The Texas Killing Fields: Audrey Cook and Donna Prudhomme

Before a 25-acre site near I-45 became a breeding ground for unsolved mysteries in League City, Texas, this broader region of this segment of Texas was known for its small towns and ranches. But with increased development in Houston and Galveston, the population boomed, radically transforming the fifty mile stretch between the two cities. With this boom, came an increase in crimes against women.

Heide Fye, 25, had been living at home with her family when she decided to hitchhike from League City to Houston. When she hadn’t arrived by the next day, her family realized that she was missing. Her father relentlessly searched for her, but, ultimately, her body was found in 1984 in a mostly abandoned oil field off Calder Road in League City, Texas. Based on her broken ribs, it was believed that she was beaten to death.

In 1984, Laura Miller went missing. She had gone to a payphone to call her boyfriend and never returned home. Though her father asked for the field where Heide Fye was found be searched, police discouraged this. On February 2, 1986, her body was found not far from where Heide’s body had been recovered. Not far from Laura were the remains of another woman who police were unable to identify. She was called Jane Doe and the area the three were found became known as The Killing Fields.

In 1991, the body of another woman was found not far from where Heide, Laura, and Jane Doe were found. Yet again unable to identify her, police gave her the moniker Janet Doe.

Finally, in 2019, League City Police were encouraged to use investigative genetic genealogy. They discovered that Jane Doe was Audrey Lee Cook, 30, from Memphis, TN. Audrey had been living in the Houston area since the mid-1970s working often as a mechanic. Her family last heard from her in late 1985.

Janet Doe was identified as Donna Gonsoulin Prudhomme, originally of Port Arthur, Texas. Donna had left an abusive marriage and moved to Austin. Once there, she struggled with substance abuse and brought her two sons to a family member until she could get her life on track. Moving to the Houston area was part of this process for her.

There have been a long list of suspects in these killings with some believing all three were murdered by the same person and some believing the murders were done by more than one person. Some of the frequently discussed suspects include R, a retired NASA scientist who owned a ranch next to the Killing Fields, M, a man who worked for R and claims to have killed Donna/Janet, and C, who was convicted of the 1985 murder of a woman named Ellen Beason in League City.

At the time of airing, all four murders are currently unsolved.

People and Cases Mentioned in this Episode:

Heide/Heidi Fye (unsolved murder case)
Laura Miller (unsolved murder case)
Audrey Lee Cook (unsolved murder case)
Donna Gonsoulin Prudhomme (unsolved murder case)
Ellen Beason (solved murder case)

Guest reader

Briana Evigan

Passionate about using her voice for good, actor Briana Evigan has been on a quest to give a voice to the voiceless, shine a light on darkness and create a positive impact.

She co-founded MoveMe Studio, a woman-led production company creating inspiring media that compels action. MoveMe is re-imagining the way media is produced and how audiences engage. One way they do this is by sharing the net profits in a meaningful way with the people, communities, and regions where the media is created. MoveMe productions share the stories of those who are often overlooked. They create impact campaigns and bring solutions that can build lasting change for millions, both human and animals alike.

Briana has a successful career in film, TV, music, and dance. Her first foray into Hollywood was everyone’s favourite dance film Step Up 2: The Streets. She then came back for the reinstalment to close out the multi-million dollar franchise Step Up 5: All In. She also played starring roles in several other films for Netflix, Lionsgate, Summit entertainment and Disney IMBD.

Her TV career includes starring in Season 2, From Dusk Till Dawn for Robert Rodriguez and Quinten Tarantino, Jerry Bruckheimer’s Trooper and TNT’s acclaimed drama Longmire. She’s been called a scream queen and an indie darling, starring in ToY and Love Is All You Need, where she received Best Actor accolades. A few other credits include She Loves Me Not, starring Cary Elwes, and Rites of Passage, starring Wes Bentley and Christian Slater.

Enjoying her new life between Zimbabwe and South Africa making a meaningful impact, her commitment to animal welfare has put her on the front lines, fighting the animal trade, protecting Africa’s land and the people that live on it.

Through MoveMe Studio Briana and her business partner Stewart Newton have created an NGO called Abundant Village, addressing the biggest challenges facing under-resourced communities around the world. They have also teamed up with Akashinga, the all-female, anti-poaching rangers of more than 300 highly trained women, to bring a resource-rich set of sustainable solutions providing water, food, and energy security, education, housing, health care, and job opportunities to their local communities. Each village will be run locally and generate enough income to cover its annual expenses. The goal is to support hundreds of villages around the world over the next decade.

Briana’s innate sense of duty compelled her to be a part of the solution to the challenges faced by people and the planet; to find a way to bring the resources and networks of the entertainment industry to the world. She has a deep passion for educating the youth and speaking at universities to uplift the human spirit. She has led countless campaigns, fundraisers, and mission trips, all of which have affirmed Briana’s allegiance to animal advocacy, ultimately positioning her as a global voice of authority in this space.

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Episode 22: The Texas Killing Fields: Audrey Cook and Donna Prudhomme

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The Texas Killing Fields: Audrey Cook and Donna Prudhomme

Guest reader

Briana Evigan

Contact

Contact

Sources

Episode 22: The Texas Killing Fields: Audrey Cook and Donna Prudhomme

The Texas Killing Fields: Audrey Cook and Donna Prudhomme

Guest reader

Briana Evigan

Contact

Contact

Sources

Episode 22: The Texas Killing Fields: Audrey Cook and Donna Prudhomme

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