Murder of Gayle Cater, La Marque, 30 Sept 1978 - connecting the dots

Walkingproof

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I am very grateful that I stumbled on this site a few weeks ago. I have felt so frustrated over the past few years when trying to have law enforcement listen to me and take action. I started another post where I shared my story of discovering I was a product of rape. Here's a youtube of part of my story.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi2...xB_VBuCW8agDdw

I personally suspect my father to be connected to the rape and murder of Gayle Ann Cater as well as many other cold case crimes in the Houston Area starting in the 1970's through at least the 90's. Gayle Cater was single and lived in an apartment complex located in the east side of the city, at 670 Maxey Road. On Saturday, September 30, 1978, she dropped off her car at a shop within walking distance from her apartment. She was last seen alive on foot walking home to her apartment only a few blocks away. Her body was found in Chambers County on October 1st. During the course of the investigation, it was learned that another woman had been abducted, sexually and physically assaulted, and abandoned in the same general area as Gayle Cater. However, this victim escaped and was able to describe her attacker as a white male, 5'9" with reddish blonde hair, blue eyes from Alabama. My father fits that exact description.

I have documented proof that three men raped my mother in October within a few weeks of Gayle's murder. My mother and Gayle were both on foot and they lived 1/2 mile apart. The medical records state "she was found by a concerned citizen beaten and bruised in distress, victim told the informant that she was raped by 3 men" according to some family members my mother was left for dead that day. She not only survived, she became pregnant with me.

I never knew about this rape. I thought I knew who my father was. It was by chance that I received a DNA kit from my mother-in-law as a Christmas gift. Although this was intended for genealogy research, it actually revealed much more information.

The results of that test led me to my birth father. He has reddish, blond hair (more gray now) with blue eyes and moved here from Alabama in 1970. As you can see, you have my DNA to connect me to him and you have another victim who got away who physically described him. The kicker is when you map quest my mothers address, which is listed on my birth certificate, Gayle only lived 1/2 a mile away.

I am in touch with Gayle's mother and she almost thinks it was a blessing that I surfaced because investigators spent around two weeks and never looked at it again. At the 30 year mark, they went back to police hoping that they could reopen the case. Because she was abducted in Harris county but her body was found in Chambers county, no one seemed to be able to find her case. The mother and Gayle's best friend just walked away in frustration. A few years later, an investigator took interest in my case.

Gayle's case was on a site like this once, which is how I found it originally. That site is no longer working. The investigator seemed to lose interest in my connection once medical records revealed that there were three men who attacked my mother because the victim who described my father only indicated one attacker. I tried to explain that although other men were involved in my mother's attack, he again acted alone in December of 1978, just a couple of months later in Brazoria County, for raping a women at gunpoint in front of her husband then forced the husband to leave with him. The wife then called 911 and he was captured. He plea bargained and served what I consider just a few years of a 20 year sentence. So his MO changed, sometimes solo and other times with a team. I almost felt like Gayle's mother and wanted to throw up my hands in frustration. He mostly lived in La Marque Texas but his crimes stretch throughout Houston and surrounding areas. Also, I suspect some Alabama cold cases as well.

I believe there is a force bigger than myself pushing me to find answers to not only my mothers rape, but all the other cold cases in which my father could be a suspect. I believe that the universe, God or just good luck has caused this information to surface! My hope is that Gayle's mother will get answers in her life time. She is currently in her 80's. I believe answers are close!
 
A pat on the back for your efforts Walking proof. this is very interesting & I wish you success. If he is responsible for these crimes (& likely more) I hope he will have to face justice. There are some WS members who know all the research tricks & maybe you'll get the help you need to "connect the dots."

And you don't have to call him birth father. He is only the biological instrument of your existence & nothing more.
 
Thanks all! I am a bit discouraged. Last week I spoke with the La Marque police department and one of the detectives said something very odd. His tone was nice but he said he would start with checking out my credibility and my mothers (the victim) to make sure we haven't been in and out of mental institutions. I really understand making sure that this is a valid lead worth the man hours, I get it. My birth mother is schizophrenic and has been hospitalized most of her life. Why would he only bring up mental illness???? He did not bring up criminal or ask to see my evidence! Part of the reason my mother did not get a fair investigation is because the focus was on her being mental ill, even though the records state she was found in distress, beaten and bruised. Not my words but the words from the Doctor directly from her medical records. She was placed in a mental hospital where she discovered she was pregnant with me. She was attacked 10/28/1978 and was not released from the hospital until Feb 1979. So yes, she has been in and out of mental hospitals, but she did not rape and attempt to kill herself! My credibility is in my evidence not my opinion.

1. Medical records indicate my mother was raped by 3 men who left her beaten and bruised 10/28/1978 (I have those records)
2. She became pregnant from that attack (documented in her medical records)
3. My DNA matched my father's or my "biological instrument of your existence" nephew's through Y DNA who is my first cousin. I also tested his first cousin on his mothers side, so this has been double confirmed. (I have the results and the lab can confirm it)
4. if you mapquest the address on my birth certificate to the address on Gayles DC, they lived .5 miles from one another. Gayle was found dead in early October in a canal and was sexually assaulted.(this can be confirmed by the autopsy and police reports from Gayle's murder but looking at my BC and Gayle's DC)
5. Reports state that a 3rd woman was picked up in the same general area and around the same time frame but this time the victim got away. She describes him as red/blond hair blue eyes from Alabama. This was the only lead in Gayle's case but nothing came of it. This physically describes my father!!!
6. He was arrested in another county just a few months later. In this police report that I have obtained, he specifically describes how he should kill his victim, "I should kill you" "I could throw your body in a canal and get away with it" (Gayle body was found in a canal!)

I mean why want they look at the facts?! I believe this info came to me for a reason; really it came to me in the form of a Christmas gift. I don't want to give up. I sometimes feel like its useless. I am frustrated that my mother never got a fair investigation because she was "mentally ill" had they investigated then maybe Gayle would be alive and for sure he would have not violently raped the lady in front of her husband just a few months later when he was finally caught..
 
I really believe he is responsible for part of the Texas Killing fields. In my gut, I know it! this one crime is more solid on my lead... but there are a ton more that I have reason to believe. He sometimes acted alone but he also attacked with at least two other men...
 
i wish that one of the PIs or researchers of those cases would listen to your info. So sorry it is so hard.
 
Great idea Katydid23, if you are able to hire a PI that could really get the ball rolling, walkingproof.
 
I wish I had the budget. I have spent a good chunk on obtaining the records that I have plus skip tracing tools and DNA tests... wish I could hire one... :)
 
In all fairness, I have been given hope (a little) and have been told they will look into it. I guess like them I'm not sure I believe them based on their word alone.
It's been over 36 years. I personally have been contacting the authorities for the past 4 years. I went public just a few months ago out of desperation to gain some support. . I guess they question my credibility just as I question theirs.
 
I feel so sad for Gayle's mother, my heart hurts for her....

So dear 'ol Dad only lived .5 miles away from Gayle? And matches the description from the other rape victim? Huh. Pretty coincidental.

If I understand correctly you said LE told her mother they've lost any evidence they had from Gayle's murder? I tried looking her up online and couldn't find a thing about her (sad). Is she the one you mention in the other thread whose parents are willing to exhume her?

Just remember, sure LE would love to solve her murder, but they have other murders that they are trying to solve that happened today, or yesterday, or last week. This one is going to be low on their totem pole unfortunately. Don't give up, just keep trying to find that one detective who will listen to you. I think you've pulled a thread that could unravel the whole sweater. And like you, I'm not a conspiracy theory type person.

Have you taken all your mother's hospital records, DNA evidence etc. to the department in person? Have you asked if there is a cold case unit you could talk to? You've probably answered that already, sorry to make you repeat yourself.
 
I feel so sad for Gayle's mother, my heart hurts for her....

So dear 'ol Dad only lived .5 miles away from Gayle? Huh. That's quite a coincidence, isn't it?

If I understand correctly you said LE told you they've lost any evidence they had from Gayle's murder? I tried looking her up online and couldn't find a thing about her (sad). Is she the one you mention in the other thread whose parents are willing to exhume her?

Just remember, sure LE would love to solve her murder, but they have other murders that they are trying to solve that happened today, or yesterday, or last week. This one is going to be low on their totem pole unfortunately. Don't give up, just keep trying to find that one detective who will listen to you. I think you've pulled a thread that could unravel the whole sweater. And like you, I'm not a conspiracy theory type person.

Have you taken all your mother's hospital records, DNA evidence etc. to the department in person? Have you asked if there is a cold case unit you could talk to? You've probably answered that already, sorry to make you repeat yourself.

Actually it was Gayle and my mother who lived .5 miles away. They were both picked up I. The same general area. The 3rd lady was also picked up in that same general area. 3 ladies all within a mile of one another.

Mostly all of my contact has been by email and phone. I have strongly considered taking a trip in visiting all the departments in person.
 
Actually it was Gayle and my mother who lived .5 miles away. They were both picked up I. The same general area. The 3rd lady was also picked up in that same general area. 3 ladies all within a mile of one another.

Mostly all of my contact has been by email and phone. I have strongly considered taking a trip in visiting all the departments in person.

Ahh sorry, gotcha. It's a lot of information to absorb lol.

Wayyyyy too many coincidences. I would be bouncing off the walls after finding out all of this stuff, you must be going nuts trying to get someone to listen to what you have to say...

I would be wanting to grab someone by the head and say "LOOK at all this!!"

ETA: Although I'm not advocating violence lol
 
Actually it was Gayle and my mother who lived .5 miles away. They were both picked up I. The same general area. The 3rd lady was also picked up in that same general area. 3 ladies all within a mile of one another.

Mostly all of my contact has been by email and phone. I have strongly considered taking a trip in visiting all the departments in person.

(BBM) Before you do that I'd like to help you get a time line together and a fancy map. There is so much information I think it would help to put it all together in chronological order, with an accompanying map with locations of murder victims and rape victims when they were found, where they resided at the time of their rape, where dad was, etc. Then you can give it to LE with all your other information.

If you want me to I can work on it and post it here for your corrections as needed. What do you think?
 
(BBM) Before you do that I'd like to help you get a time line together and a fancy map. There is so much information I think it would help to put it all together in chronological order, with an accompanying map with locations of murder victims and rape victims when they were found, where they resided at the time of their rape, where dad was, etc. Then you can give it to LE with all your other information.

If you want me to I can work on it and post it here for your corrections as needed. What do you think?
Sounds good! I'm available most of today and Thursday. I will try and get all my info together.
 
Ok that would be great, try to pin down dates of everything as best as you can.
 
:bump:

Welcome to WS, Walkingproof. I haven't read the other thread mentioned here. My first question is whether LE has dna from the perp in Gayle's murder or any of the other cases? Were all of the crimes in Texas? Or is it possible he has a previous criminal history in any other state?

Honestly, my first thought was why doesn't LE run your DNA through codis. If your dna contributors dna is out there as a cold case, there should be a match, no?

I will keep you in my prayers that you get the answers you seek and the justice your mom and these other women deserve.
 
I am a bit discouraged. Last week I spoke with the La Marque police department and one of the detectives said something very odd... Part of the reason my mother did not get a fair investigation is because the focus was on her being mental ill, even though the records state she was found in distress, beaten and bruised.

I am frustrated that my mother never got a fair investigation because she was "mentally ill"


I've been trying to get a foothold in understanding your story and the circumstances of it - so I ask your tolerance in advance, if I misspeak or get a detail wrong...

If I'm correct, you're asking La Marque Police to work on (a) case/s which did not occur within their jurisdiction (your mother & Gayle were attacked in City of Houston/Harris County)? They will not give you or the victim any benefit of the doubt, as that would cause them to have additional work... work that would be difficult to do in any event, given that the events occurred 35 years ago. The fact that your mother spent time in an institution gives them an easy out, on the basis of credibility (even though you have DNA tests in hand).

I'm not sure if you're familiar with their reputation, but LMPD is pretty adept at dropping the ball like its on fire if the solution isn't gift wrapped and waiting in their inbox; LMPD has a history of being reluctant to work cases that actually did happen within their city limits... Don't get your hopes up about getting help from La Marque LE. I'm citing Jessica Cain's case & my mom's case just off the top of my head, where LMPD ceased investigations prematurely - JCain's case was picked up by FBI after a few weeks, fortunately (although it can be argued that invaluable information/evidence was lost during that gap in investigation). [I can expound more on the details of LM dropping the ball on Jessica's case later, if you like]. La Marque Police closed my mother's investigation within days of her murder because "decedent was not a positive contribution to community/society," meaning she was unemployed and on drugs - although the Galveston County Medical Examiner's report showed all drug tests taken during her autopsy were found to have negative results for any intoxicants - not even prescribed substances were present.

Don't let your feeling of discouragement deter you - allow it to fuel your creativity in thinking outside the box, and for seeking & utilizing other sources of assistance.

Also, I saw someone else recommend that you put together a timeline and map - I wholeheartedly agree with this advice, because virtually nobody (LE or media) will give you the response you deserve unless you walk in there with a tangible outline and sources that are organized & easy to understand. Use an Excel spreadsheet as a table of contents, and then have your miscellaneous references, maps, reports, and timelines organized according to the spreadsheet.
 
Thank you for taking the time to get caught up, I understand that there are a lot of details to understand. I also understand that my writing skills are less then perfect (one reason I did the Youtube video)

So to simplify what's happening is the case with Gayle Cater has the strongest circumstantial evidence and it's moving forward. It was not until I joined this site that I ever heard of the Jessica Cain and Suzanne Rene Richerson case. These two also have some similar connections. LMPD is involved because he lived in that area most of the mid 80s and 90s (north Houston in the 1970 s and early 80s) I will be careful to say what is in the works but a few different things are happening. I am meeting with a few different counties next week. I hope to be updating you soon with more progress. Thank you for your support. Please feel free to call me anytime.
 
Fingers crossed for movement in these cases!

Hope the mapping & outline are progressing. Thanks Snoods.
 
You are correct in saying that, LMPD and the local LEOS around there want this all to go away. There are a couple cops who take interest in it but like you said, these girls deaths were not significant. If they would have been a Senators kid or VIP they entire police force would be working on it. The LEOS sit back while we do all the work. Granted they have current cases they work now and can build on, it takes folks like us to obtain as much information as possible to build a case. Dont look to get help locally, they want it to blow away. I have a lot of "inside" info that would make your head spin. This takes persistence. Just because cops say things you dont wanna hear, dont give up. We all need to get together at a neutral location to compare notes and build on that. Each person attending would be ID'd or verified by a fellow member. We dont want any one from law enforcement involved at this point. We need to get all these cases together and someone with the skills to put it to a graph. Then when we have it all, present it to the media in a format that they would understand. I've been intimidated by LEOS to stop and shut down what I am doing, it only reinforces it. We all need to meet in PRIVATE.
 

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