TX - Laura Marie Purchase (Found 3/17/83, Conroe, Montgomery County) - *ARREST, dismissed*

[otto]

Monday, June 14th:
*Motions Hearing (@ 1:30pm CT) - TX - Laura Marie Purchase (26) (Last seen alive March 5, 1983 in Houston & on March 17, 1983 a deputy found her body burning & naked in a wooded area in the 4000 block of Interstate 45 near League Line road in Conroe, Montgomery County; she was not identified until 3 years later) - *Thomas Elvin Darnell (37 @ time of crime/75) arrested (5/11/21), extradited (5/20/21) & charged (5/12/21) with capital murder. No bond.
In October 2019, investigators sent the DNA evidence for genealogy testing, which showed Thomas Elvin Darnell, a 75-year-old male from Kansas City, Kansas, as a potential suspect, according to a release. A DNA search warrant for Darnell was obtained as a result of the investigation, according to a release. Montgomery County Cold Case Detectives went to Kansas on March 17, 2021, 38 years later to the day, and collected a known DNA sample from Darnell. On April 30, his DNA sample was positively matched to the DNA collected from Purchase, according to a release. An arrest warrant for capital murder was issued in Montgomery County & Darnell was arrested at his home on May 11, 2021 according to the Sheriff’s Office. On May 20, Darnell was extradited to Montgomery County & booked into the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Jail on capital murder charges with no bond.
5/24/21 Update: Ancillary conditions on bond. 5/26/21: Order appointed Counsel. 5 /28/21 Update: Motions hearing on 6/14/21 at 1:30pm before Judge Patty Maginnis. Was reset from 6/8/21.

Born 1956
Died 1983
Age 27

Missing - Mar 5, 1983
Found naked burning - Mar 17, 1983
Days between missing and found - 12 days

 

[otto]

Not to take the spotlight away from Ms. Purchase & justice for her, but Kelle Fernstrom is missing from the same area in about the same time frame:

TX - TX- Kelle Fernstrom, 20, Houston, 1980

The deceased young women have a similar overall 'look' IMHO.

jmho ymmv lrr

Where was the suspect in 1980? Montgomery County?

 

[rleigh123]

I wish I could find more info on Ms. Purchase.
Her life, her family, etc.
I saw an article that said she'd been missing for months before she was killed.
I hadn't heard that before.
Anyway, in these breakthrough news stories I'd like to at the very least learn as much about the victim as I learn about the killer.
God Bless Laura Purchase and her family.

 

[Niner]

@rleigh123

 

[Oakie]

The DNA: ID podcast has a very detailed run-down on this case:

Laura Purchase

 

[SolVic]

The DNA: ID podcast has a very detailed run-down on this case:

Laura Purchase

It was serious, but then it became hilarious at the end. Thanks, @Jbetty567

 

[Jbetty567]

The DNA: ID podcast has a very detailed run-down on this case:

Laura Purchase

Yes, I was lucky enough to obtain police reports on this case, and a detective who was very capable and willing to discuss the case with me.

 

[Kim Milliron]

Laura grew up down the road from me In the Silver Pines area of E. Silver Lake Rd. Traverse City Michigan.She was my babysitter when I was a kid. She rode the same school bus. She always called me to the back to sit with her. She loved horses, and horseback riding, or just hanging out with horses. Her Mom was a school secretary in Jr. High. Her sister Jan sometimes filled in for her as babysitter. She was a beautiful and kind person.

 

[worm]

Laura grew up down the road from me In the Silver Pines area of E. Silver Lake Rd. Traverse City Michigan.She was my babysitter when I was a kid. She rode the same school bus. She always called me to the back to sit with her. She loved horses, and horseback riding, or just hanging out with horses. Her Mom was a school secretary in Jr. High. Her sister Jan sometimes filled in for her as babysitter. She was a beautiful and kind person.

Welcome to WS.

 

[Kim Milliron]

I wish I could find more info on Ms. Purchase.
Her life, her family, etc.
I saw an article that said she'd been missing for months before she was killed.
I hadn't heard that before.
Anyway, in these breakthrough news stories I'd like to at the very least learn as much about the victim as I learn about the killer.
God Bless Laura Purchase and her family.

I knew her. She was my babysitter when I was a kid. She was a kind and gentle person. She loved horses. We had horses. She would come over just to hang out with them, and to go horseback riding with my Mom. She eventually bought a young horse from us. Her Dad built a barn and pasture and she was thrilled to finally have her own horse. Her Mom was a school secretary at TC Jr. High school. She had a younger sister named Jan Purchase. She filled in as babysitter sometimes. Probably while my Mom was out horseback riding with Laura. I remember her drawing peace signs on her jeans while we were riding the bus to school. I was born in 1964 so probably in kindergarten at the time. She married one of the Robertson boys who lived on the other side of the lake. I know she had at least 1 child because she called to see if I could babysit for her child when I was a teen, but I had a job and school, so I wasn't able to. I had heard she was murdered by a serial killer, but 20y of watching true crime shows, I never found her. It has helped me tremendously to find closure. To finally really know something. I lost another friend on March 9th, 1983. His name is David Gionet, missing from Interlochen, Mi. To this day his body has not been found. They did not know each other. Random coincidence I guess. I'd love to see both cases closed in my lifetime.

 

[ArianeEmory]

Yikes. I’ve never clicked on this thread before today, but I’d seen that mugshot somewhere. I must have listened to the DNA:ID podcast on the case, and her description must have been … colorful enough that I looked up the picture. Yikes. Regrets.

 

[Kim Milliron]

I know Laura was friends with Traverse City schoolmates, Jim and Jackie Childs, Tom Walsh, Mike Mazeowski, and Tony Katrovich. She also was a well loved and responsible baby sitter for many other children in the area. My older brother, myself, my younger sister, and my young cousin who lived with us, and one of my best friends on the road. We always wondered what happened. We heard she was missing. Then,we heard years later that she had been murdered by a serial killer. I was shocked to find out that was not the fact. I am tormented that her killer never lived to reap the earthly punishment he should have suffered. He should have had to feel all of the pain he caused upon others. I'm sure he's eternally burning in the 9th circle of hell, as well deserved.