Murder of Heather Rich

The murder of Heather Rich is an American child murder case dating from October 1996 in which a 16-year-old high school student from Waurika, Oklahoma, was sexually assaulted, raped, then shot to death before her body was thrown into a creek in Montague County, Texas.

Murder of Heather Rich
Heather Rose Rich c. 1996
DateOctober 3, 1996 (1996-10-03)
LocationBelknap Creek, Montague County, Texas
33.84726°N 97.84465°W / 33.84726; -97.84465 (approximate)
CauseShotgun wounds to head and back. Homicide[1]
MotiveSexual assault
Rape
BurialFletcher Cemetery, Comanche County, Oklahoma[1]
Convicted
  1. Curtis Allen Gambill
  2. Joshua Luke Bagwell
  3. Randy Lee Wood
Convictions
  1. Conspiracy to commit capital murder
  2. Capital murder and conspiracy to commit capital murder
  3. Capital murder
Sentence
  1. Life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 30 years
  2. Life imprisonment without parole plus 99 years
  3. Life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 40 years

Three teenagers (two of whom had been known to Heather) were arrested two weeks after the discovery of her body; each of the three would later be tried and subsequently convicted of Heather's murder. One of the perpetrators would be sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment with no possibility of parole; a second individual would be sentenced to a term of life imprisonment plus 99 years for conspiracy to commit murder, while the third individual was sentenced to life imprisonment with possibility of parole after 40 years.

Conflicting testimony delivered at two of the perpetrators' separate trials leads to ongoing speculation as to which of the trio actually shot and killed Heather.

Early life

Heather Rose Rich (January 19, 1980 – October 3, 1996) was the third of four children and only daughter born to Gail and Duane Rich.[1]

Heather was an avid horse rider and a talented musician, and has been described by her family as "a naive girl with a big heart." She was an academically successful sophomore who was popular with her peers at Waurika High School.[1]

According to one of her friends, despite her façade of ebullience, Heather was a "very troubled" teenager,[2] and she began to exhibit troublesome behavior both at home and at school in the late summer and early fall of 1996. Her classmate and former boyfriend, 17-year-old Randy Wood, would state this emotional behavior largely stemmed from Heather's restlessness at the fact Waurika held few amenities to entertain the town's youth.[1][n 1] On September 27, she and another girl had been temporarily suspended from Waurika High School and the Waurika Eagles cheerleading team for their being noticeably drunk upon the sidelines of a school cheerleading performance.[1] The duration of this suspension was just three days, and she was expecting to be a potential candidate to be the sophomore class homecoming queen of Waurika High School on October 11.[3]

October 2, 1996

At approximately 11 p.m. on the evening of October 2, 1996, Heather left her home without her parents' knowledge to meet a 17-year-old Waurika High School senior named Joshua Bagwell in a trailer parked at the rear of the home of Bagwell's grandfather.[4] Bagwell had already been drinking heavily with his friends, 19-year-old Curtis Gambill and Heather's former boyfriend, Randy Wood. One of the trio had earlier telephoned Heather to suggest she join them at Bagwell's trailer that evening.[5] Shortly after Heather arrived at the trailer, both Wood and Gambill left Heather and Bagwell alone for approximately one hour, believing that as this was their first date, the two wished to be left alone. When Wood and Gambill returned to the trailer approximately one hour later, both Bagwell and Heather were naked, and a bottle of gin had been half consumed. Heather was extremely drunk, later being described as largely insensible;[6] Bagwell would later claim the two had engaged in consensual sex. According to Wood's later trial testimony, the three youths, themselves intoxicated, began goading each other to sexually assault Heather while she was naked and largely insensible.[7]

Wood then proceeded to sexually assault Heather (digitally penetrating her) before Gambill himself engaged in unconsensual sex with the semi-conscious girl. Shortly after Gambill had engaged in sex with Heather, she partially roused out of her semi-conscious state and began moaning, screaming and crying.[8]

Murder

Reportedly fearing the girl would later accuse the trio of rape,[9] Gambill then decided to kill Heather and, with a measure of force, successfully persuaded Bagwell and Wood to assist him in the commission of this act.[10] According to Wood, Gambill pointed his shotgun at him and ordered him to dress Heather before he and Bagwell carried her into Bagwell's grandfather's pickup truck.[11] Bagwell then began to drive in a seemingly aimless manner around southern Oklahoma for in excess of an hour as Gambill repeatedly exclaimed they would have to kill her before driving to desolate property his grandparents owned as a potential murder location. Gambill vetoed Bagwell's choice of a murder location, stating this location could easily be traced to the trio. Gambill then chose to drive the truck; driving towards a cement bridge upon a rural road in Belknap Creek, Texas.[8]

At this location, Gambill retrieved his shotgun from the vehicle as he ordered Bagwell and Wood to "get her out and put her on the side (of the road)." Bagwell and Wood then carried Heather towards the bridge, where Gambill proceeded to shoot her several times in the head and torso with the shotgun as she lay upon the ground.[12] Wood would later claim that he had sat inside the pickup truck as Gambill approached Heather with the shotgun in his hand; he had then covered his face with his hands before hearing "the first shot ... then I heard a bunch more."[n 2] He then climbed from the truck to observe Gambill appearing "dazed at what he'd done." Joshua Bagwell then took one of Heather's shoelaces and used this item to secure a rock to weight her body.[13]

Heather's body was then thrown over the guard rail into the creek below before the trio attempted to conceal the extensive bloodstains at the precise murder scene by kicking and throwing soil across the ground.[8]

Discovering that their daughter's bed had not been slept in and that all her possessions were untouched, yet that her bedroom window was open, Gail and Duane Rich reported Heather missing to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department the following day.[14] Despite the fact Heather had not taken any of her personal possessions with her,[3] when police learned from Gail that Heather had recently argued with her mother over a $300 phone bill for which she (Heather) had largely been responsible for the accrual, investigators initially assumed Heather had likely temporarily ran away from her household to stay with friends, and would likely return home within hours. Aghast, Gail responded: "When your daughter is missing, you can stay at home!" She and her family then began making their own inquiries around Waurika for information as to Heather's whereabouts.[14] They would subsequently hire a private investigator to assist in the search for their daughter.[15]

Autopsy

Heather's body was discovered partially submerged in the Red River by a rancher and his daughter on October 10.[n 3] Due to a combination of decomposition and the sheer number of shotgun wounds she had received, including the fact she had been shot once in the back of the head, her face and body were largely unrecognizable. Thus initially, her body was tentatively identified by her father via his recognizing a gold signet ring Heather had received as a present for her 16th birthday. Her body would later be officially identified via dental records.[16][n 4]

The autopsy of Heather's body revealed she had been shot nine times with an M-9 Winchester shotgun, with pellets from the buckshot rounds fired also hitting her body in several locations. One of these shots had been fired into the back of her head, with the remaining eight rounds being fired into her lower back, waist, pelvis and buttocks. In conjunction with the pattern of the bloodstains discovered at the preliminary crime scene, the trajectory of the shotgun wounds indicated Heather had most likely been shot as she lay face down, with her death being almost instantaneous.[17]

Funeral

The funeral of Heather Rich was conducted on Monday, October 14, 1996 at the Praise Assembly of God Church in Comanche County.[3] She was laid to rest in Fletcher Cemetery. As her murderer or murderers had neither been apprehended or convicted at the time of the service and with her family strongly suspecting her murderer(s) had not been strangers to her, Heather's family forbade any individual outside her immediate family from touching her coffin throughout the service, with her mother stating that prior to the service, she had promised her only daughter that "whoever did this to her would never touch her again."[1]

Perpetrators

Curtis Allen Gambill

Curtis Gambill was a high-school dropout. He was born on February 24, 1977, and at the time of Heather's murder, he was living with his 64-year-old grandmother in Terral, Oklahoma. Gambill was known to possess a short temper, and to exhibit sadistic features, being known to have regularly forced boys to fight each other in his presence upon the threat that if they did not do so, they would otherwise have to fight him.[18] He had previously escaped from every youth detention center in which he had been incarcerated, and had been briefly committed to a psychiatric hospital at age 17. In addition, he had been convicted of feloniously carrying a firearm in February 1996; receiving a five-year suspended sentence.[n 5]

In the week prior to Heather's disappearance, Gambill was notably depressed due to his best friend, 20-year-old Dennis Goss, having committed suicide on September 25. Just days prior to October 2, he and his close friend, Joshua Bagwell, had attended Goss's funeral.[18]

Joshua Luke Bagwell

Joshua Bagwell was born on December 21, 1978. His parents were among the wealthiest landowners in southern Oklahoma, although as his parents' employment led them to be largely absent from home, he had lived with his grandparents since the age of 16.[19] Bagwell was a senior at Waurika High School, and by October 1996, had been the recipient of six new cars. He was variously described as being a snobbish and pampered youth, although he was considered somewhat of an outcast among his peers.[20] He and Gambill had formed a mutual friendship, in part due to their shared interests in firearms, drinking, camping, and fishing. Occasionally, the pair traveled to the environs of Belknap Creek for camping and fishing trips.[21]

Undisciplined at home, Bagwell had once been arrested for driving while intoxicated, and had demanded a lawyer while resisting arrest. Both Randy Wood and Heather Rich had been impressed by Bagwell's affluent means; the latter commenting on more than one occasion that she had flirted with Bagwell until she had secured a seat in his white Dodge Stealth for the forthcoming Waurika homecoming parade. On the night of October 2, Heather had sneaked from her parents' home to meet Bagwell for what was supposed to be their first date.[15]

Randy Lee Wood

Randy Wood was born on July 7, 1979. He and his single-parent mother had frequently relocated throughout Oklahoma during his childhood—frequently resulting in him having to attend numerous different schools. By 1996, Wood lived with his mother in a largely dilapidated house, and his family was known as one of the poorest in Waurika.[16]

Wood began smoking cannabis in the third grade, often stealing the money or the narcotic itself from his mother. Despite his personal disadvantages, Wood endeavored to better himself among his peers, and by 1996, was the captain of the Waurika High School football team, having earned the respect of the entire team. He and Heather had dated for approximately five months, during which they had regularly attended church together and conversed on the phone, although their relationship, despite being an intimate one, had never resulted in sexual intercourse, and the two were frequently mistaken as simply being friends. Having heard a rumor Heather had skinny-dipped at a party, Wood chose to end their relationship, although the two remained close friends.[16]

One week after Heather's body was found at Belknap Creek, Randy Wood was crowned homecoming king of Waurika High School.[22]

Investigation and arrests

A total of 14 investigators were assigned to investigate Heather's murder. The investigation was assisted by the FBI in the event federal kidnapping charges could be brought against the perpetrator or perpetrators should Heather have been transported across state lines against her will.[23]

Initially encountering a wall of silence from much of Waurika's youth as to Heather's potential whereabouts, by the second week of the inquiry, investigators focused more closely on a potential lead provided by Heather's best friend on the cheerleading squad that Heather may have left her home to attend a party at the home of a classmate of theirs named Joshua Luke Bagwell. Upon informal questioning, Bagwell initially claimed he and a friend of his named Randy Wood (both of whom had earlier been questioned by Gail Rich as to her daughter's whereabouts) had not seen Heather on October 2 as they had been playing dominoes and drinking whisky and beer in his trailer until approximately 6:00 a.m. the following day. Wood would corroborate this statement.[24]

Having discovered that the buckshot rounds fired from the Winchester shotgun which killed Heather were of a distinct brand, investigators soon learned that only one store in Waurika had stocked this brand. Conversing with the owners of the store, these investigators discovered that just days prior to the murder, 20 rounds had been purchased by one Joshua Bagwell. The owner of this store was also able to positively identify Bagwell from an assembled police lineup.[20] Furthermore, an employee of this store was adamant that at the time Bagwell had made this purchase, he had been in the company of another young male.[20]

Further discovering that Bagwell had spent much of his time in recent months in the company of a 19-year-old high school dropout named Curtis Allen Gambill, and had regularly hunted in his company,[19] Curtis Gambill was arrested on October 24. He was questioned for a total of eight hours, and agreed to submit to a polygraph test pertaining to his potential culpability in Heather's murder. Gambill failed this polygraph test, and subsequently agreed to allow investigators to subject the shotgun he owned to ballistic fingerprinting to determine whether this firearm had been used to murder Heather Rich.[25][n 6]

Discovering the results of the ballistic analysis of his shotgun indicated the firearm had been the one used to murder Heather Rich, and that the weapon was capable of firing nine rounds before requiring reloading, Gambill confessed to being a participant in Heather's murder, also naming Bagwell and Heather's former boyfriend, Randy Lee Wood, as participants in the murder. According to Gambill, Wood had been the instigator of the crime, and the actual murderer, with himself and Bagwell acting upon his (Wood's) instructions. Wood's actual motive, Gambill claimed, had been sexual jealousy due to the fact Heather had engaged in sex with Bagwell and not himself.[26]

Bagwell and Wood were also arrested on October 24. Bagwell refused to admit any culpability in Heather's murder; invoking his right to silence and refusing to submit to a polygraph test. Shortly thereafter, his family hired a team of high-profile lawyers to defend him.[27] By contrast, Randy Wood willingly agreed to provide a written statement in which he confessed to his being a participant in the murder, although he was adamant Curtis Gambill had been the instigator of the entire crime, and the individual who had shot and killed Heather, adding that Joshua Bagwell had been a knowing and willing participant. Wood further claimed not to have actually believed Gambill was serious in his vocal intentions to murder Heather until Gambill had parked the pickup upon the Belknap Creek bridge. He also agreed to submit to a polygraph test to verify his version of events—the results of which fully corroborated his written statement.[27]

Initially, all three individuals were charged with the kidnapping of Heather and denied bail in Oklahoma.[25] All would subsequently be formally charged with first-degree murder in Montague County, Texas on October 25.[28]

The trials of all three defendants were held in Texas. Owing to the law of Texas, all three individuals were tried as adults.[29]

Trials

Gambill

Curtis Gambill was brought to trial on October 15, 1997. He was tried in Fort Worth.[10] Shortly after his trial had begun, Gambill accepted a plea bargain offered by Montague County district attorney Tim Cole, whereby he agreed to plead guilty to Heather's murder—admitting to being the individual who had physically taken her life—in exchange for the prosecution agreeing not to seek the death penalty.[30] He was found guilty and sentenced to a term of life imprisonment with a potential possibility of parole after 30 years.[31] As part of his plea bargain, Gambill also agreed to testify against Bagwell at his upcoming trial.[12][n 7]

Montague County courthouse. Both Bagwell and Wood were tried at this location in 1998.

Bagwell

Joshua Bagwell was brought to trial in February 1998. Prior to and at his trial, he refused to admit any culpability in her murder; claiming that his intercourse with Heather after Gambill and Wood had initially left the two alone in his trailer had been consensual;[32] that he had later left his trailer prior to Gambill and Wood actually discussing killing Heather; and that he had ultimately believed the trio were simply driving Heather around in an effort to sober her up before returning her home. Furthermore, he stated that he was unaware of any actual plan to murder her.[29]

At Bagwell's trial, Gambill reneged upon his own previous agreement with prosecutors; changing his story and reverting to his initial claims upon arrest.[25] This testimony largely suited the portrayal of Bagwell by the defense; minimizing Bagwell's role in the murder and corroborating his own claims that Wood had committed Heather's murder.[32]

Randy Wood had initially accepted a similar plea bargain to that previously offered to Gambill in exchange for his testimony at Bagwell's then-forthcoming trial. However, the evening before he was due to give evidence, Wood—against the vehement advice of his defense attorney—changed his mind and rejected the plea bargain, insisting he wished to testify against Bagwell without any preconditions despite being informed by his lawyer that he risked either a longer prison sentence or a potential death penalty if convicted.[10]

On the third day of testimony, Wood testified under oath that Gambill had largely orchestrated the murder, had shot and killed Heather, and that Bagwell had been a full, knowing participant in the act.[10][n 8]

The day after Wood delivered his testimony, Bagwell testified before the jury. He insisted he had not been present in his trailer when Wood and Gambill had discussed murdering Heather, and blamed Wood for her actual shooting.[27] Bagwell added his conjecture that Wood's motivation for this act had been that he had been angry at Heather for earlier refusing to engage in intercourse with him (Wood). Bagwell finally claimed not to have been physically close to the actual crime scene at the time Heather had actually been murdered, but had walked away to urinate.[36] He solely admitted to a limited role in refusing to disclose acknowledgement of the murder after the event.[4] Despite this testimony, when questioned as to his witnessing the actual shooting of Heather Rich, Bagwell contradicted himself in his reply, claiming he had witnessed "Curtis—sorry I mean Randy—lowering the gun."[13]

Joshua Bagwell was convicted of capital murder on February 14, 1998 and sentenced to a term of life imprisonment.[29] He was sentenced to a mandatory life term.[4] He would later be sentenced to an additional sentence of 99 years for conspiracy to commit capital murder on February 17.[37]

"There's not a day that goes by that I don’t think about her. Heather is the first thing I think of in the morning, and the last thing at night ... I punish myself worse than anything in this prison ever could."

Randy Lee Wood, reflecting on his memories of Heather Rose Rich and his actions on the night of her murder. July 2002.[1]

Wood

Randy Wood was tried for capital murder later in 1998. Against the advice of his attorney, Pat Morris, Wood declined another plea bargain offered prior to his trial; choosing to plead not guilty to Heather's murder, stating that although he was aware of the law of Texas, he had neither intended for Heather to be killed, and that he had not physically taken her life himself.[7][n 9]

Wood was found guilty of capital murder on August 25, 1998. As the State did not seek the death penalty in his trial, he was automatically sentenced to life imprisonment. Wood will first become eligible for parole in 2036.[7][38]

Aftermath
  • Randy Wood requested to meet with Heather's parents prior to his own trial, to explain his actions on the night of their daughter's murder, the moral and legal reasoning behind his course of action regarding his testimony at the trial of Joshua Bagwell, and the legal vulnerability this had subjected himself to. Heather's parents agreed to this endeavor.[39] In an televised interview, Wood stressed his regret regarding his actions in the early morning hours of October 3, 1996. Having asked for their forgiveness but stating upfront he did not expect to receive it, Gail Rich responded by stating she and her husband had forgiven him for the hurt he had caused them, but they could not forgive him for his role in their daughter's murder, adding, "Only Heather can do that."[40]
  • In 1999, Wood filed an appeal against his conviction with the Second Court of Appeals of Texas. In this appeal, he did not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence presented at his trial, but contended that his attorney had been ineffective in his service; failing to request an initial instruction upon the potential lesser-included offense of murder, an erroneous introduction of the guilty or innocence plea phase of his trial, and his attorney's failing to raise objection at this stage. This appeal was overruled on October 14, 1999.[41]
  • Joshua Bagwell also appealed his sentencing; his appeal was filed with the Second Court of Appeals of Texas in November 2000, arguing that because Heather had been unconscious when taken to the Belknap Creek bridge, she could not move, and if unable to move, she therefore had no movements to restrain, and restraint of the victim is an integral component of kidnapping. As such, Bagwell contended, because the Texas Penal Code defines capital murder as "a level of murder that requires a kidnapping component", he could not be guilty of the level of murder for which he was convicted. This appeal was rejected on January 31, 2001.[42]
  • In January 2002, Curtis Gambill and Joshua Bagwell were transferred from state prison to the Montague County jail in order that Gambill could be additionally tried for conspiracy to commit murder.[43] On January 16, he (Gambill) was additionally convicted and sentenced to a second, cumulative, term of life imprisonment.[44] He had earlier waived his legal right to a trial by jury.[45]
  • Curtis Gambill, Joshua Bagwell and two other inmates briefly escaped from the Montague County Jail in which all four were held in January 2002.[46] All four escapees were arrested nine days later in Ardmore, Oklahoma.[1] The four individuals had held a member of public hostage at an Oklahoma gas station, but surrendered to authorities after several hours.[47][48]
  • In 2009, a cousin of Randy Wood named Denise Horner initiated a campaign for a commutation of Wood's potential life sentencing. This campaign was endorsed and supported by the prosecutor at Wood's trial, Tim Cole, who was reportedly regretful that he had not tried Wood for the lesser charge of conspiracy to commit murder.[7] Nonetheless, when Cole approached Montague County district attorney in 2010, he was reluctant to consider the proposal. He would later confirm his decision to Denise Horner in 2011, stating that following his consultations with the Sheriff and District Judge, it had been "my understanding from them that they are also unwilling to recommend a reduction of sentence."[7]
  • In 2016, Randy Wood married a woman from New Zealand. The two had initially corresponded as friends, although they gradually formed a relationship after she traveled to Texas to meet him face-to-face. This woman—who wishes to remain anonymous—moved to Texas in 2018 in order to be closer to Wood. One of the motivations for her decision to relocate to Texas is her commitment to campaign for those under the age of 18 not to be tried as adults within the state. Although Wood's wife has stated that she hopes he will be released long before his initial parole eligibility date, she has stated she is committed to remain with him.[49]
  • All three perpetrators of Heather's murder remain incarcerated and all serve their sentences in different Texas prisons. Curtis Gambill is currently incarcerated at the John M. Wynne Unit in northern Huntsville; Joshua Bagwell is incarcerated at the Barry Telford Unit in New Boston;[50] and Randy Wood is incarcerated at the James V. Allred Unit in Wichita Falls.[51]

Media

Literature
  • Colloff, Pamela (2007). Texas True Crime: From the Editors of Texas Monthly. Austin: University of Texas Press. pp. 172–179. ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9.
  • Colloff, Pamela (2014). A Question of Mercy. Austin: University of Texas Press. ASIN B00IZ602T0.

Television
  • The American criminal justice series American Justice have broadcast an episode focusing upon the murder of Heather Rich. Commissioned by A&E Network and narrated by Bill Kurtis, this 40-minute documentary, titled A Murder before Homecoming, features interviews with Heather Rich's mother and Randy Wood. The documentary was first broadcast in 2003.[52]

See also

Notes
  1. The total population of Waurika in 1996 was just 1,988 people.
  2. In a 2014 interview Randy Wood granted to the prosecutor at his trial, Tim Cole, he (Wood) remained adamant Heather Rich had been so intoxicated she was unaware of her impending fate, and that by the time they had arrived at Belknap Creek, she had been completely "passed out".[7]
  3. This individual had actually initially spotted Heather's body on October 9, but had initially believed her body to be a drowned calf.[1]
  4. The wounds Heather had received had disfigured her body to such an extreme that her parents were not allowed to make a visual identification of their daughter.[1]
  5. According to one investigator, Curtis Gambill had been the "most violent person" he had ever encountered in his career.[18]
  6. A piece of circumstantial evidence against Gambill revealed by his grandmother on October 24 was that, as a child, she had regularly taken her grandson fishing at the very same bridge where the murder of Heather Rich had taken place.
  7. Montague County District Attorney Tim Cole had initially intended to pursue a death sentence for Gambill, and mandatory sentences of life imprisonment against Bagwell and Wood. With agreement from Heather's parents, he agreed to offer Gambill the plea bargain whereby Gambill agreed to testify against Bagwell in exchange for his agreeing not to seek a death sentence against him at his then-forthcoming trial.
  8. Wood has since been quoted as saying that, although aware of the risk factors by taking this course of action,[33] he had done so both for his own peace of mind, for the benefit of Heather and her family,[10] and also to improve the credibility of his testimony, stating: "I figure I owe it to [Heather] and her parents and her family."[34] He has since stated: "I knew it would make people see I was telling the truth."[35][27]
  9. The fact that Randy had not actually fired the gun did not differentiate the legal viewpoint in Texas Law. Under the Law of Texas, all three teenagers—not just the gunman—were considered equally responsible for Heather's murder.

References
  1. Colloff, Pamela (July 1, 2002). "A bend in the river". Texas Monthly. The Gale Group. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  2. Colloff, Pamela (July 1, 2002). "A Bend in the River" – via www.texasmonthly.com.
  3. "Investigation Continues in Teen's Death". Newsok.com. October 15, 1996. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  4. "Friends Face One Another in Courtroom Climax". Wayback Machine. May 6, 1998. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  5. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 p. 183
  6. "Victim's Mom Dismayed by Texas Jail Escape". ABC News. February 4, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  7. Coloff, Pamela (March 1, 2014). "A Question of Mercy" – via www.texasmonthly.com.
  8. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1998. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  9. "Victim's Mom Dismayed by Texas Jail Escape". ABC News. February 4, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  10. "Teen-Ager Abandons Plea Agreement in Killing of Cheerleader". New York Times online. February 12, 1998. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  11. "Families Face Tragedies of Murder; Ill Feelings During Trial". Galveston Daily News. May 7, 1998. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  12. Cochran, Mike (May 6, 1988). "Friends face one another in courtroom climax". Abilene Reporter-News. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  13. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1998. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  14. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 p. 179
  15. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 p. 180
  16. Time to Kill. pressreader.com July 5, 2018
  17. Colloff, Pamela (July 1, 2002). "A Bend in the River" – via www.texasmonthly.com.
  18. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 p. 184
  19. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". Newsok.com. May 31, 1998. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  20. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 pp. 183-184
  21. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 pp. 184-185
  22. "Convicted Man Denies Murder: Appeal of Verdict Planned". The Oklahoman. August 29, 1998. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  23. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". The Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1998. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  24. Colloff, Pamela (July 1, 2002). "A bend in the river". Texas Monthly. The Gale Group. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  25. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1998. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  26. "Convicted Man Denies Murder: Appeal of Verdict Planned". Newsok.com. August 29, 1998. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  27. Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9 p. 187
  28. "3 Teens Face Charges In Waurika Girl's Death". October 26, 1996. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  29. "Teen convicted of capital murder in 1996 slaying of cheerleader" (PDF). Laredo Morning Times. February 16, 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  30. "Teen Spurns Plea Bargain In Death Case". Newsok.com. February 12, 1998. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  31. "Offender Information Details [Gambill]". Huntsville, Texas: Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  32. Cochran, Mike (May 5, 1998). "A stunning reversal changes the case". May 5, 1998. Texas News. Archived from the original on 2010-11-15. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  33. "Teen-Ager Abandons Plea Agreement in Killing of Cheerleader". The New York Times. February 12, 1998. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  34. "Teen-Ager Abandons Plea Agreement in Killing of Cheerleader". The New York Times. February 12, 1998. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  35. Cochran, Mike. "Trial in girl's death takes turn". Lubbock Avelanche-Journal. pp. May 5, 1998. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  36. "Waurika Man Gets Prison Term Cheerleader Slaying Nets Life Sentence, Too". Newsok.com. February 19, 1998. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  37. "Waurika Man Gets Prison Term Cheerleader Slaying Nets Life Sentence, Too". Newsok.com. February 19, 1998. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  38. "Offender Information Details [Wood]". Huntsville, Texas: Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  39. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1998. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  40. "Tangle of Guilt and Repentance Follows Slaying of Cheerleader". Los Angeles Times. May 31, 1998. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  41. "Court of Appeals of Texas, Fort Worth. Wood v. State". caselaw.findlaw.com. January 5, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  42. "Man Remains In Prison". Duncan Banner. April 27, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  43. "Last 2 Texas Escapees in Custody". CNN.com. February 7, 2002. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  44. Brown, Angela K. "Nationwide search continues for escapees". Amarillo.com. Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  45. "Manhunt for Four Escapees After Texas Jailbreak". Fox News. January 29, 2002. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  46. "Victim's Mom Dismayed by Texas Jail Escape". ABC News. February 4, 2002. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  47. "Killers who Escaped Texas Jail Caught in Oklahoma". Access WDUN. February 7, 2002. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  48. Owen, Penny (February 7, 2002). "Authorities Corner Pair of Escapees". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  49. "Kiwi Wife of US Killer to Campaign for Less-harsh Prison Sentences for Teens". NZ Stuff. August 8, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  50. "Joshua Luke Bagwell: TDCJ Criminal History". Texas Tribune. texastribune.org. December 1, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  51. Texas Department of Criminal Justice: offender search
  52. "A Murder Before Homecoming". IMDB. imdb.com. May 30, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2020.

Cited works and further reading
  • Colloff, Pamela (2007). Texas True Crime: From the Editors of Texas Monthly. Austin: University of Texas Press. pp. 172–179. ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9.
  • Evans, Colin (1996). The Casebook of Forensic Detection: How Science Solved 100 of the World's Most Baffling Crimes. New York City: John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN 0-471-07650-3.
  • Heard, Brian J. (2011). Handbook of Firearms and Ballistics: Examining and Interpreting Forensic Evidence. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN 978-1-119-96477-3.
  • Smith, Evan; Coloff, Pamela (2007). Texas Monthly On... Texas True Crime. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-71675-9.
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