HOUSTON – The process to resolve several-decades-old murder cases hit a standstill over whether prosecutors in another state will seek the death penalty against the prime suspect. William Lewis Reece is suspected of killing several young girls and women in Texas and Oklahoma in the late 1990s.
The only person Reece has been charged with murdering is Tiffany Johnston. The 19-year-old newlywed was murdered near Oklahoma City in 1997. However, it wasn’t until September of 2015 that Reece was charged with her murder. Johnston’s mother, Kathy Dobry, said she'll accept nothing less than the death penalty.
“He took my daughter's life and his life needs to be taken too,” said Dobry. “In the Bible it says, 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.'”
Even though Oklahoma officials charged Reece, they allowed him to remain in Texas so he could help lead police to the bodies of Jessica Cain and Kelli Ann Cox. Cain disappeared from Galveston County in 1997 and Cox disappeared from Denton the same year.
Those cases remain unsolved until Reece led detectives to Cain’s body in March and to Cox’s body in April. Reece is also the prime suspect in the murder of Laura Smither, who was also abducted and murdered in 1997.
Reece has been in a Texas prison since 1998, when he was convicted of kidnapping Sandra Sapaugh in Webster. Sapaugh escaped Reece by jumping out of his truck.
“I think this needs to be taken care of now. I think we've waited long enough,” said Dobry.
Reece's attorney, Anthony Osso, said the plan was for his client to “accept responsibility” in these murders in exchange for not getting the death penalty and for serving his prison time in Oklahoma, where he still has family.
“He didn't give his victims a chance to have their wishes heard, or anything. So why should he get what he wants?” said Dobry.
Texas officials agreed to this, Oklahoma prosecutors have not. Osso said he was hoping this plan would see Reece charged and convicted of the Texas crimes without the necessity of lengthy trials. Then Reece would be sent to Oklahoma to answer for Johnston's murder.
It has been nearly two months since Cox’s body was discovered and Oklahoma prosecutors have not yet definitively said whether they will seek the death penalty.
“I believe this is what he deserves,” said Dobry. “This mom is not giving up on the death penalty.”
Since Oklahoma prosecutors have not agreed to take the death penalty off the table, the Texas cases remain at a standstill. Reece remains in the Friendswood jail, where he has been since he was temporarily released from prison to help in the search for Cox and Cain.
Officials with the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office have not yet returned Channel 2 Investigates calls for comment.
Officials with the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office said they are working with Oklahoma prosecutors and left open the possibility of extraditing Reece to Oklahoma and filing the Texas cases at a later date.
Osso said if that happens then it could be years before the Texas cases are resolved.