In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: Kelli Ann Cox visited the Denton County Jail with her criminology class for a field trip in July of 1997. When the 20-year-old left, she realized she couldn’t get into her car, so she called her boyfriend on a nearby payphone to ask him to pick her up. But when he got there, she was nowhere to be found. Detectives looked into her boyfriend, but he was cleared of suspicion.
Several other women disappeared around the same time as Kelli in both Texas and Oklahoma, but Kelli’s case went cold.
Over time, investigators found their way to William Reece, an Oklahoma man who had previously been convicted of sexual assault and released from prison.
He also turned out to be a serial killer.
In September 2015, William was arrested in Oklahoma after a DNA swab linked him to the murder of Tiffany Johnston, a 19-year-old who vanished while at a car wash on June 26, 1997. Investigators found her body the next day and learned she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.
Five months later, in February 2016, William agreed to talk to investigators about the murders, but wanted to make sure he wouldn’t be given the death penalty. Detectives found the remains of another victim, Jessica Cain, on March 18, 2016, and on April 1, they located Kelli.
William went to trial in May 2021 for the murder of Tiffany Johnston, and a jury convicted him. He was also given the death penalty in Oklahoma. In June 2022, he went to trial in Texas and pleaded guilty to killing Kelli Cox, Jessica Cain, and 12-year-old Laura Smither. He was handed three life sentences.
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He’s scared to get the death penalty but wasn’t scared to rape and kidnap his victims ! POS
Thank you for the update I’ve followed this case from a while back, believe it was from crime watch ❤ it’s good to see you still doing this because you and the other guy was my favorite that would just go up to ppl saying “where is she !!! The family wants answers!!!!” Miss those back in the day!! Haha now ppl are too soft ! It’s sad.
woman so pretty should stay away from criminals, there were cases of welfare woman visits and they get murdered , or they fall in love with convict
Hey that’s my last name
TED BUNDY supplied investigators with information about his crimes and wanted to provide insight on the Green River Killer in exchange for escaping the D.P.
Some Nerve after how he bludgeoned and tortured his victims … He was a MONSTER.
This is so heartbreaking, hope that the victims rest in peace. 😢
Very sad story, my heart goes out to Kelly’s mother, she really loved Kelly, That guy should have gotten the death penalty anyways. too bad we can’t change the law in such a way that even if they confess where the body is, they still get the death penalty, but without their knowledge of it until after they’ve made their confession. Kelly was taken from the world at such a young age, way too soon, God must of needed her in Heaven sooner. 🙏
This just proves Like Detector tests are a load of crap.
He (Kelly's boyfriend) passed a lie detector test 4X. 4X. But LE kept testing him AFTER passing the first test, & kept testing until they'd get the result they wanted. Which wasn't going to happen, because in his head he knew he hadn't done anything wrong, which is what the LDT picks up on. It's the same as prosecution. They do it, don't get the outcome they want, they appeal it. They just keep going until they get the outcomes they want and it's so wrong.
Most college and uni prison field trips these days are to get the students to meet with criminals and advocate for them. It's sick and deranged. Be mindful what your son or daughter is studying in school!
Ok so an entire group is asked to leave id 🪪 cash keys etc. in the prison parking vicinity and assume a hide a key is a good idea; because no one knows the check in system …. Come on – no one ☝️ asked the question 🙋♀️ – wth are you talking about leave all my stuff outside – provide a BUS 🚌 or a person designated outside to watch.
The cops suspected him from the beginning but it took 19 years to charge him? I wonder how many hours they terrorized her innocent boyfriend. The killer told them about the girl so that he wouldn't get the death penalty. The police didn't figure it out. Especially 19 years later and how many other young girls were raped and murdered.
The courts let a sex offender/serial killer out of prison the same day without any security and made the students leave their keys and cell phones behind. Why couldn't they have held those items for the students? Then the killer wouldn't have seen her hide her spare key. She didn't have a phone to call either. I'm surprised the prison let them carry money in the prison. Listen to the police children they will protect you. They are smarter than you. Reality…they don't care for you or your children's safety.
I'm heartbroken for her mother and her daughter. What a lovely family . So sorry
i was locked up in denton twice
I'm from Denton. I remember when Kelli Cox disappeared. It really affected the community. It was pure evil that took her away because she went missing in public…in the middle of the day and no one saw anything! Plus, her key didn't work? It was all strange! Soon these scum bags will no longer be. Psalms 37:9-11.
How sick to fight for his life whilst telling where he placed the bodies of the lives he took.
Just washing her car. Creepy.
Imagine having the nerve to ask them to spare you of the death penalty as if these women had a say in whether he killed them or not!
Man that’s fucking sad
I just want to hug her mama. Oh, it hurts to see her pain.
My condolences 😢❤
Poor Jan and Niles. Bless them and the baby❤❤❤
Kelly is a beauty!❤❤❤😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
Wasn’t Tim Millers daughter one of these girls? He started Texas Eqisearch.
Such a joke that murderers are scared of death!!!
The murderers who don't want the death penalty, but have no problem sentencing their victims to it??!!!
Why they allow school students in prison when a criminal is release . Proffesor should care about the safty of the students .
1997 ? 1997 ? Why such OLD stories? Where was the rest of her class mates ? Class trip to a prison and no explanation why one of the girls disappeared and her other classmates said NOTHING while on a class trip? DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. Really bad teacher.
I think you can bring things in a clear plastic bag. I think they might even hold the bag for you
You again, without pictures or clips.
Happy Holidays from Europe, thank you for your work ❤🎉