Found Deceased TX - Laura Lee Crane, 77, 30 Jan 2004

Doyle · #1 02-02-2004, 04:29 AM

Police and the FBI were searching for clues Saturday into the sudden disappearance of a retired TCU professor.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/7849526.htm

Love_Mama · #2 02-02-2004, 02:18 PM

I hope they find this gal. A Very attractive women for 77! Wonder if any of her student's might be involved! We're hearing more about student's getting angry at professors....and teachers. What a world we live in today!
I'll try and see if I can find any up-dates and will post.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxooo
mama

Edited to add..........I just found this:

Posted on Mon, Feb. 02, 2004

Missing woman's car found
By Deanna Boyd
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH -- The Nissan Sentra of a retired Texas Christian University professor who disappeared Friday while running an errand was found Sunday out of state, a police spokesman said Monday.

Lt. Abdul Pridgen said police are working with authorities from that state and the FBI to gather more leads. He declined to say which state the car was found in and whether it was abandoned or occupied at the time of its recovery.

"There are too many aspects of this case that just the hint of information on one account or the other may jeopardize the investigation," Pridgen said.

Laura Lee Crane, 77, vanished Friday after leaving her Bellaire Drive South home about 11:30 a.m. to go to a nearby Tom Thumb grocery store. Police have said the woman stopped briefly at a friend's house and has not been seen since.

"There's nothing to indicate that she is not alive," Pridgen said.

Family members have said that since Crane's disappearance, the woman's ATM card has been used to withdraw cash.

"We do know that someone had her credit cards and used them," Pridgen said. "She may have used them and we don't know. We know they were used and are following up information in regards to their usage."

alpharee · #3 02-02-2004, 02:45 PM

I hope they find her. Scary though since they found her car and not her with it. Hope she's alive and ok somewhere. She's very pretty!

Juliana · #4 02-03-2004, 08:09 AM

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/7862401.htm

They've arrested an ex-con and convicted prostitute who were driving Laura Crane's car in Oklahoma City, but Mrs. Crane has not yet been found.

My prayers are with her and her family.

keac · #5 02-03-2004, 12:19 PM

My Prayer's are with her Family,

Juliana · #6 02-03-2004, 05:05 PM

Media is now reporting that they may have found Mrs. Crane's body just north of the Texas/Oklahoma border. NO ID has yet been made.

My prayers are with her and her family.

Trino · #7 02-03-2004, 06:53 PM

Bas---- that the culprit is! I hope someone teaches him a "little lesson" once he's caught.

LadyLuck · #8 02-03-2004, 07:34 PM

So sorry to hear that news. My prayers are with her family. So sad.......

CaliMom · #9 02-03-2004, 07:38 PM

This just breaks my heart. She looks like such a sweet woman, one that would help a stranger out....I hope that wasn't the cause of her probable demise. Such a shame.

Juliana · #10 02-04-2004, 10:09 AM

This is so sad. The authorities just confirmed that the body they found is Mrs. Crane.

http://www.ksat.com/news/2815744/detail.html

MidnightMyst · #11 02-04-2004, 10:15 AM

Thanks for the update Juliana. Sad indeed.

LP Moderator · #12 02-04-2004, 12:25 PM

This was very close by . . .
thankfully they caught the two responsible.

pianoguy2000 · #13 02-05-2004, 09:57 AM

The scumbags who kidnapped and killed this woman of such honor and accomplishment do not even halfway understand what pain they have inflicted on many- the TCU alumni, Mrs. Crane's family and many others. I hope the ex-con and prostitute receive exactly what they deserve for this henious crime- the death penalty, as soon as possible. This is one of the cases where I think Texas should either revive hanging or the electric chair for at least such a sentence to be carried out. Such an atrocity as this deserves the fullest degree of justice allowed by law!

annemc2 · #14 02-05-2004, 09:34 PM

My mom remembers Ms Crane from her days of studying speech pathology at TCU. Says she was an incredible person who did so much for the community and influenced so many students who eventually became great teachers.

It is so sad to hear about a life being taken so suddenly like this, and even more frightening when you are very familiar with the area in which it happened. This was a woman going to the grocery store during the middle of the day in a decent part of town - and she wasn't driving a flashy car or anything. Makes me remember that we cannot take a second of our lives for granted. Thoughts & Prayers go out to the family and friends of Ms Crane.

Texana · #15 02-05-2004, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annemc2

My mom remembers Ms Crane from her days of studying speech pathology at TCU. Says she was an incredible person who did so much for the community and influenced so many students who eventually became great teachers.

It is so sad to hear about a life being taken so suddenly like this, and even more frightening when you are very familiar with the area in which it happened. This was a woman going to the grocery store during the middle of the day in a decent part of town - and she wasn't driving a flashy car or anything. Makes me remember that we cannot take a second of our lives for granted. Thoughts & Prayers go out to the family and friends of Ms Crane.

Exactly. She didn't deserve to be set upon by these two pathetic excuses for humanity. She seemed like a wonderful woman who led an exemplary life only to have it end at the hands of two pieces of scum.

I hope they get the death penalty.

Doyle · #16 02-13-2004, 04:34 AM

Kidnap-murder suspects waive extradition
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont....122a8553.html

Doyle · #17 02-20-2004, 04:38 AM

Murder suspects return to Tarrant County
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/7992020.htm

Babcat · #18 02-23-2004, 04:23 PM

This is nearby for you? NE Oklahoma City is my backyard.

LP Moderator · #19 02-23-2004, 05:34 PM

Yes, it is. Ft. Worth is not far at all. I've only been there a few times in about 17 years!! Its "Cow town."

Babcat · #20 02-23-2004, 08:02 PM

The truth is these two fine upstanding citizens are innocent. It was DP and I that did a Thelma and Louise and nabbed this car. We just made the mistake of driving it from her house to mine.

I wish it had only been a stolen car.

Did they think this frail old woman would have fought them if they had simply taken her car? And even if she had, she was no match for these two losers. They didn't have to kill her. Why didn't they just leave her at the store? They are generic looking people. The chances of the woman being able to give a description that would lead police to them is very low. And a stolen vehicle would have been a low priority. The woman's daughter said the charges made on the credit cards were minor. A simple disguise so they wouldn't be recognized easily on security camera photos would have sufficed. The police have more important cases than car and purse snatchers.

Credit cards can be cancelled and cars are insured. But, by taking the woman hostage, and then killing her, they created a high profile case out of what would have been a petty crime. They are not only heartless and without conscience, but they are stupid as well.

keac · #21 02-23-2004, 08:09 PM

I to wish they only took the car!

I'm so glad they got them, It's not going to hlep the family any but at least they will get whats coming to them!

Babcat · #22 02-24-2004, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Police Lt. Roger Dixon said that Mrs. Crane was asphyxiated and that duct tape was placed over her face. She also showed signs of blunt force trauma, he said.

Quote:

Both people charged in connection with Mrs. Crane's death have long criminal histories, including convictions for drug possession, robbery and assault.

More here...

WasBlind · #23 03-23-2004, 03:51 PM

Praying for justice for Laura Lee

With love and hope, Lanie

PrayersForMaura · #24 11-08-2005, 03:13 PM

Laura Crane Abducted From Fort Worth Parking Lot

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The man accused of murdering a retired Texas Christian University professor is scheduled to go on trial Wednesday.

Edward Busby is accused of murdering TCU professor Laura Crane.

Edward Busby is charged in the abduction and murder of Laura Crane from a south Hulen parking lot shook the community in February 2004.

Busby, who cried when talking to NBC 5 about the crime last year, and Kathleen Latimer are accused of putting duct tape around Crane's face so she could not breathe.

Fort Worth police said Crane was killed after the pair stole her car, robbed her, and bound her.

Busby and Latimer were later stopped by police on a traffic violation in Oklahoma. During the stop, officers discovered the car belonged to the missing woman.

With the help of Busby and Latimer, Crane's body was found in a field near Davis, Okla.

More: http://www.nbc5i.com/news/5277193/de...s=dfw&psp=news

I don't know if I should just post the info here or start a thread in the trials? Or maybe get this moved to the trials forum?

PrayersForMaura · #25 11-08-2005, 03:15 PM

Related stories:

February 5, 2004: Police: Suspect Confesses To Killing TCU Professor
February 4, 2004: Officials Confirm Body Is Missing TCU Professor
February 4, 2004: Body Found May Be Missing TCU Professor
February 4, 2004: Case Timeline: Laura Crane's Disappearance