The 1979 Houston Decapitation Murders

Murder Files Unsealed · Jul 20, 2026 · 36m · transcript

This source examines a series of unsolved decapitation murders that occurred in Houston, Texas, during the late 1970s. The narrative focuses on victims like Elise Rankin and Mary Kolkata, who were brutally killed in the same apartment complex, alongside several other young residents. Local investigators and grieving family members recount the violent crime wave that gripped the city as the oil boom era ended. Decades later, detectives are using modern DNA technology to re-examine old evidence in hopes of identifying the elusive killer. The documentary highlights the enduring trauma of the…