The name David Wayne Spence is associated with one of the crime cases in Texas: the Lake Waco Murders. It was 1982, and three teenagers—Jill Montgomery, Raylene Rice, and Kenneth Franks—were brutally found murdered near Lake Waco.
All three were convicted by the judgment of Spence, alongside Anthony and Gilbert Melendez. After the verdict, all three continued to state that they were not guilty. David Wayne Spence was executed in 1997, while Melendez brothers spent their whole lives in prison, with Anthony passing away in 2017.
This case is covered on The Crime Junkie Podcast: INFAMOUS: The Lake Waco Murders which was released on December 2, 2024.
The crime that shook Waco
David Wayne Spence was the main accused of the Lake Waco murders, a case allegedly filled with forced confessions and dubious evidence. All of the accused brothers, Anthony and Gilbert Melendez, insisted that they were not involved in the crime. Both brothers were sentenced to death for life imprisonment, respectively, whereas Spence was hanged in 1997.
The Melendez brothers continued living behind bars until they died. As per Texas Monthly, Anthony Melendez stated that fear made him comply with the police. He said in an interview:
"I was afraid to die. And besides, everyone believed Feazell and Simons."
He added that the statement he initially made was based on information he got from his fellow inmates and what he had read in newspapers.
The major objection made in the case was their use of coerced confessions. Witnesses later withdrew saying that they were coerced to make such statements from prosecutors. For example, in an interview with The Waco Tribune-Herald, Gilbert Melendez said that he initially confessed under duress and out of fear of receiving a death sentence.
Prosecutors, such as then-McLennan County District Attorney Vic Feazell, defended their tactics. Critics, however, contended that the state's case relied too heavily on circumstantial evidence and testimonies obtained under questionable circumstances. Direct evidence linking David Wayne Spence and the Melendez brothers to the crime scene was lacking, further fueling doubts.
What happened to the convicted?
Despite the convictions, many believe that the true perpetrators are still at large. Investigative reports and independent reviews suggested alternative suspects who were never pursued to any great extent. The Crime Junkie episode highlights this aspect, emphasizing that critical leads were ignored in favor of building a case against Spence and the Melendez brothers.
Anthony Melendez, in an interview with the Waco Tribune-Herald, expressed regret over his involvement in the case., showed regret about his involvement with the case and said:
"I wanted to believe I could help myself, but it only made things worse."
David Wayne Spence's execution and final words
David Wayne Spence was executed on April 3, 1997. Until his death, he claimed to be innocent. At the time of his death, Spence said, "I am an innocent man." His case is highly controversial, and many ask whether he should have been convicted in the first place.
Several individuals involved in the case have later come to express doubts. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Waco police lieutenant Marvin Horton, a participant in the case, later said that he thinks the real killers were not apprehended. According to Texas Monthly, Spence's attorney, Walter Reaves, has also cited several errors in the investigation and the trial.
Major doubts about the case
Many people pointed to major issues in the case of the Lake Waco Murders. The story changed for several witnesses on multiple occasions, and others confessed to lying for deals or lighter sentences. There never was any kind of tangible evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA, that could tie Spence or the Melendez brothers to the crime scene.
Muneer Deeb was originally convicted as the brains of the murders, but in a retrial, he was acquitted. This created even more suspicion about the original convictions. If Deeb was innocent, people asked why the hitmen were David Wayne Spence and the Melendez brothers.
The case has been criticized as an example of the dangers of relying on informants and coerced confessions. Legal experts argue that the prosecution's case was built on shaky foundations, with no direct evidence linking the accused to the murders. Some believe that the real killers were never found and that the justice system failed. Others, including the victims' families, still believe Spence and the Melendez brothers were guilty.
The Lake Waco Murders are among the most controversial cases of all time. David Wayne Spence, Anthony Melendez, and Gilbert Melendez spent their lives proclaiming their innocence, but their conviction left no room for denial in the eyes of the law. Yet, decades down the road, questions abound as to whether justice was served, leaving it as a haunting reminder of the criminal justice system.