Galveston police solve 1981 cold case

GALVESTON, Texas - Galveston police have solved nearly 45-year-old cold case that occurred back in 1981, according to a news release. 

Galveston police solve 45-year-old cold case

Officials said they developed a probable cause arrest in relation to the Sept. 11, 1981 capital murder of 22-year-old Lois Marshall of Galveston. 

What we know:

Officials said Marshall was found dead inside her home on Avenue O. 

Investigators determined she had suffered extensive blunt force trauma to the head and had been sexually assaulted, bound, gagged, and murdered, officials said. 

According to the release, Marshall's official cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and asphyxiation.

Officials stated during the original investigation, officers collected biological evidence and latent fingerprints from the crime scene, including evidence recovered from Marshall’s body.

Over the course of the investigation, officials said detectives pursued numerous leads and investigated countless potential suspects. Many were eliminated through fingerprint comparisons, blood typing and later DNA testing as advances in forensic technology became available.

Then, officials said, in 2007, investigators submitted several items of evidence to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory in Houston in an effort to identify a suspect. A DNA profile was developed from evidence collected at the scene, including items used to bind Marshall. While the DNA evidence significantly advanced the investigation, a direct comparison sample was still needed to identify a suspect.

Then 18 years later, investigators resubmitted latent fingerprints recovered from Marshall’s home for additional analysis. A fingerprint collected at the scene in 1981 was identified as belonging to William Clifford Lawrence, 70, of Texas City. Lawrence had not previously been identified as a suspect during the investigation, officials stated.

Galveston Investigators attempted to speak with Lawrence in March 2025 about his fingerprint being at the location of Marshall’s murder in 1981, but Lawrence declined to be interviewed or even listen to officers’ explanation as to the reason for the interview. According to the investigators, Lawrence stated he just wanted to live the rest of his life at home, the release said. 

Later on that same day, officials said a search warrant was obtained enabling investigators to obtain a DNA sample from Lawrence to be compared to the DNA sample from the Marshall’s body. Once again, Lawrence declined to be interviewed after the collection of the sample. While awaiting laboratory results, investigators made several additional attempts to interview Lawrence. During those contacts, officials said he denied knowing Lois Marshall.

On March 27, 2025, the DPS Crime Laboratory confirmed the DNA profile developed from evidence related to the sexual assault matched William Clifford Lawrence. Additional DNA evidence recovered from bindings used during the crime was also determined to have a probability of belonging to Lawrence.

Over the following year, investigators and members of the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office continued building the case for prosecution. In April 2026, probable cause was established to charge Lawrence with capital murder. However, Lawrence died of natural causes on April 19, 2026, before charges could be filed. The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office documented that probable cause existed for the charge, and the Galveston Police Department has officially cleared the case, officials said. 

Investigators determined Lawrence had lived in or frequented several locations over the years, including Galveston, Austin, Alice, Victoria, Kerr County, Houston, Baytown and parts of Louisiana. 

What they're saying:

"This was a brutal and deeply disturbing crime," investigators said. "William Clifford Lawrence is the only suspect identified in this case."

The Galveston Police Department thanks the many officers, detectives and forensic professionals who worked tirelessly on this investigation over the past four decades. The department also extended its appreciation to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory, the Texas Rangers and all agencies and individuals who assisted in bringing long-awaited answers to Lois Marshall’s family.