One of the darkest fears of parents worldwide is stranger abduction. Thankfully, abductions by strangers are among the rarest crimes committed against children. Tragically, however, they do occur. In October of 1999, one such crime would galvanize the community of Kansas City, Kansas, launching an exhaustive manhunt which spanned multiple states.
Sponsors:
Vodacast: Thank you to Vodacast for sponsoring this episode! Vodacast is a brand new podcast app. What sets it apart is that they provide deeper, digital stories. You can listen to your favorite podcast while immersing yourself in some bonus content from that episode: https://vodacast.com/
BetterHelp: Thank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode! Is there is something that interferes with your happiness or is preventing you from achieving your goals? BetterHelp online counseling is there for you. Get matched with a counsellor today: https://betterhelp.com/morbidology
Audio Sources:
“‘I’m truly heartbroken,’ says mother after second daughter murdered”
“No final statement for 5th federal inmate executed this year”
Sources:
Associated Press, 14 October, 1999 – “10-Year-Old Girl Abducted While Roller Skating in Kansas City”
The Chanute Tribune, 14 October, 1999 – “Search Continues for Girl Abducted in Kansas City, Kansas”
The Chanute Tribune, 14 October, 1999 – “Police Searching for Girl Abducted in Kansas City, Kan.”
The Examiner, 14 October, 1999 – “Search for Abductor Leads to Grain Valley”
The Kansas City Star, 14 October, 1999 – “Few Answers in Abduction Police Want to Question KCK Man”
The Kansas City Star, 14 October, 1999 – “Time of the Essence After Child Abduction”
Associated Press, 15 October, 1999 – “Body of Missing Kansas Girl Found”
Associated Press, 15 October, 1999 – “Kansas Girl Still Missing”
The Chanute Tribune, 15 October, 1999 – “Kansas Girl Still Missing After Abduction, Arrest”
The Kansas City Star, 15 October, 1999 – “River Capture Ends the Hunt”
The Wichita Eagle, 15 October, 1999 – “Police Nab Suspect in KCK Girl’s Abduction”
Associated Press, 16 October, 1999 – “It’s Not Right”
The Examiner, 16 October, 1999 – “Body Found in Grain Valley”
The Kansas City Star, 16 October, 1999 – “Grim Conclusion to Search”
The Kansas City Star, 16 October, 1999 – “Family, Friends Share their Memories of Slain Girl”
Jefferson City News-Tribune, 17 October, 1999 – “Kidnapping Suspect Still Hospitalized”
The Kansas City Star, 17 October, 1999 – “Hundreds Help Family, Feel Grief After Child Slain”
The Examiner, 18 October, 1999 – “Pamela in their Hearts”
Jefferson City News-Tribune, 18 October, 1999 – “Service Held for Victim”
The Kansas City Star, 18 October, 1999 – “Man Charged in Abduction Taken to Jail”
The Chanute Tribune, 19 October, 1999 – “Man Has First Court Appearance in Death of Pamela Butler”
Associated Press, 20 October, 1999 – “10-Year-Old Kansas Girl Mourned”
The Kansas City Star, 20 October, 1999 – “Mourners Honor Girl’s Memory”
The Kansas City Star, 21 October, 1999 – “Remember Her Smile”
The Wichita Eagle, 21 October, 1999 – “Saying Goodbye to Princess Pamela”
The Examiner, 22 October, 1999 – “Nelson Charged in Girl’s Death”
The Kansas City Star, 22 October, 1999 – “Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty in Nelson Case”
The Kansas City Star, 22 October, 1999 – “Police Search Nelson’s House”
Associated Press, 10 November, 1999 – “Man Pleads Innocent to Girl’s Kidnapping, Fatal Assault”
The Kansas City Star, 10 November, 1999 – “Insanity Defence a Possibility”
The Kansas City Star, 25 November, 1999 – “Suspect in Slaying Hard to Categorize”
The Kansas City Star, 30 November, 1999 – “Sample Request Protested”
The Kansas City Star, 5 January, 2000 – “Order Outlines Donations for Pamela Butler’s Family”
Jefferson City News-Tribune, 19 January, 2000 – “Trial Set for Man Charged in Kidnapping”
Jefferson City News-Tribune, 21 January, 2000 – “Defence Wants Pamela Butler Kidnapping Case Moved Elsewhere”
The Chanute Tribune, 27 January, 2000 – “Defence Seeks to Suppress Statements”
The Kansas City Star, 27 January, 2000 – “Defendant Wants Remarks Suppressed”
Columbia Daily Tribune, 6 April, 2000 – “Prosecutors Seek Death for KC Man”
The Kansas City Star, 20 April, 2000 – “Butler Family Fund Offers New Beginning”
Jefferson City News-Tribune, 21 April, 2000 – “Defence Seeks to Suppress Statements”
The Kansas City Star, 9 October, 2000 – “A Girl’s Slaying Changes Family and Others Affected by her Death”
The Kansas City Star, 7 October, 2000 – “KCK Playground Gets a Makeover”
The Kansas City Star, 17 May, 2001 – “Keith Nelson Prosecutors Push for Exam”
The Kansas City Star, 8 September, 2001 – “Attacks on Butler Defendant Alleged”
The Kansas City Star, 19 October, 2001 – “Nelson Refuses Psychiatric Exam”
Associated Press, 26 October, 2001 – “Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Murder”
The Chanute Tribune, 26 October, 2001 – “Man Pleads Guilty in Kidnapping and Death”
The Kansas City Star, 26 October, 2001 – “Nelson Admits he Murdered KCK Girl”
The Kansas City Star, 1 November, 2001 – “Killer’s Lawyers Asking for Delay”
The Kansas City Star, 6 November, 2001 – “Nelson’s Suicide Attempt Called a Ploy”
The Morning Sun, 7 November, 2001 – “Prosecutors Say Nelson Planned Suicide Attempt”
The Chanute Tribune, 8 November, 2001 – “Man Held Competent for Penalty Trial”
Columbia Daily Tribune, 20 November, 2001 – “Child’s Killer Spoke of Fantasies”
The Chanute Tribune, 21 November, 2001 – “Inmates Tell of Nelson Descriptions”
The Examiner, 21 November, 2001 – “Nelson Relished Killing”
The Examiner, 27 November, 2001 – “Nelson’s Mother Recounts Life on Run”
Associated Press, 28 November, 2001 – “Jury Sentences Death for Man”
The Kansas City Star, 28 November, 2001 – “Childhood Called Factor in Nelson Case”
The Kansas City Star, 12 March, 2001 – “Tirade Precedes Sentence of Death”
ABC – 2 WSB, 28 August, 2020 – “Keith Nelson Becomes Fifth Federal Inmate Executed”
FOX – 4 WDAF, 28 August, 2020 – “Justice”
