Skip to main content

Man accused of helping dispose of 2 bodies in ‘Texas Killing Fields’ murders arrested

Investigators believe James Elmore helped longtime suspect Clyde Edwin Hedrick dispose of victims’ remains

James Elmore (KPRC 2)

After more than 40 years of unanswered questions and decades of frustration from families of victims, authorities have arrested a man suspected of participating in at least two deaths related to the “Texas Killing Fields.”

James Elmore, 61, was indicted for charges connected to the deaths of Laura Miller and Audrey Cook—two of the women found dead in the area of Southeast Texas long known as the Texas Killing Fields.

Recommended Videos



KPRC 2’s docuseries — The Evidence Room — went in-depth on the Texas Killing Fields in a four-part series.

WATCH HERE: The Evidence Room

Elmore was taken into custody and has arrived at the Galveston County Jail, where he is being held following his arrest on charges of manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

KPRC 2’s Robert Arnold was at Galveston County Jail as Elmore was being transported.

Prosecutors allege Elmore helped longtime suspect Clyde Edwin Hedrick conceal the remains of Miller and Cook after their deaths.

Hedrick died last week at the age of 72. He was never charged in any of the cases and maintained his innocence during an interview with 2 Investigates in August 2024.

READ MORE: Prime suspect in ‘Texas Killing Fields’ murders dies at 72

The indictment marks a significant break in a decades‑old investigation into a string of murders that have haunted families and investigators since the 1980s.