Julianna Washburn/Houston Public Media
A large law enforcement presence arrived at the home of James Elmore in Bacliff as two search warrants were served on April 16, 2026.
Authorities searched for possible human remains while serving two search warrants Thursday morning at the Bacliff home of James Elmore, who was recently charged with crimes related to the decades-old Texas Killing Fields case.
Elmore, 61, was arrested late last month and faces charges of manslaughter and tampering with evidence in the deaths of two women south of Houston in the 1980s. Prosecutors allege Elmore didn’t act alone, but worked alongside Clyde Hedrick, who died March 21 in a Houston hospital before potential charges against him were brought before a grand jury. Galveston County District Attorney Kenneth Cusick alleges that Hedrick, long considered a suspect in the deaths of multiple women, took his own life by removing his breathing tube.
According to documents from the Galveston County DA’s office, one warrant executed Thursday called for the search for possible human remains on Elmore’s property. The other warrant looks for evidence of child pornography on Elmore’s devices.
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“This is a continuation of the charges several weeks ago with Mr. Elmore which involved the manslaughter of Laura Miller, also the two charges for evidence tampering for the disposal of her body and also of Audrey Cook,” Cusick said during a brief news conference Thursday morning.
The four women found in the “Texas Killing Fields” near Calder Road in League City. Heidi Fye was found on April 6, 1984. Laura Miller and Audrey Cook were discovered on Feb. 2, 1986, and Donna Prudhomme’s remains were found on Sep. 8, 1991.
Elmore’s recent indictment is part of a renewed investigation into the deaths of around 30 women, whose bodies were found in the late 1980s and early 1990s in an area referred to as the Texas Killing Fields — near the intersection of Calder Road and Ervin Street in League City, which is located between Houston and Galveston.
According to one of the search warrants, Miller’s father, Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller, told authorities in March that he had recently spoken over the phone with Elmore. Miller said this wasn’t rare, claiming he met with Elmore a minimum of 30 times during the last four years and alleging that Elmore gave him information about the deaths.
During that recent phone call, Elmore allegedly accused Hedrick of burying a body at 4422 18th St. in Bacliff. The property was previously owned by Hedrick, but has since been acquired by Elmore, according to the warrants.
Elmore allegedly accused Hedrick of burning down a structure on the property and burying a body underneath the rubble. On a separate occasion, in July 2025, Elmore allegedly told a detective that he believed two women were in the house when Hedrick allegedly set it on fire.
According to court documents, officials found evidence from aerial images of the property between 1990 and 2026 that showed structures on the Bacliff property were removed or destroyed in certain locations throughout the years. The search warrant called for ground penetration radar to check for voids in the ground for the recovery of possible human remains.
Julianna Washburn/Houston Public Media
A large law enforcement presence arrived at the home of James Elmore in Bacliff when two search warrants were served on April 16, 2026.
Another search warrant served Thursday asserts that when Elmore was indicted, his phone was taken. Shortly after, a Texas City police officer alleged that multiple images of child pornography were found on Elmore’s phone.
The search warrant called for the forensic examination of any computer and computer-related media found at Elmore’s home to look for potential evidence of criminal activity, specifically possession or promotion of child pornography as well as the possible identification of other child victims of sexual exploitation.
Elmore’s court-appointed attorney declined to comment Thursday. A trial date for Elmore has been set for Aug. 31. He remains jailed on bonds totaling $3 million.