After four decades, the last missing piece in a 1983 Rusk County murder case has been found.
Case Overview
In late September 1983, five Texans were abducted from a KFC restaurant in Kilgore during an armed robbery. The victims were discovered the following day, September 24, with each having been fatally shot in the back of the head. One of the men, Opie Hughes, was also sexually assaulted before his death. The incident remains one of the most brutal unsolved crimes in the region.
DNA Breakthrough
Law enforcement officials had been working on the case for years, but it was not until 2025 that a significant breakthrough occurred. DNA evidence collected at the crime scene was re-examined and compared to a national database. This testing linked the DNA to a man named Devan Riggs, who had died several years earlier. Because Riggs was no longer alive, no arrest could be made, but his identification completed the investigative chain.
Two other men-Romeo Pinkerton and Darnell Hartsfield-had already been convicted for the killings in 2007 and 2008, also through DNA evidence. Their convictions were based on the same forensic material that later matched Riggs, showing how DNA technology can eventually clarify complex cases.
Victims and Crime
The five victims were:
- Opie Hughes, 39
- Mary Tyler, 37
- Joey Johnson, 20
- David Maxwell, 20
- Monty Landers, 19
All were found on September 24, 1983, and each had been taken from the same KFC location during a robbery the night before. The murders were carried out with execution-style precision, and the victims were shot in the back of the head. The investigation highlighted the severity of the crime and the community’s long-standing demand for answers.
Final Identification
The Texas Department of Public Safety announced that Devan Riggs was the final perpetrator connected to the abductions and murders. Riggs had died years before the DNA link was made, so there would be no arrests. Officials stated that the case is now officially closed, bringing a conclusion to a decades-long mystery.
The closure does not erase the tragedy, but it provides closure for families and the community, confirming that all individuals involved have been identified.
Key Takeaways
- After 42 years, Devan Riggs was identified as the final perpetrator of the 1983 Rusk County murders.
- DNA evidence linked Riggs to the crime scene, completing a chain that had already convicted Romeo Pinkerton and Darnell Hartsfield.
- The five victims-Opie Hughes, Mary Tyler, Joey Johnson, David Maxwell, and Monty Landers-were abducted from a Kilgore KFC during an armed robbery and were found shot execution-style.
The case’s resolution underscores the enduring power of forensic science and the commitment of law enforcement to seek justice, even decades after a crime has occurred.
