The cold case murder of Megan Curl - Lufkin, Texas - March 26, 2000
On March 26, 2000, around 4AM, the Lufkin, Texas Fire Department received a report that an apartment was on fire. The firefighters quickly managed to extinguish the fire, partly because there was only a fire in the bedroom, but encountered the dead and charred body of a woman tied to the bed. Her throat was slashed to the bone on both sides, and she had a plastic bag over her head that probably suffocated her. It was clear that a gruesome murder had taken place before the fire. The deceased was identified from dental records. It turned out to be 26-year-old Megan Curl.
Megan had grown up as a child in Lufkin, where she was in special education because of a mild disability. She moved to Arkansas when she was 18 years old to start a family there with her new husband. However, she returned to Lufkin after only a few years because her husband turned out to be abusive.
Police Investigation
The police investigating the murder spoke to countless people, including her relatives and friends. They painted a picture of Megan as lonely, extroverted and naive, and an easy target for men with bad intentions because of her appetite for attention. According to her friends, the 26-year-old liked to go out and had also gone to the nightclub on the night of the murder.
The police reconstructed her evening as follows. Megan first visited the nightclub "Electric Cowboy", where she was seen with an unknown man who allegedly bought her some drinks. However, she was removed from the club because according to security she danced too provocatively. She continued her night out with the unknown man in a club called The Sports Shack. A befriended employee finally brought her home around 01:30 am.
Prime suspect
An important witness was her neighbor and also good friend Tonia. She lived in the same apartment complex and saw Megan come home that night. While the two friends were chatting outside, a speeding car suddenly stopped in their vicinity. Because Megan thought it was a friend from the club, she went to the car, after which Tonia went back into her house. Good friend as she was, Tonia knocked on Megan's door around 02:20 a.m. just to be sure. The 26-year-old opened the door and said her friend from the club was inside and everything was fine. Tonia asked if she was really okay to which Megan reassured her that she was and Tonia left for home. It would be the last time she saw her friend alive.
Police commissioned a composite sketch of the man seen in Megan's home the night of the murder. According to them, he was the most likely killer. The man had a white complexion, blond hair and wore a light moustache. He would have been wearing glasses with gold-colored frames. They also commissioned a sketch of the man who had been seen at the club with her and bought her drinks. While not a suspect, he was a potential key witness. He was presumably hispanic with dark hair. He wore a hat. If you think you recognize one or both, please let us know via the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Was the killer an ex-boyfriend?
Wanting to protect themselves from tunnel vision, the police questioned men from Megan's previous relationships. One of the exes was seen as a possible suspect, Tim Purvis. He had a reason to be mad at Megan. She had testified against him in an abuse case, as a result of which his parole was revoked. He was released a week before her murder. However, the police found that he, like the other exes, had a solid alibi. Tim tragically died in 2003 in an accident.
Conclusion
The police believe the killer must have been someone Megan knew. No forced entry was found, and she was found dead in her nightgown. According to her exes, she only wore them in romantic moods. From this it can be cautiously confirmed that she would spend that night with someone. But with who? That question remains unanswered so far. The police say they are almost certain who her killer is, but they have no case due to insufficient evidence.
Tips and Information
Although tips came in over the years, it was not enough to solve the case. The police and Megan's family are waiting for that one golden tip. According to them, the case can be solved with the right information. Do you think you recognize one or both people in the composition sketch? Or do you know something else that could be important? Even if it's just a small detail, let us know now. Don't hesitate and get in touch (anonymously) using the form below.
This goes without the interference of the police, and entirely through our editors. If you would like to remain anonymous, do not enter your name and e-mail address. We ensure that your information ends up in the right place with the appropriate cold case team.
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