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Decades Later, 'KFC Murders' Suspect Identified Via DNA Genealogy
18 Dec
Summary
- Devan Riggs identified as the final suspect in 1983 KFC murders.
- DNA evidence from victim's clothing linked Riggs after 40 years.
- Two other men, Pinkerton and Hartsfield, were convicted in 2007-2008.
Forty years after a brutal armed robbery and the execution-style killings of five individuals at a Rusk County, Texas KFC, the final suspect has been identified. In May 2025, advanced DNA testing and genealogy confirmed Devan Riggs as the third perpetrator involved in the 1983 murders. Riggs, who had died more than a decade prior, was linked by DNA evidence recovered from one of the victim's clothing.
The grim discovery of Opie Hughes, Mary Tyler, Joey Johnson, David Maxwell, and Monty Landers occurred on September 24, 1983. All victims, except Landers, were employees of the KFC. They were abducted during a robbery the night before and subsequently found murdered on a remote oil lease. The case remained cold for over two decades.
In 2007 and 2008, Romeo Pinkerton and Darnell Hartsfield were convicted based on DNA evidence found at the scene. However, an unmatched DNA sample from a victim's clothing indicated a third assailant. Investigations continued, leading to the Texas Rangers' renewed focus in 2023 and the eventual identification of Riggs through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative program.
