Edward Elkington, an 83-year-old white male architect from California, was found dead on February 26, 1978. His body was discovered in a culvert along Interstate 40 near Tucumcari, New Mexico. The cause of death was determined to be suffocation with a pillow. Elkington had been traveling when he was picked up by Billy Dean Battenfield and a teenage boy.
The teenager, who was 15 years old at the time, later informed authorities about Battenfield's involvement in Elkington's murder and led them to the body.
Battenfield, a convicted murderer, pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge in New Mexico for Elkington's death. He was also implicated in two other murders in Texas around the same time. Battenfield, along with his teenage accomplice, had previously committed two murders in McKinney, Texas. The victims, 51-year-old Thelma Ruth McCarty and 75-year-old Roy Lovelady, were both stabbed to death and their bodies were disposed of in a rural water well. Battenfield was eventually arrested and convicted for these crimes as well.
The teenage accomplice, whose name was not made public due to his age, played a significant role in the investigation by providing crucial information that led to the discovery of Elkington's body. Battenfield's pattern of befriending younger males and involving them in his criminal activities was noted by criminal profilers. This behavior was consistent with his inability to maintain age-appropriate friendships and his tendency to manipulate vulnerable individuals.
Battenfield's criminal activities spanned multiple states, including Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. He was eventually classified as a serial killer due to his involvement in multiple murders over a period of time. His conviction for Elkington's murder resulted in a prison sentence of 10 to 50 years. Battenfield's case highlights the complexities of criminal investigations involving multiple jurisdictions and the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice.
