Bobbie Ann Fields-Wilson, a 37-year-old Black woman, was found dead on August 8, 1993, in Lubbock, Texas. Her body was discovered near Keele Avenue by a passerby, and authorities determined that she had been beaten to death before being dumped in the field. The investigation revealed that she was last seen near the Rose Hotel in the early morning hours of August 7, 1993. Despite efforts by the Lubbock Police Department, the case stalled due to a lack of evidence and leads.
For 26 years, her murder remained unsolved until investigators identified Samuel Little, a convicted felon and confessed serial killer, as a suspect. Little, described as one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, had been linked to more than 60 murders and had confessed to over 90. His method of killing often left no obvious signs of homicide, as he would stun or knock out his victims with powerful punches before strangling them. This technique led many of his crimes to be misclassified as drug overdoses, accidents, or natural causes.
On August 28, 2019, Samuel Little was indicted for the murder of Bobbie Ann Fields-Wilson. However, before he could be brought to trial in Texas, he died on December 30, 2020, while serving a life sentence in a California prison. The Texas Rangers Cold Case unit, in collaboration with the Department of Justice, had worked to confirm his involvement in the crime. Despite his death, the case was officially solved, bringing closure to a decades-long mystery. Texas Crime Stoppers continues to offer a cash reward for any additional information related to the crime.
