Alvin Melleth

These belong to Desiree Wheatley and Dawn Smith, both middle school-age girls.

A few weeks later, a fifth body, Angelica Frausto, 17.

And then, in the same area of desert, they find 23-year-old Ivy Williams.

So now, Johnny has six victims in a matter of a few months.

Deserts don't preserve much, so finding evidence in cases like these can be especially difficult.

Mostly, police are finding skeletons out there.

But as Johnny investigates, clues start coming in from a surprising source.

Middle school kids.

They were all friends with one of the victims.

El Paso is majority Hispanic, so this detail, a white guy, stood out to Johnny.

The kids say this guy was always around.

In old tapes from this investigation, you hear this name come up a lot, Skeeter.

Of course, we run his name.

The mechanics of how Skeeter and David Wood get linked are hazy.

In the recordings I listened to, most of the kids had no idea who Skeeter was.

And the ones who say Skeeter was David Wood, it's not clear if they put that together themselves or if they were repeating the connection that the cops made.

In any case, when Johnny learns more about David Wood's criminal record, he discovers a rap sheet that's long and egregious.

Multiple sexual crimes against girls, one as young as 12.

And the timeline tracks.

David Wood had been released from prison less than a month before the first of these victims disappeared.