FORT WORTH, Texas - After nearly 40 years, a cold case has been solved.. Fort Worth police identified the man they believed killed an 11-year-old girl in June 1983. I dont think our goal is to solve, because I think that would be arrogant, but just to shed light on it so that the families could get some kind of satisfaction from it, kind of a feeling of closure. What a great service yall provided for young (and even older) women in the TX community. Fort Worth police make arrest in Walker cold case from 1974. Two swabs were taken and sent to a lab for analysis. Sometimes it takes eyes and interests other than the law enforcement to make connections. He was killed during an apparent robbery. Kathryn Jackson was a school teacher. Location: 1416 N Main St For three years after he was fired, he had tried to land a position at other area school districts. Here was a man who had lost his dream job and afterward could not land another job in education. . They said there just wasn't enough evidence at the time to make a direct connection until now. During the trial, McCurley initially pleaded not guilty to the murder. On November 20, 1996, Monica Coleman was found deceased at her residence: 1029 E. Powell. At first, he claimed he saved Carla from McCoy and the two had consensual sex. I think that this man felt power by stealing the lives of beautiful women, Karin said. Location: 6201 Dowdell I felt I was making a difference.. Location: 3900 Hemphill I feel sadness for the McCurleys that are survivors of this. His ordeal, he said, has "taken a toll.". He lived very close, within a mile to where these women were being taken from or where they were being dumped or where their car was found. Carlas brother, Jim Walker, was also interviewed on the Dateline episode, titled After The Dance. Jim spent the 47 years after his sisters murder seeking answers. Gary was merely a year and a half away from graduating from Grand Prairie High School and attending the University of Texas at Arlington, where one of the victims was attending when she was murdered. On January 2, 1984, two males who were hunting found her body in the 4800 block of Decatur Road in Fort Worth. They entered the residence and found Zita Rogers deceased in the residence. Report No: 80224293Victim: Denise Lynn Hough, 20 year-old white female The sixth victim who was analyzed was 15-year-old Sarah Kashka in late December of 1984. Bennett also created the FWPD Cold Case Support Group, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to solving Fort Worths unsolved murders. Fort Worth, TX Area Cold Cases Crime Map Neighborhoods Trends Analytics Cold Cases Missing Persons Daily Archive Name Marjorie Dabney Age Cause of Death Homicide Info Homicide Agency Lewisville Police Department View Source Name Baby Doe Age Cause of Death Homicide Info Homicide Agency Lewisville Police Department View Source Name The city of Fort Worth has more than 900 cold cases and currently just one detective assigned to work them. The caller said even though she was aware of what was going on around her, a lot of people werent because media wasnt the same then as it is now. She was last seen purchasing gasoline at a convenience store a short distance from her fiances house. Location: 1600 Ballinger On September 28, 1999, Stephanie Borjan went to her parents residence at 3345 St. Louis. On November 12, 1986, Noel Trevino was found deceased in a vehicle that was parked at 3000 Loving. Location: 3434 E Lancaster Ave Carla Walker (image. Location: 1300 Kuroki "We take terrible evidence that other labs don't want to mess with," he said. It was later determined that he had been stabbed. Location: 1000 North Freeway On October 6, 1989, patrol officers were dispatched to the residence at 2900 Rosen. The ones that are most closely linked were all in the southwest Fort Worth area, Karin said. He died as a result of blunt force trauma. He was asked if he'd provide a DNA sample and he agreed and signed a consent form. We want to note that African American serial killers are not rare, Karin said. On October 29, 1983, Jesus Nanares was shot and killed while he sat in his car, which was parked in front of his residence: 1260 Park Place. On May 14, 1993, Robert Rodriguez was at a bar located at 3446 May Street. On November 25, 1990, Celestine Rogers was found deceased at a park at 2100 Redbud Trail. Report No: 93261548Victim: Robert Rodriguez, 32 years old The officers observed Rodney Rogers critically injured, lying on a concrete slab. If you dont expect them to go to class, [and] youre not going to do anything to make sure they go to class some of those kids dont have that in their lives.Photo by Ken Wheatcroft-Pardue.At that same time, because he was named Arlington Heights diversity representative, teachers had been coming to him with complaints, ranging from inappropriate conduct, assault by an administrator on staff, sexual harassment, attendance alteration, theft, embezzlement, and discrimination against minority students.. Nearly two months after Walker's disappearance and murder, McCurley was picked up and interviewed by detectives about the case. A little bit of shock, excitement, a little bit of fear," said Det. It was later determined that she had been strangled. I remembered reading about his case in 2010, but when faced with more than a decade of information, I knew I had to look deeper. It appeared that there had been a struggle inside the vehicle. McCurley lived near the Walkers house his sons went to the same school Carla attended, and Jim Walker attended Western Hills High School at the same time one of McCurleys sons did. Through poring over spreadsheets, searching old newspaper clippings, listening to TV news reports, and conducting good old-fashioned investigative journalism, still is in-depth and enthralling. At McCurleys trial in August, McCoy was the first witness to testify. Nobody paid attention to the fact that it didnt matter what race you were. Report No: 91528811Victim: Kevin Hood, 22 years old In the four previous school districts where Id worked, I had never heard classroom teachers bringing up the petty inside politics of the school district with other teachers. "It was a mixture of emotions. In the hearings following Palazzolos firing, those charges were proven to be baseless. Patrol officers responded to the scene and found Mr. Myers in the apartment. On September 27, 1980, Lorane Larkin was found deceased behind a vacant shopping center at 4800 E. Berry St. She died as a result of blunt force trauma. It would have been interesting to have seen the districts reaction when that earnest recruiter found out she had practically offered a job to the man the district has been trying to destroy for years. On December 28, 1984, two persons delivering newspapers found Mr. Hatchell lying on the sidewalk, a few houses away from his residence. I was just incredulous. Sylvia Hynes died at the hospital, due to trauma to the head. On May 12, 1981, Nancy Bay was found deceased in a field at 3200 Lake Como. She died as a result of asphyxiation. I choked her to death, I guess. "It's a terrible burden that you feel when you're helping folks solve a case that's been unsolved for decades," Mittleman said. When it was all laid out, said the then-head of the United Educators Association, a local group that represents educational employees, I thought this guy had gotten a really raw deal, so we agreed that the right thing to do was to work to get him his job back. Regardless of the districts obsessive retaliation and false allegations, Palazzolo was awarded $2.4 million by a jury in 2014 for wrongful termination. The body of Mary Garcia was found lying in the driveway of the residence at 3528 Stuart Drive. All the dumpster-fire drama that went on in Fort Worth could not touch the reality of him being able to work with his hands. She had been raped, beaten and strangled. Location: 4825 Mayfair Location: 4300 Brentwood Stair Rd Suspect was a person of interest in the 1974 slaying but detectives said there wasn't enough evidence to tie him to the case 46 years ago. While he was sitting next to the bar, a hispanic male approached him and fired a gun. Plus, he has rescued several horses and raised registered German Shepherds., Palazzolo also pointed to his strong religious beliefs and his military background with helping him stand up to the Fort Worth school district. The district doesnt want to settle, Palazzolo feels, because that would set a bad precedent. Location: 3137 Alta Mere Her relative reported her missing. Copyright 2020 Fort Worth Weekly, All Rights Reserved. As he recalled, Education was a natural fit for me. It is really fascinating to me from a personal point of view, going, My gosh, we lived through this, and I had no idea, he said. IE 11 is not supported. Incredible., After Palazzolo made a formal complaint to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which oversees primary and secondary education, and the Weeklypublished an expose (Powder Keg at Arlington Heights High, Aug. 11, 2010), the retaliation intensified. Using public data to view his background, the team discovered that the man they believe to be the killer, Curtis Don Brown, was arrested on May 29, 1986. If you didnt subscribe to the newspaper or watch the evening news, you were in the dark about the murders. Mr. Barraza then left the club. She was found the next day in the driveway of the vacant residence at 3604 Lipscomb. It was determined that she died as a result of a gunshot wound to the chest. Report No: 93498402Victim: James Hargroves, 46 year old white male She did not show up for school the first day after the Thanksgiving break in the year 1984. On February 4, 1967, a motorcyclist riding along the Trinity River found the body of Mildred May lying on the side of the levee. His is the 113th cold case cleared since the department began increasing efforts in 2002 to reinvestigate unsolved . On August 16, 1986, Francisco Puentes and a male friend were in the parking lot at 2416 N.E. Report No: 82119399Victim: Thomas Orville Morison, 34 year-old white male Her 1959 Pontiac sedan was found at 4500 W. Freeway. He was quickly charged with murder. Location: 1029 E Powell Ave Its a heart-wrenching moment to make a cold call to somebody when you dont know how theyre going to react, Karin said, hearing you asking them about a murder that happened 35 years ago the murdered being someone that they love. Coat hangers with human blood were found inside her car, and blood was smudged on the door handle. Fort Worth's cold case police detective Jeff Bennett . Never. It was later determined that he had been shot in the head. Report No: 92456591Victim: Rose Fromer, 50 year-old white female He died as a result of a gunshot wound. After incarceration, Brown was linked to additional murders. NBC 5's Scott Gordon, Lili Zheng and Frank Heinz contributed to this report. Report No: 81392139Victim: Mary Garcia, 43 years old A call for help, a search for a killer. All rights reserved, cold case that went unsolved for nearly half a century, Fort Worth Detectives Hope 45-Year-Old Letter Will Help Solve Carla Walker Murder Case. On September 30, 1984, Catherine Davis was reported missing by a friend. What they ought to do if they lose again is what they should have done all along: pay Palazzolo what hes lost, give him his job back, and stop wasting taxpayer money on a petty political vendetta. All rights reserved. Two males walked up to them and, during the course of a robbery, shot both of them. Location: 2700 E Vickery Blvd I did call the police and they never checked out what I told them. Though each of those murderers are now either dead or incarcerated, Karin added, police arent certain that all of the victims have been identified. Roslyn Ruben was transported to the hospital. He cannot be brushed off as some crank or a disgruntled employee. Fort Worth is just one stop for Adventures with Purpose, as they travel across the country to work 27 different cold cases, looking for 36 people in total. If somebody saw something or heard something, or remembers something, it could be a lot more significant than they realize, and so the more people that engage with us, the better off everyones going to be and the better off the odds will be that police will be able to finally close these cases.. I should say every community because evil seems to be everywhere. #FortWorthSafeActive Shooter Response TrainingCERT (Community Emergency Response Team)Citizens on PatrolCitizens Police AcademyClergy and Police Alliance (C.A.P.A)Clergy and Police Alliance DevotionsCold CasesCrime Prevention UnitFort Worth Police Explorer ProgramMinisters Against Crime (MAC)Police Athletic LeaguePolice Cadet ProgramRide-In Program. The front passenger door of the van opened and Sylvia Hynes was apparently pushed out of the vehicle, and fell on to the pavement. Carla was 17 years old when Glen McCurley kidnapped, raped and strangled her in 1974. She resided on Sanders Drive in Fort Worth. Fort Worth Star-Telegram App Subscriptions Start a Subscription Customer Service eEdition . Her car was found outside a bar on the North Side, wiped clean of fingerprints, with a bloody pillowcase in the backseat. Location: 3900 Samson Park Report No: 80052595Victim: Mary Sorola, 37 years old As McCoy and Carla fell from the car, McCurley beat McCoy over the head with a .22 Ruger pistol. Report No: 81162009Victim: Nancy Bay, 23 years old She died as a result of blunt force trauma. Location: 700 NE 28th St As she was leaving the store, she was shot and killed during an apparent robbery. Not only was the principal determined to hide the problems at Arlington Heights, but also Judy Needham, the school board member representing the Arlington Heights area, reportedly felt just as strongly that Palazzolo had damaged the school. The three are all former journalists who changed career paths and are thrilled to be back in the industry, practicing their passion. 28th Street. Report No: 94402964Victim: Curtis Roberson, 24 years old Julie left the room to take some trash to a dumpster. This myth kind of got perpetuated through the years about who serial killers are., A lot of it goes back to when the FBI started its Behavioral Science Unit, Gary said. Palazzolo was demoted, transferred, fired, reinstated, and then fired a second time, but that was not all the district did. During this three-and-a-half-year time period, approximately two dozen cases occurred in the Fort Worth area, consisting mostly of the abduction, rape, and murder of women. I took advantage of her, I guess, McCurley said during the interview. On January 3, 1984, some hunters found her body in a wooded area near a creek in the 6200 block of Baraboo Dr in Dallas. The males pulled Mr. Trevizo into the vehicle and drove away. On October 23, 1984, Cindy Heller left a dance studio and went to a restaurant. 0. Her father, who was inside the house, also was shot. On November 14, 1981, the driver of a two-tone Dodge Coronet car struck Mary Garcias car and fled the scene. Get email updates from the Fort Worth Police Department. Report No: 94032452Victim: Sloane Powell, 27 years old As they were leaving the bar, they observed several males burglarizing their vehicles. If you dont expect them to go to class, [and] youre not going to do anything to make sure they go to class, his voice then trailed off. I was a Freshman at TCU in 84-85. Her boyfriend, Rodney McCoy, told police the man pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him before something hit him in the head, knocking him unconscious. All rights reserved. While he said there were some dark times over the last four-and-a-half decades where he wondered if anyone would ever be caught, he said he was happy and relieved to learn of the arrest. Palazzolo: The kids know when you have low expectations. She left her residence on May 14, 1980, to go to a friends house in Fort Worth. Kevin Hood was an employee of the Fort Worth Independent School District. Report No: 83436783Victim: Jesus Nanares 32 year-old hispanic male They died as a result of blunt force injuries. They could only identify the ones that they were able to link through DNA or confessions.. Her body wasnt found until 1993 in a field in south Tarrant County. Four cases were concentrated not only in space, but they were concentrated between September and December of 84, all within a two-mile radius, Gary said. Location: 1826 May St Report No: 91036836Victim: Roslyn Ruben, 52 year old white female Report No: 84473964Victim: Kathryn Jackson, 32 years old Carla leaned against the passenger side door, her purse behind her head, and McCoy leaned over top of her. On July 9, 1980, patrol officers were dispatched to 3900 Freshfield Road. It happened back in 1974 and to this day there have been no arrests. One of the victims was African American, but the others were all Caucasian women. Since 2015, the department has had one investigator assigned to review . Three years later, they decided to take that step and focus on cold case Fort Worth-based murders. She had been strangled. On November 18, 1983, her 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was found at the bar located at 25th St and Refugio Ave. On January 2, 1984, two males who were hunting found her body in the 4800 block of Decatur Road in Fort Worth. During a news conference Tuesday afternoon, detectives with the Fort Worth Police Department said they believe the assault and murder were random and that Walker and McCurley didnt know each other. We appreciate the story getting out because our work and our goal is better served the more listeners that we have., We need listeners to get involved, Karin added. Report No: 98283643Victim: Dorris Turner, 80 year old black male Cindy Stone, Carlas sister, said at the time the reality of McCurleys guilty plea had not sunk in yet. Report No: 84211918 Victim: Manuel Vargas Soto, 22 years old Location: 1416 N Main St On June 3rd, 1984, Manuel Soto was inside the bar located at 1416 N. Main Street. 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