GUILTY MO - Karla Jane Delcour, 22, strangled to death, St. Clair, 24 June 1987 *Arrest in 2019*

New Posts

This report has a little more information:

Suspect arrested in 1987 cold case killing of 22-year-old woman:

The interviews took investigators from Missouri to Texas to Arizona, according to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office has not released what led to King's arrest on Monday, but said, "we believe enough evidence existed to charge at least one person with her murder."

"Many details in her murder are not part of this release because there is a long way to go to reach justice for Karla Delcour and her family," the sheriff's office explained. "A premature release of information might hinder that for the family."

The sheriff's office added, "Sometimes a fresh perspective combined with advances in science and technology aid in furthering an investigation when all original leads have been exhausted."

King's bond was set at $100,000, officials said. He does not have an attorney listed and is due in court on Jan. 14 for a counsel status hearing.
 
Here is another report with more information about the arrest in this case:

Online court records do not list an attorney for King, who was freed after posting $100,000 bond. Pelton said King's most recent permanent address was in Texas but he traveled frequently and was apparently living in the town of Gray Summit, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northeast of St. Clair.

Pelton said his department has a cold case team consisting of a detective and four retired investigators. That team reopened the case last year.

“We wanted to make sure Ms. Delcour was never forgotten," he said. "It was truly about justice for the victim.”

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-12-27/texas-man-charged-in-missouri-womans-1987-killing
 
jaejae said:
Here is another report with more information about the arrest in this case:

Online court records do not list an attorney for King, who was freed after posting $100,000 bond. Pelton said King's most recent permanent address was in Texas but he traveled frequently and was apparently living in the town of Gray Summit, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northeast of St. Clair.

Pelton said his department has a cold case team consisting of a detective and four retired investigators. That team reopened the case last year.

“We wanted to make sure Ms. Delcour was never forgotten," he said. "It was truly about justice for the victim.”

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-12-27/texas-man-charged-in-missouri-womans-1987-killing
Click to expand...

He has a permanent address in Texas, but travels to stay around Union/Gray Summit, MO? And they let him out on a somewhat meager bond with just an ankle monitor? For a murder charge? Franklin County Sheriff's office has a good reputation. Their former sheriff caught some really bad guys, including Michael Devlin, the man who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby. While it was the Franklin County sheriff's office who helped find Devlin, he was prosecuted in Washington County, MO.

At Missouri Case.net, it shows he's charged with 2nd degree murder. The victim was found with her wrists bound and bondage around her neck. If she was bound, strangled, then dumped by a roadside, how is that second degree murder?

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/charges.do

Considering this is such a cold case, I wonder if the evidence is DNA, recently run through the CODIS system? Could be there was a sexual assault involved and DNA evidence preserved. It also sounds like a witness who was questioned back in the 80's changed their story:

"Any time you re-interview someone, you gain further knowledge," said Franklin County Sheriff Steven Pelton. "People remember things in years past, maybe there's been a change in their life where they gave different statements."
Click to expand...
 

Suspect arrested in 1987 cold case killing of 22-year-old woman
rbbm.
COLD CASE: Franklin County man charged with killing Karla Jane Delcour 32 years ago
"Sometimes a fresh perspective combined with advances in science and technology aid in furthering an investigation when all original leads have been exhausted," said Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton in a statement. "I want to commend the Cold Case Investigations Unit for their countless hours investigating this case and the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office for the extensive review of the case."

"It's not known exactly what led investigators to King.

"Many details in her murder are not part of this release because there is a long way to go to reach justice for Karla Delcour and her family and a premature release of information might hinder that for the family," Sheriff Pelton continued. "This case is about bringing justice for the victim and the victim's family, and ensuring that Ms. Delcour will not be forgotten."
 
Also adding that St. Clair, Gray Summit and Union are not big towns. St. Clair, in particular, is a very small town.

In 2014, he was living in Springfield, MO (interesting) per his father's obituary
Charles William “Charlie” King (1931-2014) - Find...

There may be several people who know who killed Karla Jane Delcour, possibly some who are in jail or prison, etc.

ETA: This article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch mentions that King moved around frequently due to his work in construction

Sheriff: Man arrested in 1987 strangulation death of Franklin County woman

King was interviewed during the early stages of the investigation in 1987, again in the early 2000s and yet again earlier this year in Texas, Pelton said.

Delcour’s body was found on June 24, 1987, along the North Service Road of Interstate 44, about 2 miles west of St. Clair. Her body had decomposed and authorities relied on dental records to confirm her identity. She was living in St. Clair, authorities said at the time.

Investigators believed Delcour was killed at a home off Iron Hill Road in Union. They spoke with several witnesses and potential suspects in the ensuing months, Pelton said, but charges were never filed.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
This is the most recent article I have found. I see nothing else to indicate that the trial happened or didn't happen in 2022.

www.emissourian.com

Suspect in 1987 homicide to have jury trial in 2022

A three-day trial has been scheduled for the man charged in connection with the 1987 killing of a St. Clair woman, whose death marked one of the longest local cold
www.emissourian.com www.emissourian.com

Suspect In 1987 Homicide To Have Jury Trial In 2022
published May 19, 2021

"A three-day trial has been scheduled for the man charged in connection with the 1987 killing of a St. Clair woman, whose death marked one of the longest local cold cases in recent years.

Charged with second-degree murder, Kirby R. King, of Gray Summit, learned this month that he will have to wait nearly a year for his jury trial to begin on May 2. The delay is largely due to the backlog of cases created by the COVID-19 protocols implemented by the judicial system, according to court officials."
 
MajorHoople said:
This is the most recent article I have found. I see nothing else to indicate that the trial happened or didn't happen in 2022.

www.emissourian.com

Suspect in 1987 homicide to have jury trial in 2022

A three-day trial has been scheduled for the man charged in connection with the 1987 killing of a St. Clair woman, whose death marked one of the longest local cold
www.emissourian.com www.emissourian.com

Suspect In 1987 Homicide To Have Jury Trial In 2022
published May 19, 2021

"A three-day trial has been scheduled for the man charged in connection with the 1987 killing of a St. Clair woman, whose death marked one of the longest local cold cases in recent years.

Charged with second-degree murder, Kirby R. King, of Gray Summit, learned this month that he will have to wait nearly a year for his jury trial to begin on May 2. The delay is largely due to the backlog of cases created by the COVID-19 protocols implemented by the judicial system, according to court officials."
Click to expand...

Is this guy still out on bond? He was bonded out after his arrest in 2019. That's a lot of time to hang out and have fun. I hope they get his trial started soon.

It does appear they're going through all the pre-trial work.


There's a motion hearing tomorrow at 9 am, Franklin County Court


Trial Date: June 6, 2023 9 am - 4 day trial

Karla Delcour, age 22, was dumped on a side road. Her hands were bound and she died from ligature strangulation.
 
Last edited:
Kirby R. King, 68, pleaded guilty Friday to felonious restraint and manslaughter of Karla Jane Delcour. He was originally charged in 2019 with second-degree murder.

"The dedication, perseverance, and exceptional investigative skills have brought justice to a crime committed 35 years ago," Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton said in a statement announcing the guilty plea. "The tireless efforts in unraveling the truth and meticulously piecing together the puzzle have not only provided closure to the victim's family but have also made a significant impact on the community."

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said Delcour's case went unsolved for decades after her body was found on June 24, 1987, in a wooded area along North Service Road two miles west of St. Clair. She was in decomposition and bound at the wrist and around her neck. A medical examiner determined her death was a homicide caused by strangulation.
www.ksdk.com

Franklin County cold case: Man pleads guilty in death of woman found strangled in 1987

Karla Jane Delcour's case went unsolved for more than 30 years until cold case investigators reopened it in 2018.
www.ksdk.com www.ksdk.com
 
imstilla.grandma said:
Kirby R. King, 68, pleaded guilty Friday to felonious restraint and manslaughter of Karla Jane Delcour. He was originally charged in 2019 with second-degree murder.

"The dedication, perseverance, and exceptional investigative skills have brought justice to a crime committed 35 years ago," Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton said in a statement announcing the guilty plea. "The tireless efforts in unraveling the truth and meticulously piecing together the puzzle have not only provided closure to the victim's family but have also made a significant impact on the community."

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said Delcour's case went unsolved for decades after her body was found on June 24, 1987, in a wooded area along North Service Road two miles west of St. Clair. She was in decomposition and bound at the wrist and around her neck. A medical examiner determined her death was a homicide caused by strangulation.
www.ksdk.com

Franklin County cold case: Man pleads guilty in death of woman found strangled in 1987

Karla Jane Delcour's case went unsolved for more than 30 years until cold case investigators reopened it in 2018.
www.ksdk.com www.ksdk.com
Click to expand...
Wow, that was fast. His trial was supposed to begin on Tuesday.

What do those charges mean - felonious restraint and manslaughter? Is the prosecutor saying King "accidentally" killed her while strangling her? IIRC, her death was caused by strangulation. How does that happen by accident? Being bound at wrists and neck sounds like some kind of torture by an experienced killer. I still think this guy has killed others. JMO

I hope he gets a very long sentence.
 
I wonder what his sentence will be?
Betty P said:
Is this guy still out on bond? He was bonded out after his arrest in 2019. That's a lot of time to hang out and have fun. I hope they get his trial started soon.

It does appear they're going through all the pre-trial work.


There's a motion hearing tomorrow at 9 am, Franklin County Court


Trial Date: June 6, 2023 9 am - 4 day trial

Karla Delcour, age 22, was dumped on a side road. Her hands were bound and she died from ligature strangulation.
Click to expand...

Very, very strange but when I searched the Missouri Case.net site, his case no longer appears. The public should know more, like when he will be sentenced, is he in jail, etc.

The only mention of a sentencing date is in this article from the KSDK news web site, stating sentencing will be some time next month.

www.ksdk.com

Franklin County cold case: Man pleads guilty in death of woman found strangled in 1987

Karla Jane Delcour's case went unsolved for more than 30 years until cold case investigators reopened it in 2018.
www.ksdk.com www.ksdk.com

I hope they keep him in jail for a while. I also hope they take his DNA and add it to the national database.
 
Last edited:
August 7, 2023 update

www.ky3.com

Missouri man sentenced to prison for killing that went unsolved for decades

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, nearly four decades after a woman was strangled with her body dumped in the woods.
www.ky3.com www.ky3.com

[…]

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, nearly four decades after a woman was strangled with her body dumped in the woods.

[…]
 
TwinkieDefense said:
August 7, 2023 update

www.ky3.com

Missouri man sentenced to prison for killing that went unsolved for decades

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, nearly four decades after a woman was strangled with her body dumped in the woods.
www.ky3.com www.ky3.com

[…]

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, nearly four decades after a woman was strangled with her body dumped in the woods.

[…]
Click to expand...

That's terrible, a very light sentence. He murdered that young woman and dumped her body off the highway. Very disappointing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 148 more.
Total: 3,609 (members: 149, guests: 3,460)

Online statistics

Members online
149
Guests online
3,461
Total visitors
3,610
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,273
Messages
17,966,509
Members
228,735
Latest member
dil2288
Back
Top