James Marquart, a criminal justice professor at TCU and former president of The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, will share his thoughts on the Kelli Cox case during a talk on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Palko Hall, room 130.
“Pay attention to your surroundings and who you are with,” Marquart said. “Even in crowded settings, keep your antenna up and working.”
He emphasized that young women often unknowingly place themselves in high-risk situations such as jogging alone, walking to their car without checking inside first or adhering to the same routine.
“Increase your situational awareness and change things up,” he said. “Remain on guard constantly and do not place yourself in high-risk situations.”
Marquart stressed the importance of self-defense training and carrying tools like CS gas.
Marquart described William Reece, who abducted and murdered Cox in 1997, as “an opportunist,” who blended in very well like Ted Bundy and Samuel Little.
“He was a predator who hunted vulnerable prey,” Marquart said. “He was a skilled reader of people and looked for victims in distress or alone. Predators like Reece thrive on commotions and operating in plain sight, they get a thrill out of it too.”
Marquart, who holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University and has taught at UNT, Lamar University and the University of Texas at Dallas, used decades of research into criminal behavior and victimization to write “Victim Impact: From Cold Case to Conviction in the William Reese Case.” He spent about a year on the book, researching Kelli’s case, reviewing accounts, personal details and interviewing detectives and Kelli’s mother, Jan.
Kelli Cox was a new mom and college student at UNT in 1997 when she disappeared.
“Kelli was abducted in broad daylight at the noon hour at a very crowded convenience store a block away from the Denton Police Department, and no one saw anything,” Marquart said. Her remains weren’t found until April 2016. “Reece was sentenced in 2022. He is back now in Oklahoma awaiting execution.”
Marquart’s work highlights that safety isn’t just about fear but about preparation, vigilance and understanding behavior. College-aged women can learn from Cox’s story and the research from Marquart to make informed decisions about their personal safety.
The Feb. 7 talk will cover the crime in detail and explore Jan Cox’s decades-long fight for justice. Students are encouraged to attend for a rare opportunity to hear from a leading expert on criminal behavior and victim advocacy.