Reece served time in an Oklahoma prison in the late 1980s for kidnapping and rape. Why did they ever let this monster out? Jessica and Tiffany have some similar physical characteristics and Both of their vehicles were found abandoned with the keys still inside.
Was Reece living in OK and just working in Texas? Seems like he did a lot of traveling back and forth, if he is a suspect in Smithers case he would have been in TX in April 1997, and his DNA matched in Tiffany's murder in OK on July 26, 1997 and then a suspect again in Jessicas case mid-August 1997.
My biggest question is what evidence do they have to support this dig? Other than Reece claiming to have buried her there, surely LE isn't dumb enough to take his word for it and let him enjoy some time outside of the pen.
He was incarcerated in Oklahoma 1987-93. In 1997, he was working construction in Texas, but probably travelled back to Oklahoma occasionally. He has family in or near Bethany, and he was acquainted with Tiffany's mother. She met him working as a waitress, and
his mother "did ironing" for Tiffany's mother.
It's worth noting that he was in Harris County in October, 1997, when he was arrested for Sandra Sapaugh's kidnapping.
In October, five months after she was abducted, Webster police brought Sapaugh in to look at a lineup. She picked out Reece as her attacker, and he was charged.
http://www.houstonpress.com/news/looking-for-laura-6570210
When interviewed in prison by a Texas Ranger in 2013, "Reese denied knowing Tiffany but stated he was a friend to Tiffany's mother, father and sister," court documents show.
Reece initially denied being in Oklahoma at the time of the victim's death but later admitted he was in the state, documents show.
On the day of the abduction, "Reece made a phone call with his AT&T calling card from a pay phone at I-40 and Mustang Road (in) Yukon," documents state.
http://newsok.com/article/5449815
April 1997 -
Laura Smither, kidnapped and murdered (Reece long time suspect, never charged)
May 1997 -
Sandra Sapaugh, abducted, but escaped (Reece convicted, sentenced to 60 years.)
July 1997 -
Tiffany Johnston, kidnapped and murdered in Oklahoma (Reece charged)
Aug 1997 -
Jessica Cain disappeared
Sep 1997 -
Committed theft in Brazoria County (sentenced to three years in 2007)
Oct 1997 - Reece arrested in Webster for abduction of Sapaugh. Convicted in May 1998.
I'm curious, too, about what led to the search. One possibility is that he is facing murder charges in Oklahoma, and possibly ready to be charged with Laura Smither's murder. Perhaps his cooperation in Jessica's case is part of a deal to beat a death penalty. Just a guess, and no, I don't think LE is going through this exercise based only on his word. But again, that's jmo.