Is Netflix’s The Texas Killing Fields a true story? Events series is based on and what happened in League City

Netflix’s latest true crime docuseries from Joe Berlinger investigates four unsolved murders in League City, Texas
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Netflix true crime docuseries Crime Scene is back for its third instalment, investigating the Texas Killing Fields.

Created by Joe Berlinger, who brought us The Times Square Killer and The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, the third instalment will look into the unsolved murders of four Texas women whose bodies where discovered in the 1980s and 1990s.

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Dubbed the Texas Killing Fields, the mysterious 25-acre stretch of land in League City, Texas is responsible for the disappearance of 30 girls and women since the 1970s.

The three episode series will investigate the true stories of four women who went missing and ultimately lost their lives and the devastating impact that had on their loved ones and the surrounding area.

So, is Netflix’s The Texas Killing Fields a true story and did they ever catch the killer? Here’s everything you need to know.

What are the Texas Killing Fields?

The Texas Killing Fields is a large plot of land in League City, Texas where more than 30 girls and women have disappeared or been found dead since the 1970s.

Kevin Petroff in Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (Photo: Netflix)Kevin Petroff in Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (Photo: Netflix)
Kevin Petroff in Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (Photo: Netflix)
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The 25-acre plot got its name after the bodies of four women were discovered there between 1984 and 1991. The marsh land is located just one mile from Interstate Highway 4 and approximately 26 miles southeast of Houston.

Describing the area in the series, investigative journalist Lise Olsen says: “There are a lot of old oil fields and marshes between Houston and Galveston.” Adding: “A lot of those places are still very remote. It was a place where killers could hide bodies pretty easily.”

Is Netflix’s The Texas Killing Fields a true story?

The Texas Killing Fields is a true story. Since the 1970s, more than 30 girls or women have disappeared in the 25-acre plot of land in League City, Texas. The four bodies which have been discovered will be the focus of the Netflix docuseries from documentary maker Berlinger.

The three episode series will investigate the true stories of what could have happened, the women who went missing and ultimately lost their lives and the devastating impact this had on their loved ones and the surrounding area.

Who were the victims?

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The four victim’s bodies were discovered over the course of seven years. Reported by The Washington Post, the first victim, 25-year-old Heide Villareal Fye was found by a dog in 1984. Two years later in 1986, two children riding their dirt bikes uncovered the body of 30-year-old Audrey Lee Cook, who was found with a gunshot wound in her back and several broken ribs, she was not able to be identified until 2019.

After the discovery of Cook, police found the remains of 16-year-old Laura Miller who had been missing for over a year. The last remains of 34-year-old Donna Prudhomme, mother of two, were found by two horseback riders in 1991, but it would take until 2019 for her identity to be revealed.

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields is now available to watch on Netflix (Photo: Netflix)Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields is now available to watch on Netflix (Photo: Netflix)
Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields is now available to watch on Netflix (Photo: Netflix)

Was the killer ever caught?

The killer responsible for the murders has never been caught, all four cases still remain unsolved and open, with hope that renewed interest in the case following the docuseries might help unearth new leads.

Speaking about the case in 2019, Detective Gina Vogel from the League City Police Department told ABC 13: “Everyone talks about ‘The Killing Fields’ and how it stretches along the I-45 corridor. Well, these are our four girls, and they’re important to League City. They’re important to us, so I want to do everything I can to solve this case.”

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As well as the four murders covered in the series, since the 1970s more than 30 girls and women have disappeared or been found dead in the area, with many of those cases also still remaining open and unsolved.

When can I watch The Texas Killing Fields?

All three episodes of the docuseries are now available to watch on Netflix.

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