TX TX - Cortney Clayton, 7, Stamford, 2 Sept 1988

http://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/news/murder-unsolved-family-looking-for-answers

This is a Texas Rangers/Jones County cold case that law enforcement holds hopes of solving.

The article linked above was published today.

Courtney's body was found six months later by hunters in neighboring Shackelford County. Stamford is in Jones County.

I searched but could not locate an existing thread for Cortney, so apologies in advance if I missed it.

Link to HLN/Nancy Grace on Courtney's case from 2013:

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/07/29/cold-case-cortney-clayton-disappears-half-block-home

The Texas Department of Public Safety has partnered with the Texas Rangers to investigate several cold cases across the state.

Cortney Clayton (Jones County - Killed in 1988): During the evening hours of Friday, 09-02-1988, 7 year old Cortney Clayton rode her bicycle to a convenience store one block from her residence in Stamford, Texas. The population of Stamford was less than 4,000. On Sunday, 03-26-1989, Cortney's remains were discovered in a field approximately 50 miles from Stamford, Texas. Cortney was a student at Oliver Elementary School. Cortney was survived by her parents and two brothers.

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http://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/news/texas-cold-cases-big-country-and-beyond

I grew up in one county over from Stamford Texas, where Cortney lived. I can vividly remember this case because there was a second little girl that was found raped and murdered just two months later from Merkel, TX. Stamford and Merkel both are a very easy drive from Abilene, TX and I knew multiple people growing up who traveled in circles from all 3 areas.

My mother was called as a potential juror in the 2nd case, but when the defense attorney found out she had two little girls at home she was immediately released. I have always wondered if April's murderer didn't also kill Cortney and can find nothing that states whether or not he was questioned in her disappearance, though I suppose he must have been.

It's just odd that we went our whole childhood without something like this happening and then to have two little girls murdered with a couple of months of each other..seems a bit unlikely that they are unrelated.

Here is more information on the 2nd murder: http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/miller678.htm

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Te...n-Childs-1988-Cold-Case-Murder-445467843.html

The Texas Department of Public Safety has temporarily increased the reward in the unsolved 1988 murder case of 7-year-old Courtney Clayton.

The DPS said Monday the reward, now at $6,000, will be paid for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for the child's death provided the tip is received before next month's feature case is announced.

Source: Texas DPS Temporarily Increases Reward in Child's 1988 Cold Case Murder - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Te...Cold-Case-Murder-445467843.html#ixzz4t8boCuYs
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Parents remember Jones County 7-year-old 30 years after murder, crime remains unsolved

A hunter found a child's remains on a country road between Albany and Moran, and testing confirmed they belonged to Cortney.

"It's like they didn't care about [her] life. They disposed the body as if it was a bag of trash. That's what breaks our heart," Stan Clayton said.

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Bumping