In 1987, Susan Woods, a 30-year-old woman from Stephenville, Texas, was found dead in her bathtub. She had been brutally raped and murdered. According to Bryan Burrough at Texas Monthly, the community of Stephenville was convinced that Susan’s husband, Michael Woods, was responsible for the crime. Michael, a long-haired, motorcycle-riding outsider, didn’t quite fit in with the small-town atmosphere. The couple had recently separated, and Michael had left the state with Susan’s car during their divorce. For the next two decades, Michael lived under constant suspicion, fearing arrest and a lengthy prison sentence. Despite maintaining his innocence and having no fingerprints match those found at the crime scene, he was always considered the prime suspect.
It wasn’t until 2006 that detective Don Miller made a breakthrough in the case. Using the FBI’s new electronic fingerprint database, he discovered a match and identified a new suspect: Joseph Scott Hatley. Hatley knew Susan and had even attended her funeral, signing the guest book. He managed to avoid suspicion after the crime, largely due to the intense focus on Michael Woods. Eventually, Hatley confessed to killing Susan, claiming it was done in a drunken state. The chilling revelation came with the knowledge that Hatley had brutally raped a teenage girl in a local park the year after Susan’s murder, warning her of his past actions. Hatley, who was sentenced to 11 years for the murder of Susan Woods, passed away at the age of 56 in 2021 from cancer. Papers he left behind revealed a tormented double life. The full story is a captivating and compelling read.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
