Arrest Made In Case Of Rape, Murder Of Laura Marie Purchase 38 Years Ago

Dallas TX

22 May, 2021

7:27 PM

Description

CBS Dallas/Fort Worth May 22, 2021 Thirty-eight years later to the day, Montgomery County Cold Case Detectives collected DNA from the man now charged with raping, strangling and setting Laura Marie Purchase on fire — Thomas Darnell, 75. On April 30, 2021 that DNA sample was positively matched to Darnell's DNA profile collected from Purchase's body. A warrant for capital murder was issued in Montgomery County, and he was arrested at his home on May 11, 2021. More than three decades ago, on March 17, 1983, a Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Deputy was on patrol in the 4000 block of IH-45 near League Line Road when he saw a fire burning in a wooded area to the east of his location. While investigating, he discovered a burning body. CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective.