TX - Laura Marie Purchase (Found 3/17/83, Conroe, Montgomery County) - *ARREST, dismissed*

[Niner]

https://www.kxxv.com/brazos/conroe-cold-case-murder-cracked-after-38-years-police-say

May 20, 2021
CONROE, Texas — After exactly 38 years since a Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputy found a Houston woman's body in the woods, officials said they have their man.

Police said 75-year-old Thomas Elvin Darnell of Kansas City, Kan. has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the death of Laura Marie Purchase, who was killed March 17, 1983.
[.....]
They said an autopsy later showed the woman had been sexually assaulted and strangled, and traces of male suspect's DNA were found on her body. It wasn't until over three years later FBI officials matched the victim's fingerprints to that of a missing Houston woman, police said.
[.....]
Police said investigators with the sheriff's office cold case squad submitted the mystery male's DNA for genealogy testing in October 2019. The genealogy report gave police an investigative tip pointing toward Darnell as a suspect.
[.....]
Exactly 38 years to the day of the murder, Montgomery County investigators traveled to Kansas City, Kan. on March 17 and collected a DNA sample from Darnell, officials said. Over a month later, results came back a positive match for the unknown man linked to the murder.

Police said Darnell was arrested and taken into custody at his home on May 11. Law enforcement then extradited Darnell to Texas, and he is currently in the Montgomery County jail being held without bond for the murder charge.


Man, 75, arrested for cold-case murder of Texas woman whose burning body was found in 1983 | Daily Mail Online

May 21, 2021
A suspected murderer faces execution over a 1983 sex killing whose victim was found on fire by police after DNA proved a serial killer falsely confessed to the crime.

Thomas Darnell, 75, was taken into custody at his home in Kansas last week and was extradited on Thursday to Montgomery County, Texas, where he was charged with capital murder for the 1983 killing of Laura Marie Purchase.

Darnell's arrest comes less than two years after investigators sent DNA evidence from the crime scene for analysis, which they say matched with Darnell.



More articles

Arrest made in decades-old Texas cold case murder, once falsely confessed to by serial killer

Arrest made in decades-old Texas cold case murder to which notorious serial killer had falsely confessed


If anyone can find an age for Laura - please post. I've gone thru a ton of articles & not one of them mentions her age.

 

[Niner]

Arrested:
*TX - Laura Marie Purchase () (Last seen alive March 5, 1983 in Houston & on March 17, 1983 a deputy found her body burning & naked in a wooded area in the 4000 block of Interstate 45 near League Line road in Conroe, Montgomery County; she was not identified until 3 years later) - *Thomas Elvin Darnell (37 @ time of crime/75) arrested (5/11/21), extradited (5/20/21) & charged (5/12/21) with capital murder. No bond.
Montgomery County 21-05-06654 DOB 12/16/45 no update 5/23
In October 2019, investigators sent the DNA evidence for genealogy testing, which showed Thomas Elvin Darnell, a 75-year-old male from Kansas City, Kansas, as a potential suspect, according to a release. A DNA search warrant for Darnell was obtained as a result of the investigation, according to a release. Montgomery County Cold Case Detectives went to Kansas on March 17, 2021, 38 years later to the day, and collected a known DNA sample from Darnell. On April 30, his DNA sample was positively matched to the DNA collected from Purchase, according to a release. An arrest warrant for capital murder was issued in Montgomery County & Darnell was arrested at his home on May 11, 2021 according to the Sheriff’s Office. On May 20, Darnell was extradited to Montgomery County & booked into the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Jail on capital murder charges with no bond.

 

[watcher9]

Hats off to those detectives who never gave up!

 

[ManicMuggle83]

https://www.kxxv.com/brazos/conroe-cold-case-murder-cracked-after-38-years-police-say

May 20, 2021
CONROE, Texas — After exactly 38 years since a Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputy found a Houston woman's body in the woods, officials said they have their man.

Police said 75-year-old Thomas Elvin Darnell of Kansas City, Kan. has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the death of Laura Marie Purchase, who was killed March 17, 1983.
[.....]
They said an autopsy later showed the woman had been sexually assaulted and strangled, and traces of male suspect's DNA were found on her body. It wasn't until over three years later FBI officials matched the victim's fingerprints to that of a missing Houston woman, police said.
[.....]
Police said investigators with the sheriff's office cold case squad submitted the mystery male's DNA for genealogy testing in October 2019. The genealogy report gave police an investigative tip pointing toward Darnell as a suspect.
[.....]
Exactly 38 years to the day of the murder, Montgomery County investigators traveled to Kansas City, Kan. on March 17 and collected a DNA sample from Darnell, officials said. Over a month later, results came back a positive match for the unknown man linked to the murder.

Police said Darnell was arrested and taken into custody at his home on May 11. Law enforcement then extradited Darnell to Texas, and he is currently in the Montgomery County jail being held without bond for the murder charge.


Man, 75, arrested for cold-case murder of Texas woman whose burning body was found in 1983 | Daily Mail Online

May 21, 2021
A suspected murderer faces execution over a 1983 sex killing whose victim was found on fire by police after DNA proved a serial killer falsely confessed to the crime.

Thomas Darnell, 75, was taken into custody at his home in Kansas last week and was extradited on Thursday to Montgomery County, Texas, where he was charged with capital murder for the 1983 killing of Laura Marie Purchase.

Darnell's arrest comes less than two years after investigators sent DNA evidence from the crime scene for analysis, which they say matched with Darnell.

View attachment 298171

More articles

Arrest made in decades-old Texas cold case murder, once falsely confessed to by serial killer

Arrest made in decades-old Texas cold case murder to which notorious serial killer had falsely confessed


If anyone can find an age for Laura - please post. I've gone thru a ton of articles & not one of them mentions her age.

I could've gone my entire life without seeing that mugshot and been just fine. Yikes!!!

 

[BurredDawg]

This could be her.



U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1999 for Laura Purchase
Michigan
Traverse City
Traverse City Senior High School
1972

Name
Laura Purchase
Estimated Age
16
Birth Year
1956
Yearbook Date
1972
School
Traverse City Senior High School
School Location
Traverse City, Michigan, USA
Grade Completed
Sophomore

 

[Doghairrules]

I could've gone my entire life without seeing that mugshot and been just fine. Yikes!!!

Holy cow. No kidding!

 

[BurredDawg]

Marriage
1973 • Grand Traverse, Michigan, USA

Randy S Robertson


Listed at Findagrave:
Laura Robertson
BIRTH 1956
DEATH 1983 (aged 26–27)
BURIAL
Memorial Gardens Cemetery
Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, USA

 

[BurredDawg]

U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Name: Laura Robertson
Birth Date: 4 Aug 1956
Issue Year: 1971
Issue State: Michigan
Last Residence: 60605, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
Death Date: Mar 1983
I left out the SS#

 

[Niner]

Thanks @BurredDawg for finding out how old Laura was!

And

to WS!!

 

[Niner]

and finally a court date!

OTHER EVENTS AND HEARINGS
05/12/2021 Information (OCA)

05/24/2021 Ancillary Conditions of Bond

06/14/2021 Information (1:30 PM) (Judicial Officer Maginnis, Patty)
06/08/2021 Reset by Court to 06/14/2021

link: http://odyssey.mctx.org/Unsecured/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=2460882

 

[dotr]

Law & Crime
https://torontosun.com/news/world/crime-hunter-lobster-boy-carried-his-hate-and-it-got-him-killer
''Now, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Texas has said that Thomas Elvin Darnell, 75, of Kansas City was arrested in connection with the Houston woman’s murder and sexual assault. DNA evidence that allegedly linked Darnell to the murder.

The burning naked body of Purchase was discovered in March 1983 off I-45. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted. In 2007, detectives resubmitted DNA but it didn’t belong to Lucas.

Darnell became a suspect in 2019.

DNA sealed the deal in March''.

 

[Laughing]

Not to take the spotlight away from Ms. Purchase & justice for her, but Kelle Fernstrom is missing from the same area in about the same time frame:

TX - TX- Kelle Fernstrom, 20, Houston, 1980

The deceased young women have a similar overall 'look' IMHO.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[SolVic]

WHAT THE IS WRONG WITH HIS EYE?!

 

[Niner]

Monday, June 14th:
*Motions Hearing (@ 1:30pm CT) - TX - Laura Marie Purchase (26) (Last seen alive March 5, 1983 in Houston & on March 17, 1983 a deputy found her body burning & naked in a wooded area in the 4000 block of Interstate 45 near League Line road in Conroe, Montgomery County; she was not identified until 3 years later) - *Thomas Elvin Darnell (37 @ time of crime/75) arrested (5/11/21), extradited (5/20/21) & charged (5/12/21) with capital murder. No bond.
In October 2019, investigators sent the DNA evidence for genealogy testing, which showed Thomas Elvin Darnell, a 75-year-old male from Kansas City, Kansas, as a potential suspect, according to a release. A DNA search warrant for Darnell was obtained as a result of the investigation, according to a release. Montgomery County Cold Case Detectives went to Kansas on March 17, 2021, 38 years later to the day, and collected a known DNA sample from Darnell. On April 30, his DNA sample was positively matched to the DNA collected from Purchase, according to a release. An arrest warrant for capital murder was issued in Montgomery County & Darnell was arrested at his home on May 11, 2021 according to the Sheriff’s Office. On May 20, Darnell was extradited to Montgomery County & booked into the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Jail on capital murder charges with no bond.
5/24/21 Update: Ancillary conditions on bond. 5/26/21: Order appointed Counsel. 5 /28/21 Update: Motions hearing on 6/14/21 at 1:30pm before Judge Patty Maginnis. Was reset from 6/8/21.

 

[Niner]

Hearings:

06/14/2021 Motion (1:30 PM) (Judicial Officer Maginnis, Patty)
06/08/2021 Reset by Court to 06/14/2021

07/20/2021 Bond Hearing (1:30 PM) (Judicial Officer Maginnis, Patty)


link: http://odyssey.mctx.org/Unsecured/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=2460882

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, July 20th:
*Bond Hearing (@ 1:30pm CT) - TX - Laura Marie Purchase (26) (Last seen alive March 5, 1983 in Houston & on March 17, 1983 a deputy found her body burning & naked in a wooded area in the 4000 block of Interstate 45 near League Line road in Conroe, Montgomery County; she was not identified until 3 years later) - *Thomas Elvin Darnell (37 @ time of crime/75) arrested (5/11/21), extradited (5/20/21) & charged (5/12/21) with capital murder. No bond.
DNA match thru genealogy testing.
DNA match info & court info from 5/24/21 to 5/26/21 reference post #14 here:
TX - Laura Marie Purchase (Found 3/17/83, Conroe, Montgomery County) - *ARREST*
5 /28/21 Update: Motions hearing on 6/14/21 at 1:30pm before Judge Patty Maginnis. Was reset from 6/8/21. 6/14/21 Update: No info on motions hearing. Next bond hearing on 7/20/21.

 

[Niner]

Looks like the bond hearing was reset.

07/20/2021 Bond Hearing (1:30 PM) (Judicial Officer Maginnis, Patty)

07/20/2021 Finance - Bill of Cost

08/09/2021 Bond Hearing (3:00 PM) (Judicial Officer Maginnis, Patty)

link: http://odyssey.mctx.org/Unsecured/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=2460882

 

[Niner]

Montgomery County cold case murder suspect dies of natural causes

July 29, 2021
CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A capital murder suspect accused of killing a Houston woman 38 years ago has died of natural causes, authorities said.

Thomas Elvin Darnell, 75, died Monday in the Montgomery County Jail, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.
[.....]
"Darnell has been in failing health even at the time of his arrest in May," Montgomery County Sheriff's Office representatives said Wednesday in a statement. "Darnell had numerous medical issues and was on hospice care at the time of his death."
[.....]
Darnell's exact cause of death will be determined by an autopsy. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Homicide and Violent Crime Unit and the Texas Rangers are handling the investigation.

 

[SolVic]

Montgomery County cold case murder suspect dies of natural causes

July 29, 2021
CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A capital murder suspect accused of killing a Houston woman 38 years ago has died of natural causes, authorities said.

Thomas Elvin Darnell, 75, died Monday in the Montgomery County Jail, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.
[.....]
"Darnell has been in failing health even at the time of his arrest in May," Montgomery County Sheriff's Office representatives said Wednesday in a statement. "Darnell had numerous medical issues and was on hospice care at the time of his death."
[.....]
Darnell's exact cause of death will be determined by an autopsy. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Homicide and Violent Crime Unit and the Texas Rangers are handling the investigation.

SON OF A .

 

[Niner]

08/02/2021 Order of Dismissal

08/02/2021 Order of Destruction and Forfeiture

08/09/2021 CANCELED Bond Hearing (3:00 PM) (Judicial Officer Maginnis, Patty)- Case Disposed


link: http://odyssey.mctx.org/Unsecured/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=2460882