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League City police investigators have released the names of two victims found in the 1980s and early ‘90s in an area often referred to as the "Texas Killing Fields."
The skeletal remains of Audrey Lee Cook were discovered near Calder Road on Feb. 2, 1986. For more than 33 years, she was identified only as "Jane Doe."
Donna Prudhomme's remains were found in the same general area on Sep. 8, 1991. She was previously identified as "Janet Doe."
Investigators said they have known the identities for several weeks now and have talked to people who knew the two women.
They hope releasing their names will lead to more people coming forward. League City police Lt. Michael Buffington said there are several persons of interest and they have now been able to narrow down the list.
League City PD about to release identities of 2 victims in the #TexasKillingField murders @HoustonPubMedia pic.twitter.com/xBnsJa35WC
— Florian Martin (@Florian_News887) April 15, 2019
Cold case detectives were able to identify the two women thanks to new technology called DNA phenotyping.
The company Parabon Nanolabs used DNA phenotyping to create digital composite sketches of what the women may have looked like at the time of their deaths.
Investigators were then able to find family members and compare their DNA to that found in the skeletal remains.
Two other women were found in the same area near Calder Road in the mid-1980s: Heidi Fye and Laura Miller. Miller and Cook were found on the same day.
Police suspect that some of the murders have a connection, but they have not established one to this day.
Officials ask that anyone with information call the League City Police Department's cold case tip line at 281-338-8220.