I-40, I-35 - OK/TX/AZ/MS/AR - Highway Serial Killings

[Marilynilpa]

Between August 9, 1999, and January 2, 2002, there were four suspicious deaths of Lawton, Oklahoma residents. The victims were four white females who were picked up in Lawton while possibly working as prostitutes along the Cache Road portion of town. Their nude bodies were discovered in rural areas surrounding Lawton. Even though they appeared to have been contacted in Lawton, their remains were recovered in the surrounding counties of Comanche, Stephens, and Jefferson. Twenty-nine year old Jane Chafton was last seen alive on August 9, 1999, and was found four days later near Velma, Oklahoma in Stephens County. Twenty-five year old Cassandra Ramsey was last seen October 10, 1999, and her skeletal remains were discovered March 22, 2000, off a bridge along a rural road in Jefferson County. Mandy Raite, 25 years old, was last seen on June 15, 2000, and her body found in rural Comanche County two days later. Finally, 29 year old Janice Buono was last seen sometime around the 1st of January, 2002, and her body was also discovered in rural Comanche County on February 23, 2002. Although there were no obvious signs of trauma to the bodies, agents consider the deaths extremely suspicious and are continuing to investigate the cases under the assumption that foul play was involved.

http://www.osbi.state.ok.us/Investigative/UnsolvedCases.htm

 

[mysteriew]

Although there were no obvious signs of trauma to the bodies

Have they ever determined a cause of death for the four?

 

[reportertype]

There are several women missing from Oklahoma City/North Texas area who were prostitutes or believed to be whose bodies have been found. The general theory on some of them is that a trucker is picking up women at truck stops and dumping the bodies later on. Possibly someone who drives along I-35??

The link below has some basic info on these other missing women. I remembered them because one of the bodies was found in Grapevine, Texas, not too far from my hometown.



http://www.geocities.com/verbal_plainfield/activecases/truckervictims.html

 

[concernedperson]

There are several women missing from Oklahoma City/North Texas area who were prostitutes or believed to be whose bodies have been found. The general theory on some of them is that a trucker is picking up women at truck stops and dumping the bodies later on. Possibly someone who drives along I-35??

The link below has some basic info on these other missing women. I remembered them because one of the bodies was found in Grapevine, Texas, not too far from my hometown.



http://www.geocities.com/verbal_plainfield/activecases/truckervictims.html

I know about this. It has been going on for many years. I truly believe this is a trucker serial killer, just like Keith Jesperson (the happy face killer).

 

[reportertype]

I just found this link in another thread.

http://crime.about.com/b/a/188407.htm

 

[mysteriew]

I just found this link in another thread.

http://crime.about.com/b/a/188407.htm

There are several threads on here about these victims if you are interested. I have heard that it is suspected that there are several serial killers who are truckers, in the US. The problem is, because they are so mobile, the victims in so many jurisdictions, that by the time the murders and disappearances are connected, the perps have left the area or were never noticed to have been there.

 

[Marilynilpa]

There are several threads on here about these victims if you are interested. I have heard that it is suspected that there are several serial killers who are truckers, in the US. The problem is, because they are so mobile, the victims in so many jurisdictions, that by the time the murders and disappearances are connected, the perps have left the area or were never noticed to have been there.

Have any of you heard of Mark Roland Stallings? I ran across a mention of him in an archived newspaper article, which stated he was being looked at by law enforcement regarding some murders near the Houston, Texas area. I'm going to do some digging and see if I can find anything else about him.

 

[reportertype]

Thanks mysteriew. I will look up those other threads.

I completely agree with you. It's smart on their part because it's difficult to make any connection between these guys and the victim.

 

[Marilynilpa]

I wasn't able to find much about Mark Roland Stallings. He confessed to killing at least six women and dumping their bodies along I-45. However, I just received an e-mail from the League City, Texas police department. They had considered Stallings to be a prime suspect in four unsolved homicides in their town. All four bodies were dumped in the same area. Unfortunately, they could not substantiate Stallings' claim, and had no physical evidence to connect him to those crimes.

I don't know if he traveled much into Oklahoma, but I'll try to find out. It doesn't appear Stallings was a trucker, so it's unlikely he is involved in these murders.

 

[michelle]

I remember reading a book about "Truck stop Killings" it scared the crap out of me.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I remember reading a book about "Truck stop Killings" it scared the crap out of me.

My brother is an UPS long haul truck driver and he has commented to us many times how some women are taking such high risk by hanging around truck stops. Sadly many of them are doing so to prostitute themselves. At one time he said a trucker couldn't even get out of their truck door or get back in because some women would literally hang on the door wanting to negotiate a sex deal or get a ride. He has said that at times there has been heated words exchanged to make them move off the truck.

Most reputable trucking companies do not allowed their drivers to carry any passengers but then you have the independents and smaller companies who's rules are more lax and it then becomes nothing but a "preying field" in these truck stops and is the perfect setup for serial killers to strike. They nab a willing subject that in their deluded mind they see as being worthless and subject them to rape/torture and murder and then move on out of town. If they get away with it once they will do it again until caught.

Thank goodness my brother has told us that in the last few years law enforcement is more readily seen and tries to deter these women from hanging around these type of places. However LE cant be everywhere at all times and the serial killer knows that very well.

imoo

 

[txsvicki]

You'd think that the truck stops could afford to hire a few security guards to work the truck parking areas if they really wanted to slow down the prostitution.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

You'd think that the truck stops could afford to hire a few security guards to work the truck parking areas if they really wanted to slow down the prostitution.

I think some of them do have security guards now but the thing is if they move them out of one area then they seem to congregate in other areas..........like rest stops.

imoo

 

[mysticrose]

Body of Valley woman missing since 2006 found in N. Arizona
Posted: 8:57 PM
Last Updated: 31 minutes ago

CHANDLER, AZ - An East Valley family has a new reason to be concerned about the possibility a serial killer or killers could be preying on women along Interstate 40 in Northern Arizona.

Tina Preston believes a serial killer took the life of her daughter, Patty Peterson, back in 2006.

"It was just really shocking that was my sister," said Patty's younger sister Shasta.

A box filled with cremated remains is all the family has left of Patty .

A mother of two and just 24 at the time, her body was found last year -- but her remains were just identified.

She had been missing since 2006

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/regio...alley-family-fears-serial-killings-along-i-40

 

[mysticrose]

SNIPPED...........................................................

"My gut says the female truckers know something," Shasta said.

The family has theories on what happened to Patty and they say so does the FBI which is getting ready to take over the investigation.

A spokesperson for the FBI wouldn't comment on the case.

But Preston says they have been following a trail of bodies along I-40 where they've been finding human remains of young women.

"They are either prostitutes or living lifestyles that put them at risk," she said. "The FBI believes there are several active serial killers that are long haul truck drivers. There's a map of over 500 bodies that have been found along I-40."

Preston said the bodies stretch from Arizona to Oklahoma

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/regio...alley-family-fears-serial-killings-along-i-40

 

[mysticrose]

I had no idea about a trail of bodies found along I-40

Anyone ?

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Hi Mystic, Yes I have read about the bodies along I40 in OK. It was discussed on a thread here somewhere. Sorry I don't remember which one. This is skeery!

wm

 

[mysticrose]

Body of Missing Mesa Woman Found Along I-40
Murder Linked to Highway Serial Killer

POSTED: 9:41 pm MST July 16, 2010
UPDATED: 10:04 pm MST July 16, 2010

SNIPPED>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Investigators with the Tulsa Police Department said surveillance video from the truck stop showed Peterson hitching a ride with a female trucker heading west. She was never heard from again.

In April 2009 a hiker found female skeletal remains at the bottom of a 1,000 foot cliff along I-40 near Lupton, Ariz. The autopsy concluded the woman was beaten to death. The woman was known as "Jane Doe" until DNA identified her last month as Peterson.

Federal investigators believe Peterson's case is not isolated.

The FBI's Highway Serial Killings Initiative investigates the staggering number of bodies dumped near interstate highways. A map on the FBI's website shows there are more than 500 victims over the past three decades, whose killer is a suspected long-haul trucker.

http://www.kpho.com/news/24292545/detail.html

 

[Belinda]

This is seriously freaky stuff. 500 bodies is a lot of lives ended abruptly. I'm a little astounded the FBI hasn't been able to get a handle on it. I guess with long-haul truckers it would be much more difficult. I wonder just how many serial-killers it has been over a 30 year period? What an interesting case.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Here is info on the FBI site.

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/april09/highwayserialkillings_040609.html