James Dolph Elmore, Jr. was arrested in connection with two of the deaths off Calder Road.
LEAGUE CITY, Texas — A man accused in one of the most notorious cold cases in the Houston area is now behind bars, facing charges tied to the decades-old Texas Killing Fields murders.
James Dolph Elmore Jr., 61, appeared before a Galveston County magistrate judge on Tuesday, where his bond was denied. Investigators say the case, which has remained unsolved for nearly 40 years, is now considered solved.
Elmore is charged with manslaughter in the death of 16-year-old Laura Miller and tampering with her corpse. He also faces a tampering with evidence charge in connection with the death of 30-year-old Audrey Cook.
Authorities say Elmore was arrested earlier in the day in San Leon during a traffic stop. He was taken into custody and transported to the Galveston County Jail in handcuffs, escorted by deputies and the sheriff.
A decades-old case
Laura Miller disappeared in September 1986. She was last seen using a pay phone at a convenience store in League City.
Her body was later found buried in a remote area off Calder Road — a site that would become known as part of the Texas Killing Fields, where the remains of dozens of women were discovered throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Miller’s disappearance would go on to spark a movement. Her father, Tim Miller, later founded Texas EquuSearch, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families find missing loved ones.
The remains of Audrey Cook, along with other victims, were also found in the same area.
Family reaction
Shortly after Elmore’s arrest, KHOU 11 spoke exclusively with his son, James Elmore III, who strongly denied the allegations.
“You’re convinced that your dad had nothing to do with this?” he was asked.
“He had nothing to do with it,” Elmore III said. “He never even did nothing.”
Elmore III said he was not even born at the time of the crimes and only learned about the Texas Killing Fields years later through the news.
“My dad worked construction. He has his own business… he just worked and put food on the table,” he said.
He also acknowledged that his father knew Clyde Hedrick, a convicted killer long linked to the cases.
“My dad used to work with Clyde… a long time ago. That was basically it,” he said.
Elmore III believes his father is being blamed now that Hedrick is dead.
“Just because Clyde died, they want to pin something on him,” he said.
The Hedrick connection
Investigators have long tied Clyde Hedrick to the deaths of the four women whose bodies were found off Calder Road. Hedrick, who was previously convicted in a related case, died about 10 days ago, before prosecutors presented evidence to a grand jury.
Authorities say despite his death, the investigation continued — ultimately leading to charges against Elmore.
What’s next
Elmore remains in custody at the Galveston County Jail.
Officials say the case marks a major development in one of the region’s most infamous series of killings, though questions still remain as investigators continue working to bring justice to the victims and their families.
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