DPS

Texas Rangers Cold Case Investigation Details


RA200600554LauraSmither.jpg
solved

Laura   Smither

REFERENCE NUMBER: 178 - Solved
COMPANY: A
RACE: Unknown
SEX: Female
CITY: Friendswood
COUNTY: Galveston
RELATED YEAR: 1997
SUSPECTS: William Reece



DETAILS:

In August 1997, 12-year-old Laura Smither was jogging near her home in Friendswood, Texas, when she was abducted. Her body was found two weeks later at the edge of a pond, 12 miles away. William Reece was developed as a suspect, but the case went cold.

In 2015, this case was adopted into the Texas Ranger Unsolved Crime (cold case) Investigation Program. The Texas Rangers worked closely with other law enforcement agencies and prosecutors involved in this case. The case was solved in 2016, almost 20 years after the murder. Suspected serial killer William Reece has been charged with this crime.

A trial is pending.

Persons arrested for a crime are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Different ways to submit a tip

Crime Stoppers

Texas Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $3,000 to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of the person/persons responsible for this crime. All tips are anonymous and the tipster will receive a Texas Crime Stoppers Tip Number. To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters MUST contact Crime Stoppers by using one of the following two methods:

  • Texas Crime Stoppers Hotline: 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
  • Submit a Tip Online through
    Texas Crime Stoppers
    NOTE: On the Tip Form please select
    Cold Cases Featured - Texas Rangers Website - Up to $3,000 in Rewards in the Type of Crime/Fugitive section and Cold Case - Texas Rangers in the Offense Type section
Texas Rangers DPS Missing Persons Hotline

Your information will be forwarded to the Texas Ranger assigned to this case. Tips are NOT guaranteed to be anonymous and the tipster will NOT receive a cash reward.



Print this page

Texas Rangers and Texas Crime Stoppers