Ep 104 is hot off the press! This week Jess tells us the harrowing tale of William Lewis Reece, born on July 1, 1959, in Oklahoma. Reece faced a troubled upbringing as one of thirteen children. After dropping out of school in the 9th grade due to financial constraints, he married,and had two children. However, his marriage was marred by Reece's heavy drinking and abusive behavior, leading to multiple divorces. Reece’s abusive behavior would culminate with a 1986 arrest for sexual assault, which resulted in a 25-year prison sentence. After serving almost ten years (NOT EVEN HALF), he was released in 1996, only to be linked to the disappearances and murders of several young women shortly thereafter, including Laura Smither, Kelli Cox, Tiffany Johnston, and Jessica Cain.

Following his release, Reece became a suspect in a series of abductions and murders, utilizing his past as a registered sex offender to draw police attention. Investigators eventually connected Reece to multiple crimes through DNA evidence and witness testimonies. In 2016, he confessed to the murders of Kelli Cox and Jessica Cain, leading law enforcement to their remains. After a lengthy trial process, he was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to death in Oklahoma while receiving three life sentences in Texas. Currently, Reece, now 65, is incarcerated, in Texas, and attempting to appeal his death sentence here, leaving the families of his victims grappling with their grief and seeking to honor their memory.

Listener discretion is advised.

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