GUILTY TX - Kelli Cox, 20, Denton, 15 July 1997 - *SK William Lewis Reece*

[mysteriew]

A woman who is unable to get into her car, will usually accept help from the closest available male who offers assistance. That would put the male in close enough proximity to threaten with a knife or even a gun.

 

[shadowangel]

Since this was '97, it seems to me there should have been extensive camera coverage of the area-certainly the building housing the PD station itself and any related parking areas. Also at the gas station. Anyone approaching this young lady should have been caught on camera. At the least, LE could look for a vehicle that appears on the PD and the gas station cams.

I wonder if the PD thought to check the LUDs (Local Usage Details) from the payphone. If Kelli were initially unsuccessful in contacting her boyfriend, maybe she tried someone else. She was probably pretty nervous by this point. She had broken up with the father of her child some months before-could she have called him trying to get help?
I'm really surprised the PD weren't more helpful...Though it's usually not departmental policy to respond to calls of keys locked in vehicles except when the vehicle is running or someone is locked inside, this was across the street from the station! Having owned a '90 240 SX, I know it would take about 6 seconds to open the door with a "slim jim" device.

 

[smile22]

someone posted a link to a page about a women injured in a work related accident do u think that they could be related

 

[lostfaith]

Just found this article on Kelli Cox. It has an age progressed picture.

http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_214223032.html

 

[lostfaith]

New article on Kelli dated Aug. 2 2006
Has an age progressed picture.

http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_214223032.html

 

[Swoodski]

Since this was '97, it seems to me there should have been extensive camera coverage of the area-certainly the building housing the PD station itself and any related parking areas. Also at the gas station. Anyone approaching this young lady should have been caught on camera. At the least, LE could look for a vehicle that appears on the PD and the gas station cams.

This is my very first post to WS Boards so forgive any protocal errors.

The gas station is a little tiny one in a very very old building. There's a small road leading into the police department parking lot for department cars behind the gas station. Then the Municipal Building facing the opposite direction from the gas station. The police are located on the far East end of this building, almost a full city block down and away from the gas station. I doubt the gas station has any cameras at least not outside and the police department would not have had visual access if they do use cameras on their buildings.

The gas station is also located on a main street used heavily in our city. Across from it is a used car lot (tote the note type) and a couple of businesses in very old buildings also. Less than 1/2 a block to the West is the railroad tracks. Behind the car lot there is a culvert for water drainage. The area has not had any improvements since Kelly disappeared.

The parking lot her car was in is very open to public view and is bordered by the railroad tracks. It is on a side road farthest away from the police department and has no businesses that face it from front or back.

This year about a block down from the gas station to the East and across the main street the city is completely reconstructing a bridge over the culvert. Its a big project. Maybe with so much attention to this culvert some old clues might be found.

I was running out of gas recently and was passing this station, I pulled in but could not stand to stop there. Its just a creepy little place and knowing she was lost there makes it worse.

 

[Old Broad]

I used to live in Denton but moved away before this happened. That's such a busy area it's hard to think a young woman could be abducted without anyone noticing but it only takes a moment. I also have to wonder if someone she knew like possibly another student who had been on the field trip also, came by and offered her a ride. It would have taken her boyfriend some time to ever arrive since he wasn't in that town. She could have willingly gotten into a car thinking they were just going to get a soda or have coffee. My heart goes out to her mother and her little girl.

OB

 

[welder 79]

I agree with Shadowangel, Myself i think This very strange action's from LE from the start unless they was in the middle of a major crime wave..What I seen if they don't allow key's they put them in something at the door next to metal detector and you pick them up from LE officer on your way out. and "slim Jim's " are just about standard equipment for LE..and someone should been there with a extra 3 min's to help this woman in need...And make her walk to a PAY PHONE??? when they got all kind's of phone's in that building??? Sorry to tell them it's not LE's phone's the public taxes pay's for them phone's for there use in case of emergency and I think this could be called that......I seen it happen before maybe LE just droped the ball big time on this case...I can just about see them treat a man like this but a woman I never heard of something like this happen. I feel LE got some explaining to do on this case and this student that had a preplaned trip with her Criminal Justice Class They had atleast 1 or more officer's with the extra time to take this group on a tour but not to help this woman in need??? ..Sorry but this is not adding up to me 2+2 don't add up to 4 in this case..Where was the other member's of her class when this happened in the parking lot I don't think the whole class would just drive off and leave her until there sure she got her car started because if this true about this crazy no key's rule everybody would know and be watching out for any trouble from other member's of the class and make sure everybody ok...

 

[bykerladi]

Does anyone know if there were ever any suspects? I guess the boyfriend was checked out, right? Were there ever any sightings?

 

[reportertype]

Giving this a bump up for any new people who may find it interesting.

 

[lymom3]

Giving this a bump up for any new people who may find it interesting.

I was just thinking about this case the other day. I find it so hard to believe she just disappeared off the street. I wondered if there had ever been any new leads in this case.

 

[reportertype]

I've wondered if she made it back to the parking lot. She had walked down to a gas station nearby. I've wondered if she someone grabbed her there. That station is on a super busy roadway, esp. at the noon hour.

 

[Jabber77]

Kelli Cox went to her morning classes on July 15, 1997, and attended a field trip with her criminal justice class to the Denton Police Department. Since you cannot bring anything into the jail area of the building, Kelli stuffed a $5 in her pocket and left the rest of her belongings in the car. Kelli took the tour and then left the building and returned to the parking lot. She had locked her key in the car, so she walked back into the police station and asked to use the phone. The female at the desk would not allow her to make a call. She then asked for change for the pay phone and they would not give her change for the pay phone located in the building. She then asked if they could at least call someone for her and the woman told her ‘NO.’ There were several witnesses to this. She was directed a block down the road to a convenience store. (I do hope that the ’public servant’ that refused to help Kelli sees her face in her dreams every night)

The police officers I spoke to the next day were upset about the way she was treated and felt that she would not be missing if someone would have helped her that day. Kelli walked down the road and got change from the clerk in the convenience store and used the payphone outside on the corner of the building. It is my understanding she left a voicemail first. She also scribbled a note explaining that she locked herself out of the car. The note was found wadded up in the trash by the phone.

Although McKinney street is very busy, Railroad street is not. This is what I think.

If I were Kelli there would be only one person I would get in the car with and you know who I’m talking about. A police officer. The parking lot was empty of students. It was not visiting hours for inmates. Railroad Avenue was quiet. The police officer drives up, tells her he will help her.. She wads up her note and throws it away. He tells her she will need to ride in the back seat (policy) and that he needs to pick up something first before he can help her and off he goes with her down McKinney Street toward the desolate and back roads of the lake. Kelli was a smart girl and she probably figured out real quick that something wasn’t right. She probably left evidence in the car, perhaps a dollar bill with her finger prints stuffed deep between the seat of the car.
This makes me wonder if all the ‘unusual suspects’ were questioned that day? I rather doubt it.

 

[meggilyweggily]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/cox_kelli.html

 

[christine2448]

Kelli Cox went to her morning classes on July 15, 1997, and attended a field trip with her criminal justice class to the Denton Police Department. Since you cannot bring anything into the jail area of the building, Kelli stuffed a $5 in her pocket and left the rest of her belongings in the car. Kelli took the tour and then left the building and returned to the parking lot. She had locked her key in the car, so she walked back into the police station and asked to use the phone. The female at the desk would not allow her to make a call. She then asked for change for the pay phone and they would not give her change for the pay phone located in the building. She then asked if they could at least call someone for her and the woman told her ‘NO.’ There were several witnesses to this. She was directed a block down the road to a convenience store. (I do hope that the ’public servant’ that refused to help Kelli sees her face in her dreams every night)

The police officers I spoke to the next day were upset about the way she was treated and felt that she would not be missing if someone would have helped her that day. Kelli walked down the road and got change from the clerk in the convenience store and used the payphone outside on the corner of the building. It is my understanding she left a voicemail first. She also scribbled a note explaining that she locked herself out of the car. The note was found wadded up in the trash by the phone.

Although McKinney street is very busy, Railroad street is not. This is what I think.

If I were Kelli there would be only one person I would get in the car with and you know who I’m talking about. A police officer. The parking lot was empty of students. It was not visiting hours for inmates. Railroad Avenue was quiet. The police officer drives up, tells her he will help her.. She wads up her note and throws it away. He tells her she will need to ride in the back seat (policy) and that he needs to pick up something first before he can help her and off he goes with her down McKinney Street toward the desolate and back roads of the lake. Kelli was a smart girl and she probably figured out real quick that something wasn’t right. She probably left evidence in the car, perhaps a dollar bill with her finger prints stuffed deep between the seat of the car.
This makes me wonder if all the ‘unusual suspects’ were questioned that day? I rather doubt it.

Welcome to WS. Thank you for this information and posting your theory. You spoke to LE the next day, can you explain your relationship to this case?

Again, welcome!

 

[knitrocks]

Interesting that there is some recent interest. I have been dwelling on this case. I agree that a policeman could be involved. There are so many unanswered questions. Why did they not just slim jim the car. Why did the key (hidden under the bumper) not work? Is the police station in an area that also has public works, animal control ect... and were they all questioned. Where were the rest of the students, and why did they just leave her. Were their backgrounds all checked. Does the police station also have a holding cell, jail ect... who would be around the area then.

Sounds like the area was busy, how was she taken. Police car would not be noticed. But I remeber a serial killer duo in California that were very good at bringing their van with a side door up to a victim and pulling her in without anyone noticing.

How long did it take the boyfriend to get there?

My focus would be police, other students, visitors to PD.

Did the PD cover up details due to their failure to help this young girl?

 

[reportertype]

Interesting that there is some recent interest. I have been dwelling on this case. I agree that a policeman could be involved. There are so many unanswered questions. Why did they not just slim jim the car. Why did the key (hidden under the bumper) not work? Is the police station in an area that also has public works, animal control ect... and were they all questioned. Where were the rest of the students, and why did they just leave her. Were their backgrounds all checked. Does the police station also have a holding cell, jail ect... who would be around the area then.

Sounds like the area was busy, how was she taken. Police car would not be noticed. But I remeber a serial killer duo in California that were very good at bringing their van with a side door up to a victim and pulling her in without anyone noticing.

How long did it take the boyfriend to get there?

My focus would be police, other students, visitors to PD.

Did the PD cover up details due to their failure to help this young girl?

That's an interesting question. A municipal building where you can pay utility bills is next to the PD now but I'm not sure it was there in 97. I want to say it wasn't but I am not sure. I think if she climbed willingly into a car with anyone, it wouldn't be too noticeable. I wonder if she had called her bf and then someone, maybe from her class, told her she could wait in his car with AC or something.

I would have to check, but it seems like it was 3 hours or so after she called that her bf went to the PD to ask about her, saying she wasn't at her car. It was a long time considering where he was driving from.

 

[olllllo]

For some reason this case was on my mind today and I wondered if they had ever figured it out. I searched the internet briefly, but couldn't remember the girl's name. I remembered this forum and decided to create and account and search the forums for "denton", I was glad to find info about it here, but sad to hear that it just went cold. It is so hard to imagine this happening with effectively zero clues. Hopefully some new eyes will see it with this bump.

 

[txsvicki]

Who were the "witnesses" who heard the converstation and refusal to allow a phone call at the police station?

 

[tigger3z]

Kelli had been at the police station..criminal justice class..I really don't think she would have taken help from just a stranger. I believe there is only a couple of of people she would have accepted help from, one a police officer, classmate (friend) or tow truck operator. If a police officer was seen with Kelli no one would have paid attention since she wouldn't have seemed in distress or even realized what was happening. The officer could have said he would give her a ride home, made excuses why the area wasn't safe. Has any police officer since Kelli's been missing just suddenly left the polic force? Has any been charged with muder, abuse?

Next a tow truck operator was there any tow truck companies close by? Because this also could have gotten Kelli to get into the truck to go to her car. Any tow truck operator that has been arrested for any type of abuse?

Was every classmate scrutinized?