TX TX - Danydia Thompson, 7, Killeen, 30 April 1997

More than 18 years ago, Danydia Thompson was abducted and murdered in Killeen Texas. It's believed that she was taken near her school. There were witnesses who saw Nee-Nee (her nickname) with the suspected abductor and a composite was made to help identify him. One neighbor, who saw her that morning with the man, mentioned that she did not appear to be under duress. Despite the sightings, investigators have not been able to identify her killer and the case remains unsolved. Recently, detectives announced that they would like to speak with a woman who may hold crucial information needed to help identify Danydia's killer.

Here is the background information for this case, taken from the Killeen Texas Cold Case File

On the morning of April 30, 1997 Danydia Thompson, aged 7 was kidnapped and murdered while she walked to the Marlboro Heights Elementary School in Killeen. Witnesses reported that she walked away from an area near the school with an adult black male. She was last seen riding "piggy back" on her abductor near the intersection of Veteran's Memorial Boulevard and Jefferies Avenue in Killeen. Her body was found several days later on Highway 195 south of Killeen.

Possible break in Killeen murder cold case

Killeen Police have what may be a significant break in an 18-year-old murder case, and are now looking for a woman who may have information on the disappearance and murder of 7-year-old Danydia Thompson.

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Killeen police: New information surfaces in 1997 murder case - March 2013

I had trouble finding older articles for free on this case. I did find a few through my school's ProQuest system.

Hundreds join hunt for missing girl, 7 // Girl, 7, missing from Killeen // Hundreds join hunt since Wednesday, May 5 1997, by Bob Banta, Austin American Statesman

Killeen Police Department Sgt. Michael DeHart said Nee-Nee left the home of her grandmother, Betty Hallett, to walk four blocks to school about 7:35 a.m. Wednesday. She walked with two young cousins.

DeHart said the three children were planning to eat breakfast at the school cafeteria before going to class. Police said the two cousins separated from Nee-Nee sometime before 8 a.m. Police said witnesses saw Nee-Nee talking to a man by a gap in the fence that surrounds the playground.

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According to police, the neighbor said that Nee-Nee did not appear to be under duress. About 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nee-Nee's aunt went to the school to report that Nee-Nee had not come home. Shortly thereafter, the Killeen police were called. School officials couldn't be reached for comment Sunday.

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Authorities identify body as missing girl // Slain child found - near Killeen confirmed to be DaNydia Thompson, June 1 1997, by Tom Vaughn, Austin American Statesman

Medical examiners for the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas ruled the cause of death as homicidal violence.

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Nee-Nee left her grandmother's home on the morning of April 30 to walk four blocks to school with two young cousins. Police said that the two cousins separated from her sometime before 8 a.m. and that Nee-Nee was seen just inside the playground of Marlboro Elementary School when she was called by name by a man.

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Some of the details are inconsistent. Original reports say that she was taken from a playground at her school while the current report says that she was at a playground near her school. If her abductor really did call her by name, then he must have had some familiarity with Danydia. She apparently left willingly with him and did not appear to be upset when spotted by witnesses. They walked together in public and he did not seem concerned that he could have been caught. No one recognized the man so he may have not been local to the area.

There's about a nine hour gap from when she was last seen to when they started searching. It might be pointless to bring this up now but I can't believe the school didn't notify the parents. Or that the other children didn't tell an adult that Danydia had left with someone they didn't recognize.

The cause of death was ruled as "homicidal violence". I'm not sure if further details about the COD have been revealed. If not, then the manner is specific and something only the killer would know - unless he told someone else. Hopefully they can track down this witness and gain whatever information they need to make an arrest and give Danydia & her family justice.

Wow... better late than never, I guess. I hope they'll be able to find the witness - Maria Lashawn Taylor. Her picture is in the link too (I will repost it below). I didn't find anything new in the news after the September articles, unfortunately. Danydia deserves justice.

http://www.kxxv.com/story/30145386/break-in-killeen-murder-cold-case

Rewards for Bell Co cold cases among those offered in new program

http://www.mycentx.com/news/waco-news/rewards-for-bell-co-cold-cases-among-those-offered-in-new-program/656861421

Texas Crime Stoppers will now pay a reward up to $3000 to any person who provides information that leads to arrests of people responsible for a cold case listed on the DPS Unsolved Homicides website.

One of those is the abduction and murder of seven-year-old Danydia Thompson, dating back to 1997.

On the morning of April 30, 1997 Danydia and her two cousins left her home walking to Marlboro Heights Elementary School, but she never appeared in her class.

She was last seen near the school riding piggy back on the shoulders of an unknown black male.

A large scale search was launched but she was not found.

Then on May 8, 1997 a group of searchers found her body alongside a rural highway south of Killeen.

In the time since, little new information has been developed in the case.

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Bumping this up for Danydia. This is one of those cases that really gets to me.

Bump because a new article was released about this case that is local to me.
Apparently there is a person of interest. Hoping her family can get the Justice that she deserves.
Cases Uncovered: Danydia Thompson, 1997

Appear to be no updates since the last posting. Does anyone have the description of the abductor/killer?

Jacqu777 said:

Appear to be no updates since the last posting. Does anyone have the description of the abductor/killer?

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No, my mom was one of the people who went searching for her and I have never seen anything released outside of Unknown Black Male.

JusticeWillBeServed said:

I had trouble finding older articles for free on this case. I did find a few through my school's ProQuest system.

Hundreds join hunt for missing girl, 7 // Girl, 7, missing from Killeen // Hundreds join hunt since Wednesday, May 5 1997, by Bob Banta, Austin American Statesman





Authorities identify body as missing girl // Slain child found - near Killeen confirmed to be DaNydia Thompson, June 1 1997, by Tom Vaughn, Austin American Statesman





Some of the details are inconsistent. Original reports say that she was taken from a playground at her school while the current report says that she was at a playground near her school. If her abductor really did call her by name, then he must have had some familiarity with Danydia. She apparently left willingly with him and did not appear to be upset when spotted by witnesses. They walked together in public and he did not seem concerned that he could have been caught. No one recognized the man so he may have not been local to the area.

There's about a nine hour gap from when she was last seen to when they started searching. It might be pointless to bring this up now but I can't believe the school didn't notify the parents. Or that the other children didn't tell an adult that Danydia had left with someone they didn't recognize.

The cause of death was ruled as "homicidal violence". I'm not sure if further details about the COD have been revealed. If not, then the manner is specific and something only the killer would know - unless he told someone else. Hopefully they can track down this witness and gain whatever information they need to make an arrest and give Danydia & her family justice.

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I went to school in Killeen back then and they didn't do calls home at the time. They do nowadays though.