HOUSTON – On Thursday morning, authorities served a search warrant at the Bacliff, Galveston County home of James Elmore, the man who has been indicted in connection with two of the four “Texas Killing Fields” murders.
Around 6 a.m., deputies with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office executed the search warrant at the home where Elmore was living, located at 4422 18th Street.
The warrant comes after Elmore, 61, was charged with three felonies related to the 1986 deaths of Laura Miller and Audrey Cook earlier this month. His bond was set for $1.5 million in the manslaughter case and an additional $1.5 million for two tampering with evidence charges.
According to the search warrant, authorities are looking for possible human remains or other evidence buried on the property.
Prosecutors allege Elmore helped longtime suspect Clyde Edwin Hedrick conceal Miller’s and Cook’s remains and prepared a vial of cocaine that Hedrick allegedly administered to Miller, killing her.
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Hedrick died by suicide in March, officials confirmed to KPRC 2 Investigates Robert Arnold.
“He was taken to the hospital for some breathing issues on Friday, and due to some of his other health issues, he was placed on a ventilator Friday. On Saturday, he removed that ventilator,” prosecutor Kate Willis said.
According to the search warrant, on March 25, 2026, days after Hendrick committed suicide, Elmore told Tim Miller, Laura Miller’s father, that he believed there was a body buried on his property. Elmore said the property was once owned by Hedrick, but has since been acquired by him.
He said that the human remains had been buried underneath where a structure had once been. Elmore added that Hendrick buried the remains underneath rubble, which has since grown out. He said he wasn’t sure of the body’s exact location anymore.
Elmore reportedly told investigators the buried bodies possibly belonged to Laura Miller and Audrey Cook.
The district attorney’s office was preparing to seek capital murder charges against Hedrick.
A trial date for Elmore is set for August 24, 2026.
KPRC 2 Investigates has covered the Texas Killing Fields for years, documenting the decades-long hunt for answers in its four-part docuseries, “The Evidence Room.”