Internet Safety News
Teen Murdered by Man She Met in Chatroom
by Christine Loftus
Kacie Rene Woody, of Conway, Arkansas, met the San Diego, California, man who killed her in a chatroom on the Internet. Her body, along with the body of David Fuller, was found in a van at a storage garage in Arkansas, both suffering from gunshot wounds. Police suspect that the girl had been sexually assaulted.1
Kacie had been living with her father and brother after her mother's death five years ago. On the evening of December 3, her brother reported her missing after he had not heard from her in four hours. The children's father was at work as a police officer in a neighboring town.2 Investigators searched Kacie's computer, found an alias Fuller had been using, and then traced him to a motel in Conway. From there they discovered that he had rented a van and left a telephone number with the rental agency that matched a number on the Woody's home telephone records.3
Inside her Arkansas home it appears 13-year-old Kacie fought for her life, because, along with signs of a struggle, police found a chair propped against a door.4 When police found her broken eyeglasses and realized that she left the house without shoes, they were led to believe that Kacie did not invite Fuller to come to Arkansas and wasn't aware that he was coming.5
Authorities said that Fuller had struck up an Internet relationship with Kacie and might have tricked her into believing he was a teenager. Police spent most of December 4 searching for Kacie and went to a nearby storage facility after receiving a tip. Upon arriving at the storage facility, they heard a gunshot. Police believe the shot that was heard was Fuller committing suicide.6
Authorities in Arkansas believe Fuller may have kidnapped other children prior to allegedly abducting Kacie. Police were doubtful that this was Fuller's first time, since "There weren't a lot of missteps made or sloppiness on his part. There was some planning done here."7 Investigators are still trying to figure out Fuller's movements prior to his showing up at Kacie's home.
1"FBI agents search San Diego
area home for clues in killing of Arkansas girl." North
County Times. December 7, 2002, http://www.nctimes.net/news/2002/20021207/wwww.html.
2"FBI scours ex-home of La Mesan who killed
girl, self." The San Diego Union-Tribune. December
7, 2002, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20021207-9999_2m7chat.html.
3"FBI agents search San Diego area home for
clues in killing of Arkansas girl." North County Times.
December 7, 2002, http://www.nctimes.net/news/2002/20021207/wwww.html.
4"San Diego Man Kills Arkansas Girl and Self."
KFMB TV. December 6, 2002, http://www.kfmb.com/results.php?storyID=12479&is=y.
5"SWAT team finds bodies of girl, S.D. man."
The San Diego Union-Tribune. December 6, 2002, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20021206-9999_2m6arkgirl.html.
6"FBI agents search San Diego area home for
clues in killing of Arkansas girl." North County Times.
December 7, 2002, http://www.nctimes.net/news/2002/20021207/wwww.html.
7Ibid.
Christine Loftus is a research assistant/editor for the Parents & Educators component of the NetSmartz Workshop® at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®.
