Accused serial killer William Reece to be tried for capital murder in Oklahoma

Inmate William Reece is shown at the TDCJ Ellis Unit in 2007 in Huntsville. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison for kidnapping a topless dancer forced into his truck in 1997. Inmate William Reece is shown at the TDCJ Ellis Unit in 2007 in Huntsville. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison for kidnapping a topless dancer forced into his truck in 1997. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Accused serial killer William Reece to be tried for capital murder in Oklahoma 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Accused serial killer William Reece will be transferred to Oklahoma to face capital-murder charges under an agreement made between that state and Galveston County before Reece led investigators to the remains of two of his alleged victims in the Houston area, a prosecutor said Friday.

Oklahoma authorities had already charged Reece, 57, with capital murder when investigators in Galveston County began conversations with him that eventually led to the discovery of the bodies of two young women who disappeared 19 years ago, said Kevin Petroff, a first assistant district attorney in Galveston County.

The agreement with Oklahoma "had allowed us from the beginning, rather than transport him to Oklahoma, to talk with him and his attorney in our investigation," Petroff said. "It was always agreed that we would transport him to Oklahoma to be tried on capital murder charges before we would file any cases."

Reece's attorney, Anthony Osso, was not immediately available for comment Friday. But he previously told the Houston Chronicle that his client agreed to cooperate with authorities in hopes of negotiating plea agreements to avoid trials in Texas. Osso also had said that Reece hoped his cooperation would help him avoid the death penalty in Oklahoma.

Petroff said decisions about bringing charges against Reece in Texas will be made shortly after he is extradited to Oklahoma. He said Oklahoma officials have not reached a decision on whether to seek the death penalty for Reece in the 1997 kidnapping, rape and strangulation of newlywed Tiffany Johnston.

Rowland Scott, who is first assistant district attorney for Oklahoma County, said prosecutors would have to make a decision on whether to seek the death penalty before Reece's preliminary hearing, usually within 60 days of his transfer.

"The defense has asked us to forego the death penalty and we have refused to give that assurance," Scott said.

The convicted rapist and kidnapper led police to the remains of Jessica Cain and Kelli Cox, who vanished in Texas nearly 20 years ago. His attorney told the Houston Chronicle in May that Reece also admitted killing Laura Smither, a 12-year-old from Friendswood who vanished while jogging. The girl's body was found in Pasadena on April 20, 1997.

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In the Oklahoma case, Reece has been charged with kidnapping, raping and strangling Johnston. No charges have been filed in the Cain, Cox or Smither cases. He is currently serving a 60-year prison sentence in Huntsville for a separate kidnapping in 1997. On Thursday, the website for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice had him listed as "temporary release."

Smither's body was found in Pasadena in 1997. Cox, a 20-year-old University of North Texas student, went missing in Denton that same year. Her remains were found earlier this year in Brazoria County.

Johnston was abducted from a car wash in Bethany, Okla., on July 26, 1997, and her body was found the next day. DNA testing linked Reece to her slaying.

Cain, a Galveston teenager, disappeared on Aug. 17, 1997, in Clear Lake after attending a cast party for a high school musical at a local restaurant. Her truck was later found on the shoulder of I-45.

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