William Reece to be extradited to Oklahoma, face murder charge
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Accused killer William Reece is set to be extradited to Oklahoma to face charges for the death of a woman in 1997.
Kathy Dobry, the mother of Tiffany Johnston, says she believes Reece is the killer of her daughter. She spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News about the latest news.
"How are you feeling knowing that Reece is going to face charges?" abc13's Gina Gaston asked.
"I am delighted that he will be up here and finally face Tiffany's family and friends," Dobry said. "And that justice will be served for all the girls that Tiffany's case brought about."
"How do you feel about this? Do you think Reece is the killer?" abc13's Dave Ward asked.
"Yes I do," Dobry said. "DNA proved it. That's what we've been waiting on."
Johnston had only been married for three months when she went missing and was found dead almost 19 years ago.
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Dobry knew Reece's mother, Patsy Miely, fairly well, and she had talked with William -- commonly known as Billy -- on several occasions. Miely did the ironing for Dobry's family.
After Reece served time in Oklahoma State Prison on rape and kidnapping convictions, Reece came back to Anadarko to live with his mother on East Virginia Street.
Dobry did not know why Reece had been in jail.
"I just took it that he had stole something or something like that," Dobry said, "and his mom never did say."
One memory of Reece stands out for Dobry.
"When he'd go out to the restaurant, he watched everyone," Dobry said, "coming and go, and you know he wore a big cowboy hat, and you couldn't see his eyes or anything. But you could see that he was watching people."
Reece may have seen Tiffany Johnston in passing, but Dobry said the two never formally met. Reece was charged with Johnston's murder in 2015. Dobry suspects Miely knew long before that.
"There were always little trinkets left on Tiffany's headstone," Dobry said. "And on Memorial Day, there was always an extra wreath on Tiffany's headstone that none of the family did."
Dobry said when Miely died, the mysterious gifts left on Tiffany's grave stopped showing up. Dobry wants Reece to show up in Oklahoma to stand trial. She wants nothing short of the death penalty.
"The state of Texas paid for his heart, whatever he had done. I didn't know he had a heart, with him murdering all those girls," Dobry said.
Her biggest question: why.
"Why?" Dobry said, "Why my child?"
The state of Oklahoma is expected to charge Reese with murder once he arrives.
