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Hey everyone. Carter Roy here. If you're loving Murder True Crime Stories, you need to check out Crimes of, the newest show from Crime House. Crimes of is a weekly series that explores a new theme each season from Crimes of the paranormal, unsolved murders, mysterious disappearances, and more. Their first season is Crimes of Infamy, the true stories behind Hollywood's most iconic horror villains. Crimes of is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or find them on YouTube at Crime House Studios. New episodes out every Tuesday. This his Crime House. We all know the saying, trust your gut. Usually that's good advice. If something feels wrong, it probably is. But sometimes people put too much weight on their intuition. One investigator in Waco, Texas had this exact problem. In 1982, three teenagers were brutally murdered near Lake Waco. Patrol Sergeant Truman Simons was on the case and right away he thought he knew what had happened and who was to blame. Simons had a knack for sniffing out dangerous criminals. It wasn't just about his investigative skills. It was more like a sixth sense. He'd been right so many times, he didn't even question it anymore. But when it came to the Lake Waco murders, Simons should have been more cautious. Because this time around, his intuition may have been wrong. And as a result, an innocent man may have been sent to death row. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios that comes out every Tuesday and Thursday at Crime House. We want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts and to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get ad free listening, early access to every two part series, and exciting bonus content. This is the first of two episodes on the Lake Waco murders, a triple homicide that rocked the Lone Star State in the summer of 1982. Today I'll introduce you to the victims and walk you through the days leading up to the murders. I'll explain how their casual summer evening turned into horror and the initial investigation that sent authorities down a questionable path. Next time, I'll continue the search for the Lake Waco killers. As police grow desperate to solve the case. And he'll explain how one detective's obsession may have led to not just one, but four wrongful convictions. All that and more coming up. Just wrapped another chilling case or unsolved mystery? 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What I really appreciate about Quint is how they make quality accessible by partnering directly, ethical factories and skipping the middlemen. They deliver fabrics and craftsmanship that rival luxury brands at about half the price. These are the kind of pieces that last season after season keep it classic and cool this fall with long lasting staples from Quince. Go to quints.com crimehouse for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N C-E.com crimehouse free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com crimehouse Waco, Texas is known as the home of Baylor University and more recently, Magnolia Market, the tourist attraction operated by Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV fame. But underneath that polished exterior, Waco has a very dark history. In 1993, a standoff between the FBI and a cult called the Branch Davidians ended in horror. After 51 days, 76 people lay dead. This tragedy is known as the Waco siege. Eleven years before that, in the summer of 1982, another atrocity rocked the city, one that's never been forgotten. It involved three teenagers whose lives were cut far too short, 17 year old Jill Montgomery, 17 year old Raylan Rice, and 18 year old Kenneth Franks. But before we get into what happened, we need to understand who they were. Jill Montgomery was born and raised in Waxahachie Texas. But in August 1981, when she was 16, she was sent an hour south to the Methodist Home in Waco. For many of Jill's friends and neighbors, the move came as a shock. The Methodist Home was known as a place for troubled teens, kids who were skipping school, running away or doing drugs. That wasn't Jill, though. On the outside, Jill seemed like you're typical teenager. She was a little flirtatious and adventurous and maybe had a beer or smoked weed every now and then. Despite her rebellious streak, she was dedicated to her passions. She loved rock music, swimming and fashion. She didn't cause trouble and seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. And even though her parents had divorced three years earlier, she appeared to take it all in stride. But in reality, Jill was struggling. She was insecure, had low self esteem and dyslexia. Rather than face her problems, Jill stopped going to school altogether. When her mom, Nancy, confronted her, it only led to more arguments at home. Eventually, Jill decided she wanted out. So she asked her dad, Rod, who still lived in Waxahachie, if she could live with him instead. He was hesitant until Nancy called him in tears and begged him to set Jill straight. At that point, he agreed. Jill moved in with him and was quickly disappointed. The last few years, she'd only seen her dad on weekends, and he turned out to be even stricter than her mom. Within weeks, she was begging Nancy to come home. Nancy loved her daughter and wanted her around, but she also knew she couldn't give Jill the structure she needed. So they found a middle ground, the Methodist Home in Waco. The kids there still went to the local public high school and were able to get jobs if they wanted. But when they were at the home, they were supervised. If they followed the rules, they could gain privileges like going out and socializing on the weekends. Surprisingly, Jill liked the idea. To her, it felt like the fresh start she needed. Plus, it got her out of Waxahachie. The transition wasn't easy. Though. Jill called her mom constantly in the beginning, she was desperate to leave. Nancy encouraged her to stick it out and eventually things did turn around. Jill made friends, including another resident named Gail Kelly. The two acted like sisters, but not only that, they looked so much alike that teachers often mixed them up. Gail had been at the home longer than Jill and she wanted her to have a good time and settle in. She even helped her land a job at the gift shop at the Texas Ranger hall of Fame. She was also the one who introduced Jill to another resident, 17 year old Kenneth Franks. Kenneth was handsome, fun and a little edgy. Jill often saw him driving around on his motorcycle. His bad boy vibe was definitely appealing. But under his hard exterior, Kenneth also had a sensitive side and a lot in common with Jill. Like her, he had dyslexia and struggled in school. He also came from a broken home. His parents had divorced when he was 11. It had strained his relationship with his mother, but they were slowly starting to find their footing. The more Jill learned about Kenneth, the more she liked him. Luckily, he felt the same way. Before long, the two were dating. When his dad joked that maybe he should play the field, Kenneth shook his head. He told him he only had eyes for Jill. But somewhere along the way, the relationship cooled. It's not clear why they broke up, but it seems like it was mutual. Maybe they were headed in different directions. Afterwards, Jill and Kenneth stayed friends. But he didn't stick around for long. In February 1982, Kenneth turned 18. That's when he left the Methodist Home and Jill behind. He stayed in Waco, but moved back in with his dad. For Jill, seeing him go was heartbreaking. Even though she'd agreed to the split, it seemed like she still had feelings for him. The home just wasn't the same without Kenneth. Not long after, Jill decided to get out of Waco for a little and got permission to return home to Waxahachie for a weekend. Her brother and sister in law were going to the Six Flags amusement park and she wanted to tag along. She ended up having a blast. But when it came time for Jill to head back to Waco, she told her mom she didn't want to go. Something about the way Jill said it gave Nancy pause. This wasn't some teenage angst. It sounded like Jill was scared to go back. Nancy asked what was going on. Why didn't she want to return to Waco? But Jill wouldn't say anything else. She just pleaded to stay. At that point, Nancy got her ex husband involved. After a long talk, they agreed that Jill could come home. She'd get one more chance. In late June or early July 1982, 17 year old Jill quit her job in Waco and left the Methodist Home. She moved back to Waxahachie with her mom. She planned to re enroll at her old high school in the fall. But even as she got settled into her old routines, something gnawed at Jill. She missed Kenneth. Before long, she found an excuse to see him. She needed to go back to Waco to pick up her final paycheck from the gift shop. She figured she could visit Kenneth while she was there. Nancy agreed to let her go as long as she didn't make the hour long drive on her own. So Jill asked around. Her best friend from Waxahachie, 17 year old Raelyn Rice, offered to take her. They could take her car and make a day of it. Raelynn's family had moved to Waxahachie five years earlier. Her father had been a minister and then a mortician, and the Rices actually lived above the local funeral home. Despite the morbid accommodations, Raelynn was a bubbly, outgoing girl. She and Jill had always been close. And now that Jill was home, they were back to doing everything together. Nancy agreed to let the girls go together. She just had one condition. They had to be home before dark. Around lunchtime on July 13, 1982, Jill hopped into Raelyn's orange Ford Pinto and the girls headed south to Waco. They made it there in about an hour and headed straight for the gift shop. Jill picked up her paycheck, then immediately cashed it at a nearby supermarket. After that, Jill called Kenneth. He'd just picked up some takeout for him and his dad. But when Jill asked if he wanted to meet up at Caney park, the local hangout spot for teenagers, he jumped at the opportunity. He missed her too. Jill and Raelynn pulled up to Kenneth's dad's house around 7:30pm and waited in the driveway, checking their makeup in the rearview mirror. Inside, Kenneth asked his dad for a few dollars. Richard Franks handed it over and reminded his son to be home by midnight. He had summer school in the morning. Kenneth promised he'd be back early. He said the girls couldn't stay out late either. They had to make their way back to Waxahachie. And then Kenneth walked out the door. It was the last time Richard ever saw his son alive. You've heard of hellofresh, right? Fresh ingredients, chef crafted recipes, easy weeknight dinners. But this summer they made their biggest upgrade yet. And I am here for it. This isn't the same hellofresh. It's bigger, healthier, tastier. The menu has doubled. A hundred choices every week, bigger portions, new seasonal recipes, flavors from all over the world. There's always something new to try. 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On the night of July 13, 1982, 17 year old Jill Montgomery and 18 year old Kenneth Franks reunited at a local park in Waco, Texas. They hadn't seen each other since leaving the Methodist Home. That was at least a month earlier and they were thrilled to be together again that night. Jill's friend, 17 year old Raelyn Rice, was tagging along too. All three promised they wouldn't be out late, but in the Franks household, Kenneth's midnight curfew came and went without any sign of him. His dad, Richard, dozed in and out of sleep, hoping to hear the front door creak open. By 4:30am Richard still hadn't heard from his son. He got up and checked Kenneth's room again just in case there was no one there. At that point, Richard started to panic. Kenneth wasn't perfect, but if he was running late, he usually called. Richard knew he couldn't just sit around and wait anymore. He had a feeling that Kenneth was in trouble. He drove out to Caney park, where Kenneth had said he was going. There he found Raelyn's orange Pinto unlocked and abandoned. Kenneth and the girls were nowhere to be seen. Shortly after 6am Richard filed a missing persons report. Officers were sent out to inspect the car. The sergeant admitted the whole thing felt off, but with no witnesses and no signs of trouble, they couldn't do much more than dust for prints. It had barely been 12 hours. Chances were they were just being teenagers and having a Little fun. The sergeant was hopeful they'd show up any minute. But deep down, Richard knew that wasn't the case. Something was wrong. With nothing else to do, Richard spent the rest of the afternoon worrying about his son. Meanwhile, Waco Patrol Sergeant Truman Simon started his shift around 3pm the first three hours were business as usual. At 6pm The 39 year old stopped to have a quick coffee break with his wife. Thirty minutes later, he was back in his patrol car. He was about to find himself some food when the dispatcher radioed in a report. He said there'd been a, quote, questionable death near Lake Waco. Symonds knew what that meant. He'd been on the force for 17 years. And while he mainly worked in narcotics and intelligence, he'd seen his fair share of homicides, especially that summer. By July 13, there had already been two dozen murders. An unusually high amount for a city of 100,000 people. Simons was determined to keep that number from growing. He flipped his cruiser around and sped toward the lake, all thoughts of dinner forgotten. The call had come from Spiegelville park, across from downtown Waco on the other side of the lake. It was a pretty rugged place, more popular with campers than teenagers. When Simons arrived, the scene was already overcrowded. There were police officers, detectives and sheriff's deputies. Even a few reporters were there. Simons learned that two young men had been looking for a fishing spot when they stumbled upon what they thought was a drunk man passed out under a tree. After a few moments of poking around, they'd realized the man wasn't asleep. He was dead. Silence. Crouched under the low branches to take a closer look himself. The man was actually just a boy. A teenager wearing jeans and an orange shirt that was soaked with blood. It looked like he'd been stabbed in the chest. His hands were bound behind him and a gag was tied around his mouth. But the strangest part of it all was the boy's aviator sunglasses. It seemed like someone had placed them on his face after killing him as some twisted joke. As Symonds tried to make sense of it, Waco Police Detective Raymond Salinas tapped him on the shoulder. He held out a photo of an 18 year old named Kenneth Franks who'd been reported missing earlier that day. Simons and Salinas looked at the photo, then at the dead body in front of them. There was no denying it. This was him. Salinas had more bad news. Kenneth wasn't the only missing teenager. He was last seen with two girls from the nearby town of Waxahachie. 17 year old Jill Montgomery and 17 year old Raylan Rice. They appeared to be missing as well. Simons ordered everyone to fan out and search the woods for the girls. He wasn't technically in charge, but no one else had taken control of the scene, so he assumed the position. Within minutes, someone shouted. They'd found a young blonde teenage girl in the grass. It was Raelyn Rice. Like Kenneth, she was gagged and bound and had been stabbed repeatedly. She was naked except for a bra tied loosely around her leg. Simons looked around the crime scene. They'd found two of the three missing teenagers. The third was probably nearby. Sure enough, a few feet away, he spotted something. A pale knee poking out from the tall grass. It belonged to the third victim, Jill Montgomery. She was also naked. Like her friends, she'd been gagged, bound and stabbed. Her throat was also slashed. Around her neck, a gold heart shaped necklace was still in place, partially embedded in the wound. Simons made mental notes of the scene. The gags looked like torn clothing, possibly from Jill's shirt. The knots on the bindings were sloppy, not the work of someone with experience. But there were also signs of torture. The superficial wounds on the two girls were not done to kill, but to inflict pain. And there were signs of possible sexual assault. Both girls were bruised and the grass around them had been flattened, suggesting a struggle. But strangely enough, there was hardly any blood on the ground. Simons wondered if they'd been killed somewhere else, then dumped here. If so, why had the killer or killers spread them out? Why had they staged Kenneth but not the girls? None of it made sense. The only real evidence, two beer cans found near the bodies yielded no fingerprints, and there was no murder weapon anywhere. Simons walked the crime scene, studying the bodies. But something kept drawing him back to Jill. She had defensive wounds on her body and the slash on her neck seemed personal. Something about it made Simons suspect she was the primary target. Simons couldn't prove that, but he had a reputation for using his gut. Some of his fellow officers were skeptical of his methods. Others. But he didn't care. He knelt beside Jill's body and whispered a promise in her ear. He would not let her death go unsolved. He would find her killer and make them pay, even if it was the last thing he ever did. That night, he made the same promise to Raelyn and Kenneth. And despite Simon's assurances, he was not the lead detective on the case. He actually wasn't even on the case. He was a patrol sergeant who'd just taken the lead that day. Officially, the case was assigned to Lt. Marvin Horton, who led a task force of seven officers. Over the next two days, they searched the area, tracked timelines and tried to find witnesses who'd seen the trio. Between 9pm and midnight on July 13, investigators interviewed nearly 200 people. Most leads were nothing more than rumors or hearsay. Still, they managed to piece together a basic timeline of the victim's last movements. Witnesses confirmed seeing the teenagers hang around Caney park early in the night, near where Raelyn's car had been found. It's not clear what they were doing, though. It seemed like they were alone at that point. But the trail went cold from there. No one saw the trio leave or had any idea how they'd gotten all the way across the lake to Spiegelville park without being seen. The autopsies came back about a day after the murders. All three teens had died of multiple stab wounds. Kenneth was stabbed 20 times, once in the neck and 19 times in the chest. Jill had 17 upper body wounds, including nine to the chest, one to the neck and one defensive wound on her hand. Raelyn had 11 total 10 in the chest and one in the neck. And there was evidence to suggest the girls had been sexually assaulted. The coroner believed the murder weapon was a kitchen style knife, maybe 5 inches long and half an inch wide. As for the lack of blood at the scene, the killer hadn't hit any arteries that indicated a certain level of skill and precision. According to the toxicology reports, none of the victims had alcohol or drugs in their system. But for some reason, Detective Salinas believed the killings had been a drug deal gone wrong. And so he searched for potential suspects who fit that mo he looked into a local man named Terry Lee Harper, or Tabb. He had a history of assault and may have dealt Kenneth drugs. However, Tabb had an alibi and Salinas was forced to clear him. Without any other suspects that fit his theory, Salinas hit a dead end. By the start of September, two months after the murders, the Waco PD made a decision. Quietly and internally. They were hitting pause on the case. If a promising lead came in, they'd follow up. But for now, they were moving on. However, not everyone agreed with that choice. On September 9th, Patrol Sergeant Simons stopped by the station to check on the case. He'd made a promise after all. That evening, he passed Detective Salinas desk and saw the case file sitting out. He decided to flip through it and saw there were no definitive leads. And then he noticed the status. Inactive. Simon stared at the page, unable to process what he was seeing. It had been less than two months and they were already giving up. He couldn't believe it, and he wouldn't accept it. That night, he called the chief of police on his direct home number. The two didn't always see eye to eye. Simons didn't care. He told the chief he'd been working the case in his spare time, and he had some new ideas. If the department let him run with it, he'd solve the murders in less than a week. The chief figured he had nothing to lose, so he said yes. Just like that. Patrol Sergeant Truman Simons officially took the lead on the Lake Waco murders. And it wasn't long before he had a suspect in custody. But in his rush to find the killer, Simons may have focused on the wrong man. Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. One, it's $15 a month. Two, seriously, it's $15 a month. Three, no big contracts. Four, I use it. Five, my mom uses it. Are you. Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a try. @mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan.
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In July 1982, three teenagers were brutally murdered in Waco, Texas. 17 year old Jill Montgomery, 17 year old Raylan Rice and 18 year old Kenneth Franks. Two months later, Waco detectives declared the case inactive. When Patrol Sergeant Truman Simons saw that, he begged to take over. The police chief gave him the go ahead. And on September 10th, Simons got to work. He reviewed everything in the case file. Before long, he stumbled on a lead that made him sit up straight. 17 year old Lisa Cater had lived at the Methodist Home with Jill and Kenneth, and she told investigators to check out a man named Munir Deeb. Simons knew Deeb. He was a 23 year old immigrant from Jordan who walked with a limp and went by the nickname Lucky. He owned a convenience store across from the Methodist Home, and according to Lisa, he got really angry if anyone even mentioned Kenneth's name. Simons looked into Lisa's allegations and he thought she might be onto something. It turned out that Kenneth and Deeb had had multiple confrontations. Kenneth was reportedly pretty cruel to Deeb. He shouted obscenities at him, made fun of his limp and called him Abdul, even though that wasn't his name. But the real source of conflict was 16 year old Gale Kelly, the friend who'd introduced Jill and Kenneth at the Methodist Home. It seemed like Deeb had a crush on Gale. He'd even offered her a job at his store just so she'd be around more often. She took it, and the two didn't spend a lot of time together. But there was one thing about Gale that didn't sit well with Deeb. The fact that she was friends with Kenneth. It's not clear if Deeb thought there was something romantic going on between them or if Deeb simply disliked Kenneth. Simons decided to talk to Gale and see what she thought. He called her down to the station for an interview. But just as they were getting into it, Simon stopped and stared at her. He asked if anyone had told her that she looked a lot like Jill. Gail said that yes, she got that a lot. People actually thought they were sisters. Simons made a note of her response, then carried on with the interview. After he was finished, he gave Gail his card and said that if she remembered anything else, she should give him a call. That night she did. At 1am, Gail called Simons in a panic. Before Simons could say anything, she shouted, he did it. Once she calmed down, Gail explained that earlier that evening, Deeb had taken her and a friend to a movie. Afterward, he confessed that he'd killed Kenneth, Jill and Raelyn. He quickly followed up by saying he was joking. But Gail didn't buy it. At that point, she became convinced she was in the presence of a murderer. After hearing her story, Simons agreed. Later that morning, he called the police chief. He told him everything and said he wanted to bring Deeb in for questioning. However, because Simons thought he was a flight risk, he wanted to arrest Deeb, too. The chief signed off on the decision. Later that day, Simons arrested Munir Deeb for murder. Down at the station, Deeb swore he was innocent. Even so, Simons didn't let up. He continued to interrogate Deeb, convinced the man would buckle and confess at any point. Simons revealed that several witnesses had told him Deeb was laughing about the murders. Apparently, he even said he was glad Kenneth was dead. And there was another detail that made Simon suspicious. The original tipster, 17 year old Lisa Kater, had mentioned that Deeb was friends with a biker known as Chilli, whose real name was David Spencer. Lisa had no way of knowing it, but Spence had recently been arrested. He and his friend Gilbert Melendez were accused of cutting a teenage boy on the leg and forcing him to perform oral sex on Melendez. To Simons, it seemed like there was a connection. He didn't have any hard evidence to link the men, but he trusted his gut. Sitting across from Deeb, he didn't let on that his evidence was circumstantial at best. He just kept peppering Deeb with questions. Things like, did he know a guy named David Spence? Did they spend time together? Deeb admitted that yes. Spence often hung out at his convenience store. When it came to the murders, though, Deeb stood strong. He continued to deny any involvement. Still, Simons was certain he'd crack. And so, while Deeb remained in custody, Simons went looking for any additional evidence to pin the crime on him. Before long, he found what he was looking for. It turned out just two weeks before the murders, Deeb was, on behalf of the convenience store, had taken out an accident insurance policy on Gail Kelly. In the event of Gail's death, the insurance company would pay DEEB $20,000. It was incredibly odd for a convenience store to have a policy like that on an employee like Gail. In order for the insurance company to sign off, Deeb would have had to prove that he had an insurable interest in her life. Typically, this would only apply to key employees like managers. As far as we can tell, Gael was simply a cashier. Even stranger, Deeb had listed himself as Gail's common law husband. It's not clear how Deeb was able to do this. Texas law indicated that Gale would have had to consent to the designation as well as to the policy itself. Based on everything we know, Gail wasn't even aware the policy existed. For Simons, the legality of the policy was less important than what it represented. He saw it as clear evidence that Deeb had a financial motive to want Gale dead. And so Simons came up with a new theory for the case, which he shared with Jill's family. He believed that Deeb had hired some guys to kill Gale, but the hitmen had mistakenly identified Jill as Gale. Remember, the two girls looked nearly identical, and so they killed Jill instead. Raelyn and Kenneth were simply collateral damage. Deeb strongly denied that theory, too. He begged to take a polygraph test to prove his innocence. Finally, Simons agreed and Deeb was given the test. After three hours, the person administering it delivered a very clear opinion. At no point during the entire testing had Deeb lied. Simons couldn't believe it. He had been positive Deeb was his guy. He went into his office and slid to the floor. He'd made a promise to Jill, Kenneth and Raelyn that he would solve the case. He wouldn't let them down. He was still convinced that Deeb was involved. He just needed to prove it. That was when Simons came up with a wild plan. He would quit the police force and get a job as a jailer, specifically at the county jail where David Spence was being held. Simons was positive that if he could get Spence to start talking, he'd finally solve the Lake Waco murders. He didn't care if everyone else thought he was crazy. Simons was willing to do anything to crack the case, even if that meant jumping headfirst into the lion's den. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories. Come back next time for part two on the Lake Waco murders and all the people it affected. True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media Crime House on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free and instead of having to wait for each episode of a two part series, you'll get access to both at once plus exciting bonus content. We'll be back on Thursday. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzofsky, Lori Marinelli, Stacy Warren Kerr Sarah Camp, Alex Burns, Beth Johnson and Russell Nash. Thank you for joining us. Crimes of is a weekly series that explores a new theme each season, starting with the crimes that inspired Hollywood' iconic horror villains. Follow Crimes of wherever you get your podcasts or find them on YouTube at Crime House Studios. New episodes out every Tuesday.