RUSK COUNTY, TX – After more than four decades, law enforcement officials have identified the last perpetrator involved in the abduction and murder of five Texans in 1983, a case widely known as the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) murders. The final suspect, Devan Riggs, had died years ago, and no arrests will be made. The case is now officially closed.
On the morning of September 24, 1983, the bodies of Opie Hughes, 39; Mary Tyler, 37; Joey Johnson, 20; David Maxwell, 20; and Monty Landers, 19, were discovered on a remote oil lease in rural Rusk County. Each had been executed with a gunshot to the back of the head, and Hughes had been sexually assaulted. Investigators determined the five had been abducted during an armed robbery at a KFC restaurant in Kilgore, Texas, the previous night.
In 2007 and 2008, DNA evidence collected at the restaurant led to the convictions of Romeo Pinkerton and Darnell Hartsfield. Both received life sentences. However, a separate DNA sample from Hughes’ clothing did not match either man, indicating the involvement of a third perpetrator.
The case remained open for decades until 2023, when the Texas Rangers submitted the remaining evidence for testing through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program, funded by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. In July 2024, the DNA sample was sent to Bode Technologies for advanced testing and genealogy analysis. By May 2025, investigators had identified a potential suspect as one of three brothers living in East Texas.
Further research and additional DNA testing in November 2025 confirmed the identity of Devan Riggs. Riggs had been deceased for over a decade, meaning no arrest was possible.
The Texas Rangers acknowledged the work of the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, Rusk County District Attorney’s Office, Kilgore Police Department, Bode Technologies, and the DPS Austin Crime Laboratory. Officials emphasized that collaborative investigative efforts are essential to solving long-standing cases and bringing closure to victims’ families and the community.
