Match! TX - Plainview, BlkFem 19-21, UP53955, nude and decapitated on dirt road, Feb'82 - Debra Denise Terrell Mackey

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OkieGranny

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http://www.myhighplains.com/story/d...-case-in-plainvi/24825/Szj1AwxM2UqHM9wduaLCsQ

A Hale County murder mystery that sat cold for nearly 33 years will get a second chance to finally be brought to light.

Back in February of 1982, Hale County officials found a young woman's body, decapitated, left on a dirt road outside Plainview. Tony Arnold, an investigator with the Texas Rangers, recently happened upon the case while reviewing that of another Hale County murder from around the same time...

A serial killer by the name of Henry Lee Lucas would try to take credit for Jane Doe's death. In the 80s he was even indicted for the murder. The charge was eventually dropped after he was sentenced to life in prison for another homicide. Jane Doe's identity remained undiscovered.
Click to expand...

http://www.everythinglubbock.com/st...related-to-henry/40050/GvGEpTz_ZU6Z3bQBXalgww

The headless body was found in 1982. and a later a skull was found in Arizona. Pathologist Ralph Erdmann determined the skull matched the body. But later Erdmann would be disgraced and discredited...

Among other things, investigators will take a DNA sample from the grave of Jane Doe and enter that information into a national database of missing persons, according to the Herald. Officials will also double check that the skull matches the rest of the body.
Click to expand...

http://www.kcbd.com/story/28065993/...o-identity-woman-found-near-plainview-in-1982

"Obviously, we want to identify her but because of Dr. Erdmann's involvement and Henry Lee Lucas' involvement, there [are] some credibility issues as to what occurred," Arnold said...

"She was potentially a young female between the ages of 19 and 21," Arnold said. "I'm thinking that's somebody's daughter out there and they don't know where she went. Since 1982, they have a void in their life."
Click to expand...

They haven't given out much of a description so far, and I can't find a NamUs or Doe listing.
 
Elisabeth Bishop disappeared from Abilene in October 1981. Her age (20) is within range, the timing is consistent, the circumstances line up and the distance is 201 miles. There's also a possible Henry Lee Lucas connection.
 
Bump. Lucas had a habit of admitting to any murder he possibly could so I'm not so sure his word should be trusted.
 
from newspaper in June 27, 1983:

Beheaded body may have ID PLAINVIEW IAP) - Hale County Sheriff Charles Tuc says an unidentified woman Henry Lee Lucas is accused of raping and beheading may be an Abilene woman who disappeared in October 1981. Lucas, a former mental patient, was indicted last week in the death of the woman, whose headless body was found east of Plainview in February 1982. A head was found two weeks later in the desert near Scottsdale, Ariz. Lucas was charged in the murder after drawing a picture of the woman which resembled one sketched by pathologists using the skull as a guide. The 46-year-old former mental patient told police he picked up the woman near Abilene in December 1981, raped her, cut off her head, raped her again and disposed of the body.

Tue said he has asked Abilene police to send him dental records of a woman identified by police as Elizabeth Bishap, a former auto repair shop worker and part-time topless dancer. Officers said Miss Bishop was last seen Oct. 4, 1981, when she and some friends went to a topless bar where she occasionally worked. She did not leave with her friends and they never saw her again, police said. Lucas is being held under $! million bond in Montague County, where he is charged with murder in the dealh of 80- year-old Kate Rich of Ringgold, who had been missing since September 1982.

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/9040571/
 
I found articles about severed heads found in TX and LA...It makes you wonder if a serial killer was operating in the area for decades...There's probably a separate thread for the these victims...


APRIL 27, 2018
HOUSTON -- Severed heads have been discovered in the last month near lakes in Texas and Louisiana, and investigators are trying to determine if the gruesome discoveries are linked. The Houston Chronicle reports that the two victims haven't been identified but were white women with reddish hair. Their heads were found in plastic bags and in similar surroundings at Lake Houston and near Calcasieu Lake. The lakes are about 150 miles apart.

Women's severed heads found in Texas, Louisiana – are discoveries linked?

Links Suspected Between Severed Heads Found In Louisiana And Texas
“This could be a serial killer’s dumping grounds,” a criminologist said.
04/27/2018 06:32 PM ET

Links Suspected Between Severed Heads Found In Louisiana And Texas | HuffPost
 
Mrs. Badcrumble said:
So, was Elizabeth Bishop ruled out for being this UID, or has the DDP taken this case on to confirm it's her?
Click to expand...

I think someone else would have to try find more information as what I posted previously was all I have found at that time.

I doubt DDP would take on whole case just to confirm someone. There would be different and easier way to do rule out in my humble opinion. Its still would be good to find out if Elizabeth Bishop was ever found.
 
Ok, I have foud this Jane Doe Namus: Unidentified Person Case

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP53955
Female, White / Caucasian

Date Found: February 16, 1982
Location Found: Northeast of Plainview, Texas

Case Numbers
ME/C Case Number
AE-58-82

Demographics

Sex: Female
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 40
Height: 4' 9"-5' 2"(57-62 inches) , Estimated
Weight: 95-105 lbs, Estimated

Circumstances

Type: Unidentified Deceased

General Location: Northeast of Plainview, Texas
County: Hale County

Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Traumatic injuries

Unidentified Person Case

 
I happened upon this thread while researching an unrelated unsolved murder in Hale County. I noticed that this UID and a few other cases remain unsolved (victims identified) and have very similar circumstances. Family members say they remember when a few of these happened; not too many details, other than “that why everyone said Henry Lee Lucus had come through here”. I did find one case nearby that Lucas did admit to. I’m still looking into all of these, so I don’t have much info yet, but I thought it was no coincidence that my search led me to this UID thread !
 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.my...pen-jane-doe-cold-case-in-plainview/151210387

I spent entirely too long looking over these cases last night, it seems I’ve confused myself even more! From what I can tell there is one unsolved case of a woman found in her trailer home with her throat cut (no decapitation). This was very near the Sheriff’s office. The body of Jane Doe was found in a field around the same time as the first woman’s murder. Then she was buried with the skull found in Arizona/Abilene (names are running together at this point). Come to find out years later that the body and skull may not belong to the same person. They’ve since been exhumed and DNA sent for analysis. That is as far as I’ve gotten, but thought I’d share for any of you still interested in this case! I’ll also post a link to *an outdated* list of unsolved murders in Hale County. A couple caught my attention, making me question if a few may be related to the same killer. Let me know your thoughts and once my head stops spinning I’ll continue the sleuthing!
Note: I have not read anything in newer articles that mention Elizabeth Bishop. I have seen that Lucas was in and out of the area committing robberies and I’m ASSuming murders, on several different occasions from the late 70’s into the early 80’s.

•MMcG•

Nine local murders unsolved 06-22-2003

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.my...d-forensic-teams-dig-up-Plainview-8388230.php
 
RookieInvestigator said:
I found articles about severed heads found in TX and LA...It makes you wonder if a serial killer was operating in the area for decades...There's probably a separate thread for the these victims...


APRIL 27, 2018
HOUSTON -- Severed heads have been discovered in the last month near lakes in Texas and Louisiana, and investigators are trying to determine if the gruesome discoveries are linked. The Houston Chronicle reports that the two victims haven't been identified but were white women with reddish hair. Their heads were found in plastic bags and in similar surroundings at Lake Houston and near Calcasieu Lake. The lakes are about 150 miles apart.

Women's severed heads found in Texas, Louisiana – are discoveries linked?

Links Suspected Between Severed Heads Found In Louisiana And Texas
“This could be a serial killer’s dumping grounds,” a criminologist said.
04/27/2018 06:32 PM ET

Links Suspected Between Severed Heads Found In Louisiana And Texas | HuffPost
Click to expand...
This is very interesting. Do you have any more on it? Do we know if the unidentified female's DNA results are in yet or if there were any other DNA samples found on the head? I'm currently investigating an unsolved in Mobile, Alabama involving a decapitated sex worker found nude on a dirt road. It was some time later, 1993, but if someone was active and uncaught for a decade or more they could easily hop between TX, LA, and AL.
 
SEC17 said:
This is very interesting. Do you have any more on it? Do we know if the unidentified female's DNA results are in yet or if there were any other DNA samples found on the head? I'm currently investigating an unsolved in Mobile, Alabama involving a decapitated sex worker found nude on a dirt road. It was some time later, 1993, but if someone was active and uncaught for a decade or more they could easily hop between TX, LA, and AL.
Click to expand...
This has certainly peaked my curiosity even more! I’ve come across a few similar unidentified while investigating a Doe from Mississippi. I’m going to have to browse through some of my files and try to locate them, as they were not what I was looking for but still caught my attention. I believe there may have been a couple from Texas all the way along the southern most states into Florida! I’ll see what I can find and continue to follow the thread!
•MMcGoo•
 
SEC17 said:
This is very interesting. Do you have any more on it? Do we know if the unidentified female's DNA results are in yet or if there were any other DNA samples found on the head? I'm currently investigating an unsolved in Mobile, Alabama involving a decapitated sex worker found nude on a dirt road. It was some time later, 1993, but if someone was active and uncaught for a decade or more they could easily hop between TX, LA, and AL.
Click to expand...

I found a new article that provides a sketch of one victim...The article is from June 2018...

ARTICLE

3603012_061418-ktrk-severed-head-woman-updated-sketch-lake-houston-img.jpg
 
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