Desiree Wheatley, a 15-year-old white female, disappeared on June 2, 1987, in El Paso, Texas. She had just finished her last day at H.E. Charles Middle School and was walking home with friends when she separated from the group. Witnesses later reported seeing her get into a tan-colored pickup truck driven by David Leonard Wood, a 29-year-old man with a history of sexual offenses.
That was the last time Desiree was seen alive.
Her skeletal remains were discovered on October 20, 1987, in a shallow grave in a desert area along the 12000 block of McCombs Street, approximately five miles from her home. She was still wearing the white T-shirt signed by her classmates, which helped authorities identify her through dental records. The grave was located near other burial sites where the remains of several other young women were later found. Desiree’s mother, Marcia Fulton, had previously identified her daughter’s clothing for police, confirming her worst fears.
Desiree Wheatley was one of six confirmed victims of serial killer David Leonard Wood, who was later dubbed the “Desert Killer.” All of the victims were young females, ranging in age from 14 to 24, and most had connections to Northeast El Paso. Several had been raped, stabbed, or strangled. Wood was known to lure victims with offers of drugs or rides, then drive them into the desert where he assaulted and murdered them. He buried their bodies in shallow graves within a concentrated area.
Wood was arrested on October 22, 1987, and eventually convicted of the murders of Desiree Wheatley, Ivy Susanna Williams, Karen Baker, Angelica Frausto, Rosa Maria Casio, and Dawn Marie Smith. He was sentenced to death on January 14, 1993. Witnesses and forensic evidence linked him to the crimes, including fibers matching a blanket found in his truck and testimony from a woman who survived a similar assault. Wood’s method of operation was considered distinctive enough to be his “signature,” and his confessions to cellmates further solidified the case against him.
Despite his conviction, Wood has maintained his innocence and filed multiple appeals, including claims of intellectual disability. His execution has been delayed for decades, and he remains on death row in Texas. Desiree Wheatley’s death, along with those of the other victims, left a lasting impact on the El Paso community and highlighted the vulnerability of young women in the area during that time.
