Kelli Ann Cox, a 20-year-old White female from Farmer’s Branch, Texas, was a student at the University of North Texas studying criminal justice. She was known for her outgoing personality, generosity, and deep love for her young child. On July 15, 1997, Kelli traveled to Denton, Texas, as part of a class trip to visit the local police department. She parked her car across from the station but soon realized she had locked herself out.
Around noon, she called her boyfriend for assistance, asking him to come to Denton to help her get into her vehicle. However, by the time he arrived, Kelli was nowhere to be found. Her car remained in the parking lot, but she had vanished without a trace.
Her sudden disappearance alarmed her family, especially when she failed to pick up her child from the babysitter later that evening. Her mother, realizing something was terribly wrong, contacted the Denton police to report her missing. Despite extensive searches and investigations, authorities were unable to locate the 20-year-old White female or determine what had happened to her. For years, her case remained unsolved, leaving her loved ones desperate for answers.
It wasn’t until 2016 that Kelli’s remains were discovered, nearly two decades after she had gone missing. Due to the level of decomposition, medical examiners were unable to determine the exact cause of death. However, investigators eventually linked her murder to William Lewis Reece, a convicted serial killer. Reece, who was already serving time for violent crimes, was connected to multiple murders, including the deaths of other young women in Texas and Oklahoma. In December 2017, he was indicted in Brazoria County for the capital murder of Kelli Cox. Later, in June 2022, Reece pleaded guilty to her murder along with the killings of two other Texas girls. He was sentenced to life in prison for each offense.
Kelli’s case was one of several cold cases that were finally solved after years of uncertainty. Her family, while devastated by the loss, was at least able to find some closure knowing that her killer had been brought to justice. The tragic fate of the 20-year-old White female serves as a reminder of the dangers that lurk even in seemingly safe environments, and her memory continues to be honored by those who knew and loved her.
