Investigators Say Serial Killer Murdered Oklahoma Teen

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- Investigator said a serial killer known as the West Mesa Bone Collector is responsible for the murder of an Lawton teen.

Investigators in Nevada found 11 women and one fetus buried in the West Mesa back in February. Seven of the victims were identified early on, but on Friday, the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator identified the eighth victim as a runaway from Lawton, Oklahoma.

Albuquerque police spokeswoman Nadine Hamby identified 15-year-old Syllannia Edwards as the victim.

According to the missing person report filed with Lawton police back in August of 2003, Edwards ran away from a girls group home called Parker Pointe in Lawton. The home is geared towards young girls who are victims of neglect and abuse. Edwards was in DHS custody at the time she went missing.

Investigators said the victim's family is based in Texas but have been told Edwards entered Oklahoma DHS custody at the age of five after her mother went to jail.

New Mexico investigators said not only is Edwards the youngest victim, but also the first to be from outside New Mexico.

The positive identification came after employees compared a forensic sketch they made of the victim based on a skull with photos of missing children posted online. They then used dental records to secure the identification.

Three other women have yet to be identified. Investigators said the West Mesa Bone Collector is still on the loose, and police have no suspects.