Clipping found in The Indianapolis News published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 11/11/1993.
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Clipping found in The Indianapolis Star published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 8/20/1995.
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Kelly, circa 1991; James McCrary, circa 1995
- Missing Since 06/08/1991
- Missing From Anderson, Indiana
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Sex Female
- Race White
- Date of Birth 08/16/1968 (56)
- Age 22 years old
- Height and Weight 5'8 - 5'11, 130 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A gray and white sleeveless pullover sweater with a diamond design on the front, and white stretch pants. Carrying a white purse.
- Associated Vehicle(s) Black 1981 Buick Century (accounted for)
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Kelly may go by her maiden name, Kelly Huff, or by the name Kelly Huff McCrary. She wears eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Details of Disappearance
Kelly was last seen in Anderson, Indiana on June 8, 1991. Her husband stated she left their home in the 6900 block of south Main Street between 1:00 and 1:10 a.m. to go work her 2:00 to 10:00 a.m. shift as a customer relations supervisor at C.I.C. Enterprises in Indianapolis, Indiana. She never arrived and has never been heard from again.
Twenty days later, her black 1981 Buick Century was found in the parking lot of Community Hospital North in Indianapolis. 29 strands of Kelly's hair was in the trunk of the car, but there was no blood or any other evidence at the scene.
Kelly's husband, James Joseph McCrary, moved to Linton, Indiana just a few days after her disappearance. A photo of James is posted with this case summary. In November 1993, James was arrested and charged with Kelly's murder after a female friend of his told police he had confessed to the killing.
James reportedly told his friend that he and Kelly had an argument and he shoved her, causing her to strike her head on a table, lose consciousness and bleed to death. He said he wrapped her body in a blanket, put it in the trunk of her car, and dumped the body in an unknown location. Bloodstains found under the living room carpet at the couple's residence supported this story, as did the presence of Kelly's hair in the trunk of her car.
James and Kelly had two children, an infant and a toddler, in 1991, and they were having serious marital problems. Kelly told friends they had been fighting and that she was afraid of her husband and wanted to leave him, but she said she was afraid he would come after her if she left. Kelly's family described her as a devoted parent who wouldn't have left on her own.
At James's trial, his defense argued that Kelly either had left of her own accord and wasn't dead, or that she had car trouble while on the way to work, and that met with foul play at the hands of someone who offered to assist her. Three of James's cellmates from jail testified at the trial, saying he had told them, "No body, no murder."
Two of Kelly's former coworkers testified at the trial that Kelly had told them about a murder attempt by James a few weeks before he disappeared. During an argument he reportedly threw Kelly on the ground, bound her hands and feet, shoved a sock in her mouth and taped her lips shut. He dragged her into the garage by her hair, threw her in the back of the car and started the engine. By the time he pulled her out of the car again, she had lost consciousness from the carbon monoxide fumes.
After deliberating over nine hours, the jury acquitted James. Two jurors later gave a statement to the media, saying most of the jury members felt James was probably guilty, but that there wasn't enough evidence to prove his guilt. James was also interviewed by reporters and said he loved Kelly and missed her, and that he did not know what happened to her.
Kelly's body has never been found, but foul play is suspected in her case due to the circumstances involved.
