Do you know who murdered Thomas and Judy McKnight in 1984? On a quiet ranch in southeastern Lincoln County, New Mexico, Thomas “Cotton” McKnight, a Caucasian male, and his wife Judy were found murdered in the kitchen of their home on November 15, 1984. McKnight, born on November 14, 1952, in Roswell, was a third-generation New Mexico resident and a prominent figure in the community, having served as the chairman of the Lincoln County Commission from 1978 to 1982.
The couple, who had been married since 1977, were last seen alive two days before their bodies were discovered. They had both sustained fatal gunshot wounds in what was described as an execution-style killing.
The initial investigation into the double homicide was launched by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the New Mexico State Police. Investigators found no signs of forced entry at the McKnight's ranch house, leading them to believe that the couple likely knew their assailant or assailants. Despite the initial joint effort, the New Mexico State Police withdrew their assistance in December 1984, leaving the Sheriff's Department to continue the investigation alone. In a turn of events that highlighted potential friction between law enforcement agencies, District Attorney James Weldon publicly discussed conflicts with the Sheriff's department regarding their investigative approaches and the handling of evidence. The father of Cotton McKnight, Joe McKnight, also voiced his criticism over the management of the crime scene.
In August of 1985, the case was presented to an investigative grand jury by the Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office in Lincoln County. However, the grand jury did not return any indictments and instead recommended that the investigation continue. Following this, in September 1985, the New Mexico Attorney General's Office and the New Mexico State Police initiated a joint investigation into the murders. Over the years, several individuals were considered persons of interest or potential suspects, including Phil Baiers, Anthony Fabry, and even members of the McKnight family, Joe and Donald “Poncho” McKnight. Another name that surfaced during the investigation was that of sheriff candidate Charlie Cox, who was at one point considered the state police's main suspect. However, no arrests were ever made in connection with the murders.
The case grew cold over the ensuing decades, leaving the community with unanswered questions and a sense of unresolved justice. The investigation was marred by allegations of mishandled evidence and a lack of cooperation between the involved law enforcement agencies. Despite the passage of time, the brutal deaths of Cotton and Judy McKnight remain an unsolved mystery, a stark and tragic chapter in the history of Lincoln County. The New Mexico Department of Public Safety still lists the case as a cold case, with no viable suspects officially identified to this day.
