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The Lake Waco murders are often described as one of the most gruesome crimes in the history of Texas. Three teens Jill Montgomery, Raylene Rice, and Kenneth Franks were brutally killed in Speegleville Park near Lake Waco on July 13, 1982.
The murders left the town shocked and scared as they wondered who had killed the teens. The investigation into the murders went on for a decade and saw multiple disconcerting discoveries, arrests, and some convictions.
The Crime Junkie Podcast: INFAMOUS: The Lake Waco Murders Part 1 looks at the Lake Wako murders of 1982. It explores the murders of the three teens and the events that followed in an investigation and trial.
Five shocking details about the 1982 Lake Waco Murders
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1) The discovery of three teenagers
Two fishermen discovered the bodies of three teenagers at Speegleville Park on July 13, 1982. The victims were 17-year-olds Jill Montgomery and Raylene Rice, as well as 18-year-old Kenneth Franks. They found Kenneth's body leaning up against a tree with his sunglasses over his eyes, while Jill and Raylene were seemingly tortured.
The three had also been stabbed multiple times and their wounds also indicated extreme violence. Jill and Raylene's throats were slashed while the positioning of their bodies seemed deliberate to instill fear.
2) Victims tortured and s*xually assaulted
The autopsy revealed that Jill and Raylene were s*xually assaulted and tortured. The investigators also found shallow cuts on their bodies, which seemed to be done to make them suffer more.
The violence reportedly suggested that the murderer had a deeply disturbing intent for murder.
Following the discovery of the bodies, parents began enforcing stricter curfews and others armed themselves as they feared similar murders. The killings shook the community because the victims didn't seem to have any enemies or anyone who would want to cause them harm.
3) The victims' trip to Waco
Jill and Raylene lived in Waxahachie and drove to Waco to collect Jill's paycheck from her employment at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.
They were also scheduled to meet Kenneth Franks, their mutual friend, from the Methodist Children's Home. They met at Speegleville Park and were unaware of the potential danger they would be in.
4) A lengthy investigation and trials
The investigation into the Lake Waco murders took over a decade to be solved as the police initially had very little evidence and contradicting testimonies. While many suspects were brought in but were also let go for multiple reasons.
The first person who was brought in and implicated was Muneer Mohammad Deeb, due to a very contentious relationship with Kenneth Franks. However, he was let off when he passed a polygraph test.
In the end, the police found David Wayne Spence, and brothers Anthony and Gilbert Melendez who were arrested and convicted for the triple homicide.
Spence was executed in 1997, but he still insisted he was innocent, while the Melendez brothers were sentenced to life.
5) A community was shaken to its core
The murders had a deep impact on the Waco community. The fear spread rapidly, and there ensued tight security on all fronts. Parents enforced stricter curfews on their children while the parks in the area also saw people being vigilant.
The crime was random and violent, leading the community to feel unsafe and they pressured the law enforcement into cracking the case sooner rather than later. The details surrounding the murder-from propping up Kenneth's body to torturing Jill and Raylene have stayed in the collective memory of this small town.
INFAMOUS: The Lake Waco Murders Part 1 episode of Crime Junkie Podcast on the 1982 Lake Waco Murders was released on came out on December 2, 2024. The second part of the episode will release on December 9, 2024, on the Crime Junkie Fan Club App.
