Lubbock Cold Case Classmates Featured In Texas True Crime Podcast

In 1975, two women who had recently graduated from Lubbock's Coronado High School were both murdered mere months apart. Neither have seen any justice in over 45 years.

The women had so much in common, but very different, albeit grizzly, deaths. Although there is no formal connection between the cases, one cannot help but wonder at the parallels between the two women.

Vickie June Stokes and Deborah Sue Williamson both married Vietnam veterans. They went to school together and certainly at least knew of each other. Both were laid to rest at Resthaven Cemetery. They were both young, pretty and had their cases mishandled in astounding ways.

Stokes was found badly decomposed near a bloody mattress and sheets wearing only men's purple socks. Her husband had failed to report her missing and refused to attend any inquests into her death, instead of checking himself into VA hospitals.

Her cause of death was ruled "strychnine poisoning" in spite of a head wound and missing, "knocked out" teeth. Certainly, the five grams the toxicologist found would have been more than enough to kill her instantly, it hardly accounts for where she was found (a cellar) and in what manner she was found. Certainly, she was poisoned, but someone did that to her and took out their aggression on her body after, if not before, the poisoning.

One is left astounded that her husband wasn't scrutinized further, as he admitted they had argued and hadn't cared to let anyone know she was missing.

Stokes' classmate Deborah Sue Williamson's murder would become an extremely important case in exposing the chicanery of glory-hound officials handling the "confessions" of Henry Lee Lucas. Her's was not the methodical, impersonal murder of a serial killer. She was almost certainly murdered by someone she knew, stabbed an "overkill" amount of times with personal mementos stolen, including her wedding album.

Any savvy investigator would assume a personal vendetta against this poor girl. However, various departments of law enforcement trod all over the Williamson crime scene, mostly ruining it from the get-go. She was found with hair in her hand and blood under her nails. Does this evidence still exist? If it does, I believe there are many answers to be found there.

Recently, a Texas true-crime podcast "Gone Cold" did a deep dive into these twin cases. I recommend you give it a listen if you want to know more about these crimes. Both women deserve justice, even if it's been a few decades since their death. Of course, if you happen to be that person who knows something because someone certainly did, you should contact the Lubbock Police Department to give these families closure.