Colleen Reed case

[starmushrooms]

I was watching UM tonight and my DVR cut off early before I could finish the case of a woman abducted from a car wash and several men heard a scream. It said solved, so I'm assuming whoever kidnapped the woman was arrested. Was this the Colleen Reed case? And if it was who was arrested?

[Wamisto]

This was the Colleen Reed case. Kenneth Allen McDuff and Alva Hank Worley were convicted. This was a senseless murder - McDuff was sentenced to death for the vicious rape and murder of a teenage girl in 1966 as well as the execution-style killing of her two cousins, but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment when Texas abolished the death penalty, and later on, due to the overcrowding of Texas prisons, was released in 1989! Needless to say, hell was raised, and the laws were re-written to ensure this never happened again.

This was the same law which almost allowed the serial killer Coral Watts (suspected to have killed about 100 women) to walk free. The DA had to ask for people to come forward with information to help them convict him of one of the murders he did not already confess to and put in his plea bargain. One man came forward claiming he witnessed the murder of one woman, and that was pretty much good enough for the justice system to proceed and run a successful sham trial (it was predetermined that he would be convicted - they just needed to make some semblance of a case). They managed to get the conviction not very long before his parole date (and mandatory release) came up. Impeccable timing.

Quite a joke, really: a silly law which allows a man convicted of a dozen murders (not to mention the 80+ he was not convicted of) to go free necessitates holding a dishonest trial to keep him behind bars.

[starmushrooms]

Originally Posted by Wamisto

This was the Colleen Reed case. Kenneth Allen McDuff and Alva Hank Worley were convicted. This was a senseless murder - McDuff was sentenced to death for the vicious rape and murder of a teenage girl in 1966 as well as the execution-style killing of her two cousins, but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment when Texas abolished the death penalty, and later on, due to the overcrowding of Texas prisons, was released in 1989! Needless to say, hell was raised, and the laws were re-written to ensure this never happened again.

This was the same law which almost allowed the serial killer Coral Watts (suspected to have killed about 100 women) to walk free. The DA had to ask for people to come forward with information to help them convict him of one of the murders he did not already confess to and put in his plea bargain. One man came forward claiming he witnessed the murder of one woman, and that was pretty much good enough for the justice system to proceed and run a successful sham trial (it was predetermined that he would be convicted - they just needed to make some semblance of a case). They managed to get the conviction not very long before his parole date (and mandatory release) came up. Impeccable timing.

Quite a joke, really: a silly law which allows a man convicted of a dozen murders (not to mention the 80+ he was not convicted of) to go free necessitates holding a dishonest trial to keep him behind bars.

Wow, thank you for the info. After you told me I was able to find the UM video online and watch the whole episode. Really sad she had to endure what she did before she died. I'm glad though they were able to find her body and give closure, in some way, to her family.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Wamisto

Quite a joke, really: a silly law which allows a man convicted of a dozen murders (not to mention the 80+ he was not convicted of) to go free necessitates holding a dishonest trial to keep him behind bars.

On the contrary, Coral Eugene Watts wasn't a convicted murderer at the time of his two decades in a Texas prison. As part of a plea agreement, he confessed to 13 murders (maybe more) and helped authorities recover the bodies of his missing victims. He received immunity for the murders he specifically confessed to and given a 60-year prison sentence for trying to kill a woman.

As for the "dishonest" trial", although there were some issues regarding the the trial, I question the "dishonest" part. The eyewitness in the Helen Dutcher murder case said he had previously tried to come forward, even as early as 1982, when he saw footage of Coral Eugene Watts and became convinced he was the same man he saw kill Helen Dutcher. But his efforts were unsuccessful, as it was initially believed (until some technicalities intervened) that Watts would serve what would have amounted to a life sentence in prison.

It was agreed that Coral Watts would still be a danger to society, so efforts were being made to see if he could be charged with a crime for which he wasn't specifically given immunity. There were many unsolved murders that Watts was suspected of committing, not only in Michigan but also in Canada. The aforementioned witness in the Helen Dutcher murder came forward again in 2004, and the authorities and prosecutors finally listened to him.

Although Watts most likely killed over 80 women, he was convicted of only two murders (both of which in Michigan): The 1979 murder of Helen Dutcher and the 1974 murder of Gloria Steele. He was convicted of those crimes in 2004 and 2007, respectively. His second murder conviction came just two months before his death from prostate cancer.

[Latka Gravas]

Just saw the UM Colleen Reed segment. This was especially heinous; i.e., an innocent woman was kidnapped from a 24-hour car wash, assaulted, then killed.

Thankfully they did catch the two scum-bags that committed the crime:

Originally Posted by Wamisto

This was the Colleen Reed case. Kenneth Allen McDuff and Alva Hank Worley were convicted. This was a senseless murder - McDuff was sentenced to death for the vicious rape and murder of a teenage girl in 1966 as well as the execution-style killing of her two cousins, but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment when Texas abolished the death penalty, and later on, due to the overcrowding of Texas prisons, was released in 1989! Needless to say, hell was raised, and the laws were re-written to ensure this never happened again.

Good info. Never knew that KAM should have been in prison but was released in 1989, two years before the murder of CR. This is especially horrible, given that if he hadn't been released CR may still be alive today.

[James T]

24 hour unmanned, manual car washes-what a great concept. What could go wrong? Just like the late night stores with women working alone getting abducted on the show.

[marlins3]

I believe they mention Colleen Reed in the American Justice episode on McDuff.

[WishfulDreamer]

Originally Posted by marlins3

I believe they mention Colleen Reed in the American Justice episode on McDuff.

They do, and it's very tough viewing. I haven't seen it in years, but I don't think I'll forget how graphic the descriptions and pictures were. They unearth one of his other victims' bodies on camera. An interview with McDuff is shown where he feigns being a nice guy and laughs off the female interviewer telling him that he is viewed as a monster. Definitely belongs on the UM Hall of Most Punchable Faces, but at least he'll never hurt another person again.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by James T

24 hour unmanned, manual car washes-what a great concept. What could go wrong? Just like the late night stores with women working alone getting abducted on the show.

I know some people might take this the wrong way, but this was one of those cases that just seemed like it could have been prevented. There aren't a lot of cases that seem random, but this one seems random. Angela Hammond perhaps, the New Hampshire rest stop killer, etc. These are cases where just like Colleen Reed I wouldn't advise a young woman to be by herself in those situations, at that time of night, in that dark of a place with no one around. I know people say "victim blaming" and such, but it is not the case. For me as a father of two daughters and a husband and a brother and son, I would never want a woman in my life to be in that sort of situation where this sort of psycho has free reign and opportunity.

[BlueGalexy]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

They do, and it's very tough viewing. I haven't seen it in years, but I don't think I'll forget how graphic the descriptions and pictures were. They unearth one of his other victims' bodies on camera. An interview with McDuff is shown where he feigns being a nice guy and laughs off the female interviewer telling him that he is viewed as a monster. Definitely belongs on the UM Hall of Most Punchable Faces, but at least he'll never hurt another person again.

Dear WD,

It is with much respect that I am submitting this request to induct Franklin Delano Floyd into the UM Hall of Most Punchable Faces. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Sincerely,
BlueGalexy

All joking aside, I absolutely agree with your assessment here, and feel that just like McDuff, Floyd would make a terrific candidate for membership. The one and only time I was able to stomach sitting through an interview featuring Floyd, I came away from it feeling like I'd just sat through an hour with Satan himself! I love your idea for this particular Hall of Fame and if I could stand actually being in the same room as McDuff, Floyd, and others of that ilk, I'd volunteer to present the awards personally, lol.

[WishfulDreamer]

Originally Posted by BlueGalexy

Dear WD,

It is with much respect that I am submitting this request to induct Franklin Delano Floyd into the UM Hall of Most Punchable Faces. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Sincerely,
BlueGalexy

All joking aside, I absolutely agree with your assessment here, and feel that just like McDuff, Floyd would make a terrific candidate for membership. The one and only time I was able to stomach sitting through an interview featuring Floyd, I came away from it feeling like I'd just sat through an hour with Satan himself! I love your idea for this particular Hall of Fame and if I could stand actually being in the same room as McDuff, Floyd, and others of that ilk, I'd volunteer to present the awards personally, lol.

I actually didn't make it up, someone made one in the UM memes thread I have to give credit where credit is due. Totally agree with you that Floyd belongs in there! In fact, I see in post #406 of the thread I said the same thing!

https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...&postcount=401

^ Jon's amazing template.

The starting page of the thread discussion about the template (starting with post 401):

https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...chable&page=27

[Or So It Seems]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

I know some people might take this the wrong way, but this was one of those cases that just seemed like it could have been prevented. There aren't a lot of cases that seem random, but this one seems random. Angela Hammond perhaps, the New Hampshire rest stop killer, etc. These are cases where just like Colleen Reed I wouldn't advise a young woman to be by herself in those situations, at that time of night, in that dark of a place with no one around. I know people say "victim blaming" and such, but it is not the case. For me as a father of two daughters and a husband and a brother and son, I would never want a woman in my life to be in that sort of situation where this sort of psycho has free reign and opportunity.

Mark me down as one of the people saying you are victim blaming poor Colleen Reed. She did nothing wrong that night.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by Or So It Seems

Mark me down as one of the people saying you are victim blaming poor Colleen Reed. She did nothing wrong that night.

Not blaming her at all, obviously she did nothing wrong, I think you are missing the point. Just saying I wouldn't want my daughter, even as a young woman, hanging around a dark place like that with those sort of risks.

Anyway, just an idea to minimize these sorts of things. I'm a father, we tend to look at the world in a different way, very aware of the surroundings, bad men, etc.