Police identify 2 women found dead in Calder Road field 3 decades ago

LEAGUE CITY, Texas (FOX 26) - There has been a breakthrough in the case of the League City killing fields, where four women’s bodies were found in the 1980s and 1990s.

League City police released the names of two women who were finally identified three decades after they were found dead in a field on Calder Road.

The body of an unknown woman "Jane Doe" was discovered in the oil fields at the end of Calder Road on February 2, 1986. The skeletal remains of another unidentified woman "Janet Doe" were discovered in the same oil field area on September 8, 1991. This was the same scene where Heidi Fye’s body was found in 1984 and Laura Miller’s body was found in 1986.

During a press conference on Monday, police identified “Jane Doe” as Audrey Lee Cook and “Janet Doe” as Donna Prudhomme.

Detectives used genetic genealogy to confirm the victims identities decades after they were murdered.

Today, police shared the background of Audrey Cook.

“At some point, she worked as a mechanic for National Rent-A-Car in Houston. December 1985 is the last time she had contact with her family members. Associates advise that she sold and used cocaine. She is estimated to be 30 years old at the time of her death," said Chief Gary Ratliff of League City Police. 

They also shared Donna Prudhomme’s background in hopes of jogging the memory of those who knew her and who might have information that would help the investigation.

“It is believed that she was a frequent patron of several of the local bars around the NASA Road 1 in Seabrook, Texas. She was last seen in July of 1991. She is estimated to have been 34-years-of-age at the time of her death," said Chief Ratliff.

Police say neither woman was every officially reported missing, but their families did try to find them.

Tim Miller is the father of one of the killing field victims Laura Miller.

"You know, it’s the first time I’ve walked out on this property and I’ve felt some comfort," he said.

He created memorials in the field for each of the victims.He’s adding new flowers and now new name plates to two of those memorials. He says he met one of the newly identified victims, but his daughter didn’t know her.

“I had a guy that worked for me back in 1988 that actually dated Donna. I met Donna two or three times back in the 1980s," he said. 

League City detectives announced last week that they were able to identify the two women using genetic genealogy. Detectives are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

In December of last year, League City police released new information about the two homicide victims in hopes it would help lead to their identity. Through forensic DNA analysis conducted by Parabon NanoLabs, predictions were made about the women's characteristics and composite sketches were created.

Magnolia Creek Baptist Church which was built here after the murders and will hold a memorial for the victims.

Police say if you knew the women at the time, they’d love to talk to you. Detectives are asking anyone who knew Donna Prudhomme or Audrey Cook to call their League City cold case tip line at 281-338-8220.

All four murders remain unsolved.