Laura Smither was 12 when she left her Friendswood, Texas home for a morning jog on April 3, 1997, and did not return. Her disappearance prompted a large search that included law enforcement, volunteers, and the U.S. Marines. Seventeen days later her body was found near a retention pond in Pasadena, about 12 miles from her home. The remains’ condition made determining an exact cause of death difficult, but authorities confirmed she had been murdered.

The investigation had no immediate leads for years. In 2016 William Reece, a convicted serial killer with a history of sexual assault and multiple homicides, confessed to several murders and was linked to Laura’s case. He later pleaded guilty in connection with Laura Smither’s death and received life sentences. Laura’s family expressed relief at the conviction; her mother Gay Smither publicly forgave Reece.

Does anyone have memories of Laura, her routine, or the Friendswood and Pasadena areas in April 1997 that could add context to this case?