After 42 years of investigation, law enforcement officials have identified the last perpetrator in the abduction and murder of five Texans in Rusk Co. – an event known to many across the country as the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) murders.
The perpetrator, Devan Riggs, had died years before being identified, so no arrests will be made, and the case is now closed.
On the morning of Sept. 24, 1983, the bodies of Opie Hughes, 39; Mary Tyler, 37; Joey Johnson, 20; David Maxwell, 20; and Monty Landers, 19, were found on a remote oil lease in rural Rusk Co. Each had been fatally shot in the back of the head, execution-style, and Hughes had been sexually assaulted. Investigators determined that all five victims had been abducted from a KFC restaurant miles away in Kilgore during an armed robbery the night before.
In 2007 and 2008, two men – Romeo Pinkerton and Darnell Hartsfield – were convicted of the killings using DNA evidence collected at the restaurant. However, one piece of DNA evidence collected from Hughes’ clothing did not match Pinkerton or Hartsfield – indicating a third perpetrator. For years, law enforcement continued their work to find the third person involved, but no arrests were made.
Then, in 2023, the Texas Rangers identified the case as being eligible for testing and comparison through DPS’ Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program. The program is funded by the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ/BJA), which provides investigative funding for agencies across the United States to further unsolved sexual assaults and sexually related homicides, aiming to bring justice to the victims and their families. In July 2024, the last piece of DNA evidence taken from Hughes’ clothing was sent to Bode Technologies for additional Advanced DNA testing and genealogy. In May 2025, this testing led to the identification of one of three brothers living in East Texas as a potential suspect.
Finally, in November 2025, after further research and additional DNA testing, investigators received a positive match and identified one of the brothers, Devan Riggs. Riggs had been deceased for more than a decade, and no arrests were made.
The Texas Rangers want to thank the Rusk Co. Sheriff’s Office, Rusk Co. District Attorney’s Office, Kilgore Police Department, Bode Technologies and members of DPS’ Austin Crime Laboratory for their dedication, which ultimately led to Riggs’ identification. Cases like this highlight the importance of collaborative investigative work between the Texas Rangers and our law enforcement partners to keep unsolved cases alive, ultimately bringing closure to victims’ families and the community.
Article source and photo credit: Texas Department of Public Safety
