, basically like they have nowhere else to go

Once he has total control over his "slave" his violence will be more and more a commonplace occurrence in their marriage.

She becomes more and more used to it no matter how much the violence is escalated.

It gets to a point that the victim will often actually defend the batterers actions.. this is what we call "battered women syndrome" .

Here's the critical point . The most dangerous time in any abusive relationship is when the victim tries to leave.

When you have someone who's entire existence, is controlling someone all the sudden is losing control, that's when deadly violence is MOST likely



Hopefully if this rings with any of the members here, it'll perhaps light the way for them to get help as well


ONCE YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE AN ABUSIVE REALTIONSHIP, YOU MUST MAKE IT AN END ALL PROPOSITION, YOU TAKE WHAT YOU NEED LEAVE WITHOUT HIM KNOWING AND ONCE YOU ARE GONE..YOU STAY GONE!

IMMEDIATELY SEEK THE SERVICES OF A BATTERED WOMENS SHELTER!,. DO NOT GO TO RELATIVES, OR FRIENDS!!!

YOU MUST NEVER ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE ABUSER AGAIN. YOU MAKE IT PERMANENT .

YOU IMMEDIATELY AND PERMANENTLY CUT OFF ANY AND ALL CONTACT WITH THE SUBJECT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THEY TRY TO CONTACT YOU!

THE FIRST TIME YOU ARE HIT YOURE A VICTIM, THE SECOND TIME YOU ARE A WILLING PARTICIPANT .



This seems apparent in this case, he was a control freak, he lost control, how dare she think she can take control from him??

The killings resulting from these type of situations, are usually very brutal .

If you read this article, I grew up with both of these individuals, Im very good friends with the victims brother.

http://articles.mcall.com/2012-01-2...1_knife-wounds-state-police-clothes-and-hands

He repeated stabbed and mutilated her to death in front of her kids , after beating her now boyfriend to death with a baseball bat outside their apartment before going inside to murder her . When Hill went before the judge, he was smiling, the judge asked if he had any remorse, he smirked, and said "nope!".. the jude was so incensed, he said "yeah you keep smiling , and ill ship your *advertiser censored* to Texas where you'll get the needle"

In Paula's case, I feel this is exactly what happened. He lost it after she left, he knew he was going to be replaced, how dare she?

He knew most likely where she would go, she was too easy for him to find, and he did most likely

Hello! Yes you are definitely describing my dad and I have heard about you from stories my grandma has told me she sure did like you too

Bump, there is a lot here to try to into when able