Police arrest suspect in Weatherford cold case

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Mugshot of Ricky Lee Adkins in 1987

The man who police believe may have been responsible for the murder of a 19-year-old Weatherford woman decades ago was arrested Wednesday morning.

Weatherford police said 59-year-old Ricky Lee Adkins was taken into custody around 10 a.m. at his home in Ranger, Texas. He is being held in the Parker County jail on a capital murder charge.

Adkins’s alleged victim, 19-year-old Wendy Kae Robinson, disappeared in the summer of 1987. She was last seen near the east end of Lake Weatherford in an area known as “The Wall.” Then four days later her body was found a few miles away.

Robinson graduated from Weatherford High School and was a freshman studying at Weatherford College at the time. Police were never able to find her killer and the case went cold.

The Weatherford Police Department said investigators with a fresh set of eyes began reviewing the case again earlier this year. They partnered with the Texas Rangers and the United States Secret Service to take a new approach based on old leads.

The Parker County District Attorney presented evidence to a grand jury at the beginning of the month and Adkins’ was indicted for Robinson’s murder.

There's no known connection between the suspect and the victim. Robinson's father said the family had long given up hope the case would be solved, but they were happy to learn an arrest had been made. He believes the killing was a crime of opportunity.

Adkins' arrest comes just days after the case was featured by the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Team.

But, police think there may have been one or two other people involved. They are still seeking tips so that they can make more arrests.

Parker County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Tipsters should call 817-599-5555 or visit www.pccs.tips and can remain anonymous.