Kansas City-area authorities made a connection between two unsolved murders and an abduction that involving similar victims and circumstances. The Kansas City Star reports investigators are set to announce more details in both cases that could lead to more victims coming forward. So far, two murders are believed to have been connected to the same perpetrator. If another killing is established, Kansas City may have a serial killer on the loose that targets prostitutes.
* The murder of Tamara R. Sparks, 40, happened in October 2011. Less than a year later, Nicoleone M. Reed, 24, turned up dead in August. Both women were last seen alive on St. John Ave. in Kansas City. Both worked as prostitutes along Independence Ave. Every lead has dried up, which is why investigators are finally publicizing the connections between the cases now.
* Both bodies were found in similar poses. Their shirts were pulled up and pants pulled down. Both bodies were found along rural roads in northern Kansas City. The women had large amounts of drugs in their systems and an exact cause of death was never identified.
* An old white pickup truck is believed to be involved in both murders. A third woman, who was kidnapped while working as a prostitute, saw a white man driving an old white pickup truck before she was dumped along a gravel road. She lived on St. John Ave., according to the Star piece.
* The only other lead aside from the white truck is a size 11 shoe left behind at a crime scene. The shoe is a khaki-colored Crocs canvas loafer.
* Detectives are looking for any leads after cross-checks on the pickup in the area came up empty. Police think the killer lives in a rural area and is familiar with places to dump bodies. Despite searching cases nationwide, leads have still dried up.
* The first victim, Sparks, was found by two bicyclists in early October 2011. The riders first thought the body was a deer along the side of the road near Northeast 120th St. and North Eastern Rd. in Kansas City. KCTV said the body was in a wooded area.
* Reed's body was found Aug. 21 in southeastern Kearney, Mo. The Kearney Courier reveals the young woman was arrested and released three times within two years in Wyandotte County, Kan., on charges ranging from battery to resisting arrest. Reed also voluntarily gave up custody of a child in October 2010.
* Both bodies were discovered on a Tuesday after being dumped on a Monday night.
* Authorities are asking anyone who lives near the area where the bodies were found to write down any license plates of an old white pickup truck.
* Anyone with information on any of these cases should contact the local TIPS line at 816-474-8477.
William Browning, a lifelong Missouri resident, writes about local and state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Born in St. Louis, Browning earned his bachelor's degree in English from the University of Missouri. He currently resides in Branson.
