Kathy Page left her home one night to meet someone. The following day, her body was discovered inside her car. The details surrounding Kathy’s death didn’t add up. That’s when her father, James Fulton, took matters into his own hands…
The Truth Was in the Details
In the early dawn of May 14, 1991, a car was discovered nose-down in a ditch near Vidor, Texas. Thirty-four-year-old Kathy Page was found dead in the driver’s seat. However, as investigated examined the scene more closely, they realized that her death was no accident.
Strange Reaction
The crash was only a few hundred feet from Kathy’s home. When the authorities arrived, her husband, Steve Page, answered the door. The investigators informed Mr. Page that his wife had died. At first, he appeared to be upset, but soon his behavior began to indicate that something wasn’t quite right…
Defying Gravity
Kathy’s body had not sustained any obvious injuries or wounds. Her car was hardly damaged. On top of that, the soft drinks in ber front seat hadn’t even spilled. How was that possible if she had supposedly driven her car into a ditch?
Dirty Work
If Kathy had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, her feet would have been stretched toward the pedals, but they were pushed against her seat. Finally, even though Kathy wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, her body had remained in a reclined position. Everything was adding up to make the investigators suspect foul play…
Inconsistency
At first, when Steve was informed of his wife’s death, he reacted accordingly, breaking down in tears. Strangely, investigators noted that he would suddenly stop weeping and act as if nothing was wrong.
Making Claims
Kathy and Steve had been married for thirteen years and had two daughters together. Steve claimed that at the time of his wife’s murder, Kathy had emotionally distanced herself from him. They were planning to separate, but Steve supposedly wanted to work things out…
Liar, Liar
Although Steve alleged that he and his wife were on good terms, he had recently moved out of the house. Kathy’s sister, Sherry, vehemently disagreed with Steve, saying that the marriage was beyond repair and Kathy was planning to divorce him.
New Evidence
Sherry insisted that Kathy had begun to move on with her life. As more evidence was unearthed, police began to suspect the same…
Missing
On the night of the murder, Kathy asked Steve to watch the kids while she went out with her friend, Charlotte, in Beaumont. She left the house with makeup and multiple accessories. By 4:15 A.M., Kathy was dead. Her jewelry and makeup had been wiped clean. Where had she really gone?
Hiding Something
The autopsy on Kathy’s body determined that the cause of death was strangulation. Soon, authorities learned that Kathy never had any intention to see Charlotte that night…
Signs of Assault
The autopsy also showed that Kathy had engaged in sexual intercourse shortly before she was killed. She had a broken nose and a black eye; there were bloodstains on her skin and underwear, but not the rest of her clothing.
Moved Around
Authorities suspected she had been murdered in a different location. She was then cleaned up, dressed, and placed in her car. Then, they discovered a new development.
The Motel
Kathy had spent the evening with a boyfriend in a Beaumont motel, which is about ten minutes from Vidor. When questioned as to whether or not the two engaged in sexual intercourse, he said yes. However, one thing wasn’t adding up…
Can’t Deny The Facts
The autopsy showed whoever Kathy had sex with the evening of her murder had undergone a vasectomy. Her boyfriend had not had a vasectomy, but somebody else close to Kathy had one a few months before her murder…
Too Convenient
Authorities discovered that Steve had had a vasectomy several months before Kathy died. He then admitted that he and Kathy did engage in consensual sex on the evening of her death, but insisted it was before she left the house.
Out of Character
Kathy’s sister didn’t believe a word Steve said. She remained convinced her sister would never have had sex with him right before going out to sleep with another person. She also learned some interesting information from Steve’s sister-in-law about his phone history from that night…
Phone Calls
Steve had called two other numbers on the evening of Kathy’s murder. One was Charlotte’s, and the other was the Beaumont motel where Kathy had spent the night with her boyfriend.
Theories
Sherry and her father, James Fulton, believed they knew what happened to Kathy: Steve became enraged after finding out his wife had lied to him, and when she came home, he attacked, raped, and strangled her. Afterward, his remorse drove him to clean her up, redress her, and stage the car accident. Steve strongly denied these claims…
Innocent
Steve maintained his innocence. He said he was in no way responsible for Kathy’s death and felt as though everyone was placing the blame on him because he was her estranged husband.
Pointing Fingers
Steve also claimed that he had been receiving threats on the phone, warning that he would meet the same fate as his wife. Steve pointed fingers at a member of a prominent Italian family in Beaumont, referred to as the “Beaumont Mafia,” who he claimed were the ones behind Kathy’s murder…
Framed
Steve was convinced the police were framing him. However, he chose to overlook his ties to the chief of police, who was close friends with Steve’s parents at the time. It was common knowledge around Vidor that Steve and his family were cozied up to the authorities…
Pulling Strings
Kathy’s family believed Steve’s connections with the police allowed him to get away with murder. It reportedly took the police three full years to convince the district attorney to issue a search warrant for the Pages’ home. Kathy’s father, James Fulton, decided to take matters into his own hands.
Protesting
Fulton put up three billboards soon after his daughter’s murder, which called out the Vidor police department who let Kathy’s killer go free. “Vidor P.D. does not want to solve this case,” reads a billboard that still sits alongside the highway. “The Attorney General should investigate.” Soon afterward, new testimonies surfaced, confirming the Fultons’ suspicions…
Taking Him to Court
Kathy’s family sued Steve in civil court. Her mother testified that she had seen Steve vigorously washing clothes the morning after Kathy’s murder. The next day, her relatives said they witnessed Steve cleaning the carpet, but Steve claimed that he had spilled grease. More evidence began to emerge…
Trouble at Home
Neighbors said they heard loud arguments and banging on the walls of the Page home in the middle of the night. Sherry took the stand and stated that Steve had been abusing her sister.
Lefty
Witnesses testified that Steve was left-handed, and the autopsy showed that Kathy had been likely stranged by a left-handed person. Steve admitted in court that he did not want Kathy to be autopsied. In 1999, a verdict was served…
Up and Down
Steve was found financially liable for Kathy’s death in civil court. He was ordered to pay her family $200,000 in court. Later, Steve was convicted of desecrating Kathy’s gravesite. To this day, Steve is still living in Texas. He has not been criminally charged for Kathy’s murder. For Kathy’s family, the past few decades have been a rollercoaster ride.
Tragedy Strikes
Tragically, Kathy’s daughter Monica died in 2011 at the age of 27 from a prescription drug overdose. Her mother Dorothy passed away in 2007. Kathy’s other daughter, Erin, is still alive today, searching for answers… and, in 2018, she found them.
Three Billboards
2017 saw the Academy Award-winning film Three Billboards hit theaters, which was inspired by the billboards James Fulton had put up soon after his daughter’s death. Years after first seeing the signs, English writer Martin McDonagh wrote and directed the movie. The story quickly gained traction.
New Developments
In 2018, the attention from Three Billboards caused Kathy’s case to be profiled on Cold Justice, a show that involves former detectives and prosecutors working with current detectives to help solve cold cases. Dozens of witnesses were interviewed, and a new witness came forward with critical information…
Coming Forward
Steve was seen by a witness walking away from the ditch where Kathy’s car was found on the night of the murder. At the time, the witness did not come forward because he was with a mistress and didn’t want to out himself as unfaithful to his wife.
It’s Not Over
Steve was interviewed for the show as well, steadfastly denying involvement with the murder. The D.A. still felt as though the new evidence still wasn’t enough to prosecute Steve, but investigators are continuing to look for new leads.
27 Years
“To my knowledge, this is the furthest it’s ever been,” Page said in regards to the case. Her husband added, “In 27 years.”