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The father of one victim of the “Texas Killing Fields” cold case says he unknowingly met the newly indicted suspect many times before his arrest.
James Dolphs Elmore Jr., 61, is charged with manslaughter and felony tampering with evidence in the death of Laura Miller, the Galveston County District Attorney announced on Tuesday, March 31. He is also charged with tampering with evidence in the murder of Audrey Cook.
Laura Miller’s father, Texas Equusearch founder Tim Miller, said he had repeated encounters with Elmore over the last four years.
“I probably met him 20, 30 times,” Miller told reporters, according to the Houston Chronicle.
‘TEXAS KILLING FIELDS’ COLD CASE EXPLODES AS SUSPECT INDICTED IN TWO SLAYINGS DECADES AFTER 30 BODIES FOUND
Miller, whose 16-year-old daughter was among the victims found in the “Texas Killing Fields,” said Elmore would approach him and talk about the case.
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“He reached out to me,” Miller said. “For what reason, I don’t know.”
Miller said that some of those conversations included details about the killings that were not widely known.
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“He knew things,” Miller said, according to the Chronicle. “Some of it wasn’t public.”
At the time, Miller said he did not suspect Elmore.
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“You don’t think this guy could be involved,” he said. “You’re thinking, here’s somebody who wants to help.”
Only after the recent indictment did the conversations take on new meaning.
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“Now you look back, and it’s like, wow,” Miller said. “Was he telling me what he did?”
“I trusted him,” he said. “I really did.”
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The charges stem from the infamous “Texas Killing Fields” murders, in which the bodies of about 30 women and girls, including Audrey Cook, Laura Miller, Donna Prudhomme and Heidi Fye-Villareal, were found near Calder Road in League City between the 1970s and 1990s.
For decades, authorities have worked to determine who was responsible. In 2024, the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office reopened the case.
William Reece pleaded guilty in 2022 to murder stemming from the deaths of Laura Smither, Kelli Cox and Jessica Cain, according to FOX 26.
Clyde Hedrick, who died last month, was also long suspected in the murders of numerous women in Calder Road Field, according to the outlet.
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Elmore was taken into custody and denied bond Tuesday evening.
Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
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