Long-standing Mystery Solved: Father Identified as Suspect in Murders of His Children 40 years Later

 

More than 40 years after a tragic incident where two young siblings were discovered murdered in an Arkansas home, investigators have now pinpointed a suspect through DNA evidence, and it turns out to be their own father.

At a press conference held on October 19, Texarkana Police Chief Michael Kramm revealed that Weldon Alexander is believed to have fatally stabbed his 14-year-old daughter, Karen Alexander, and his 13-year-old son, Gordon Alexander, back in 1981. 

Unfortunately, the suspect passed away in 2014.

In the dreadful incident of April 8, 1981, local authorities found the siblings with stab wounds in their Texarkana home. Gordon was tragically found dead in the kitchen, while Karen was found alive but severely injured on a bed in the living room. The murder weapon, a butter knife, was recovered from the scene.

Karen was taken to a local hospital, where she remained in a coma for three days before succumbing to her injuries. Gordon, at the time of the brutal attack, was reportedly confined to a wheelchair.

An autopsy conducted in 1981 revealed that Karen had been sexually assaulted within 48 to 72 hours before her death, and she had likely endured sexual assault for about six months leading up to her tragic passing, according to the police statement during the press conference.

Investigators noted that there was no sign of forced entry into the home. The children's mother, Vera Alexander, was hospitalized for mental health issues at the time of the murders, and the father, Weldon, was working an overnight shift at Copper Tire and Rubber.

Weldon arrived home from work a little after 7 a.m., noticing that both the screen door and the wooden front door were slightly ajar. He claimed to have found his son deceased in the kitchen and believed his daughter might still be alive in the living room area. Weldon told police that he removed a kitchen knife from Karen's body and placed it on a nearby bookshelf before the arrival of the officers.

For years, detectives examined evidence, interviewed witnesses, and pursued leads. In 1983, Henry Lee Lucas, a notorious serial killer, also known as the "Confession Killer," confessed to the murders but was never charged due to a lack of evidence. The case eventually went cold.

In February 2022, retired Capt. Calvin Seward, who had been a patrol officer at the time of the murders and tasked with identifying persons of interest, reopened the case. Over the next 18 months, Seward meticulously identified, interviewed, and re-interviewed numerous people involved in the original case.

He submitted DNA profiles from individuals linked to the original investigation into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Together with Dr. Todd Steffy, a forensic criminologist, and Kelli Dixon, a DNA scientist at the Arkansas State Crime Lab, they opted to retest evidence due to advancements in DNA technology.

DNA was extracted from the fingernail tissue of both victims for testing. The results revealed a "familial relationship in the DNA" and indicated that Weldon's semen was found on Karen's bedding. Additionally, investigators discovered that Gordon's body had been cold to the touch when officers arrived, suggesting he had been dead for a longer period than initially believed.

Evidence from dried blood on Gordon's hands and Karen's body contained fibers, brass, copper, and zinc, materials consistent with the construction of tires at Copper Tire and Rubber, where their father was employed.

Capt. Seward theorized that Weldon attempted to assault his daughter, and when his son intervened, Weldon attacked both Karen and Gordon.

In a police statement, it was expressed that they hope the friends and remaining family of Gordon and Karen Alexander may find some solace in the knowledge that scientific and circumstantial evidence has come to light, enough to resolve this 42-year-old case.

Miller County Prosecuting Attorney Connie Mitchell affirmed her confidence in Weldon as the sole suspect in the murders, stating that if he were still alive today, she would seek an arrest warrant for two counts of capital murder.

[SOURCE]