Murder of Kacie Woody

Kacie Woody
Kacie Woody
Born	October 17, 1989 (age 37); Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	December 4, 2002 (aged 13)
Occupation	Student
Known for	Victim of abduction and murder by online predator

Kacie Rene Woody (October 17, 1989 – December 4, 2002) was a teenager from Holland, Arkansas, who became the victim of abduction, sexual assault, and murder perpetrated by 47-year-old David Leslie Fuller of La Mesa, California. Fuller assumed the identity of a 17-year-old named Dave Fagen within a Christian teen chat room on Yahoo! Messenger. He traveled to Arkansas and kidnapped Kacie from her residence on December 3, 2002. The next day, both Kacie and Fuller were discovered deceased inside a minivan located in a storage facility in Conway, Arkansas; Fuller had taken his own life as law enforcement approached.

This case is recognized as one of the earliest extensively documented examples of an online predator exploiting the Internet to groom, abduct, and ultimately kill a minor. It has been featured on Investigation Discovery programs such as Web of Lies and Man with a Van. In response to Kacie’s tragic death, her family and close associates founded the Kacie Woody Foundation to raise awareness among parents and children about the risks associated with Internet use.

Background

Kacie was born on October 17, 1989, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to parents Rick and Kristie Woody. She had two siblings: Austin and Tim. On June 19, 1997, her mother died in an automobile accident involving a horse; Rick survived the crash with broken ribs while driving.

In 2002, Kacie resided in Holland, Arkansas with her father Rick, brother Tim, and Tim’s friend Eric Betts. Her maternal aunt Teresa Paul lived next door. Kacie was a student at Greenbrier Middle School where she participated in band, choir, and gifted education programs. She was known for her warm personality and caring nature, enjoying activities such as poetry writing, singing, dancing, and playing the saxophone.

The family lived in a rural setting where long-distance landline calls were expensive. To facilitate communication with friends affordably, Rick permitted Kacie to use instant messaging on their home computer. She created accounts on Yahoo! Messenger using screen names like "modelbehavior63" or "modelbehavior36." Through chat rooms, she met new acquaintances including "jazzman_df," who introduced himself as Dave Fagen, a surfer from California. They developed a rapport by exchanging personal stories; Dave mentioned his aunt in Arkansas was in a coma following a car accident.

Kacie shared this information with family members and friends; two close friends, Sam and Jessica, also connected with Dave online. Sam cautioned Kacie about trusting individuals she met on the Internet. Rick worked rotating shifts as a police officer and was aware of her online interactions but remained unconcerned provided she stayed at home. When Kacie informed Rick that Dave was about to turn 18, he prohibited further contact; nonetheless, she continued communicating with Dave by phone despite incurring long-distance charges.

One evening during autumn 2002, while Jessica was spending the night at Kacie’s house, they heard noises suggesting someone might be outside. Kacie expressed fear to Dave during their chat; he reassured her that no one was present and the sounds ceased.

Sam questioned Dave’s claimed age because of his use of outdated slang terms such as "groovy" and "far out," which Kacie attributed to his California origins.

Kacie also befriended "Tazz2999," who identified himself as Scott—a 14-year-old football enthusiast from Alpharetta, Georgia. Their relationship began on October 3, 2002. Dave indicated he preferred to remain friends but increasingly discussed his aunt’s deteriorating health.

On December 3, 2002, Sam noticed that Kacie had Scott’s photograph in her school locker and remarked that he was "hot," which Kacie misheard as "fat," leading to an argument. Sam warned Kacie against sharing her home address with strangers online; however, Kacie dismissed these concerns. Unbeknownst to Kacie, Sam reported to the school counselor that Kacie had been distributing her phone number to unknown individuals online. The counselor subsequently cautioned Kacie about the dangers of Internet communication and meeting online contacts without parental oversight. Kacie insisted she only shared her number with people approved by her father; Sam remained skeptical.

After school that day, Kacie requested several friends to join her for a sleepover on a school night but was declined by all. She appeared unaffected and said goodbye before boarding the bus. Sam and Jessica found this change in behavior unusual enough to take note.

Disappearance and investigation

On the evening in question, Kacie was alone at home; her brother Tim was attending college, Eric Betts was at an electrician class, and Rick was working a shift in Greenbrier. Meanwhile, her aunt Paul was present at a basketball game. Kacie was engaged in instant messaging (IM) with her boyfriend Scott while simultaneously speaking on the phone with Dave. Dave mentioned that his "aunt's" health was deteriorating and that he was driving to Arkansas to be by her side. At 9:41 PM (CST or EST), communication between Kacie and Scott suddenly ceased. Concerned, Scott sent multiple messages and reached out to Jessica and the Woody household, but received no response.

Betts returned home around 10:15 PM CST, assuming Kacie was either asleep or out, and proceeded with his usual activities. When Tim arrived at 11:40 PM and discovered Kacie missing, he immediately notified Rick, who hurried back home. Upon arrival, Rick noticed signs of disruption: Kacie’s reading glasses were broken, her Yorkshire Terrier appeared injured and limping, and the computer remained powered on with the chat window still active. After contacting friends who had not heard from Kacie recently, Rick called the police for assistance. Either Tim or Betts informed Scott about the last exchanges with Kacie.

Initially, law enforcement considered the possibility that Kacie had run away; however, Rick rejected this theory, emphasizing that she seemed content and had left no hints suggesting she intended to leave. Given the near-freezing temperatures around 30°F accompanied by rain that night, along with Kacie’s coats and shoes left behind, authorities suspected she had been abducted. A comprehensive investigation ensued involving the FBI, Arkansas State Police, Faulkner County officers, canine units, and volunteers. At 5:14 AM, a Level II Morgan Nick alert was issued. Investigators confiscated the Woody family computer and interviewed school personnel and students regarding Scott and Dave. FBI agents discovered notes containing their names among Kacie’s discarded trash. Scott’s computer location traced back to Alpharetta; his parents were unaware of both Kacie and his involvement with her. After verifying his identity and alibi, Scott was cleared of suspicion.

Authorities uncovered that Dave claimed to be traveling from California to Arkansas during the timeframe of Kacie’s disappearance. A search near the Conway Motel 6 revealed a 1993 Buick Regal bearing California license plates registered to David Fuller. Fuller had checked in on December 2 for a week-long stay, requested no housekeeping service, and complained about poor Internet connectivity. Inside his room were packed bags, a laptop computer, camouflage attire, rubber gloves; however, the bed appeared unused.

At Conway Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Fuller exhibited unusual conduct—taking frequent smoking breaks while renting a silver Dodge Caravan—and phone records linked calls from the Woody residence to numbers associated with him. His credit card transactions included recent payments at a local self-storage facility. Fuller was identified as "Dave" and emerged as a suspect.

Conway Police Sergeant Jim Barrett alongside FBI agents arrived at Fuller’s storage unit around 6:00 PM on December 4. The unit’s door had been pulled down without any lock securing it; inside sat the running silver Dodge Caravan facing outward. As Barrett attempted to enter, a gunshot rang out; officers took cover and called for reinforcements. SWAT teams breached the unit approximately at 8:30 PM.

Fuller had inflicted a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head as Barrett lifted the door; his body lay behind the minivan clutching a 9mm Luger near removed rear seats. Kacie’s body was discovered lying face-up in the van’s rear compartment with wrists and ankles shackled to anchors on the floor. She had been sexually assaulted prior to being fatally shot in the head. Nearby were a half-empty bottle of chloroform and a rag placed by her head (the bottle had reportedly been found earlier in the Woody residence). Although determining exact time of death proved difficult, medical examiners concluded she had been rendered unconscious by chloroform from abduction until murder several hours later.

Perpetrator

David Leslie Fuller (January 18, 1955 – December 4, 2002) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the youngest among four siblings to Edward "Ned" and June Fuller, both devoted members of the Mormon faith.

At age 19, Fuller married a woman whose identity remains undisclosed and relocated to Moab, Utah; however, this marriage was short-lived. During the early 1980s, he encountered Sally Krens while playing bass guitar. They wed on May 21, 1983, and settled in Salt Lake City, remaining married until his passing.

In 1989, Fuller enlisted with the Navy Seabees. The couple lived in Gulfport, Mississippi, where their son was born, then moved to Maryland for the birth of their daughter, followed by a relocation to San Diego. At the time of Fuller's death, their children were aged 11 and 7. Around 1997, the family established residence in La Mesa, and Fuller left military service two years later.

Fuller gradually exhibited increasing anger problems and mood instability. He began spending extensive periods online and taking late-night walks while engaged in phone conversations. In June 2002, Krens initiated divorce proceedings, which provoked anger in Fuller upon his return from visiting his parents.

In August 2002, California Child Protective Services investigated an accusation that Fuller had showered with his daughter; the claim was ultimately disproven. After moving into a separate apartment in La Mesa, Fuller was arrested for domestic violence following an incident involving forced entry into Krens’ home. His criminal history included prior arrests for indecent exposure involving young girls and termination from a used car dealership job due to viewing pornography on a work computer.

Following Fuller's death, an FBI search of his residence revealed a collage of photographs of Kacie near his computer and documents containing contact information for her and her friends. Among stored digital files was a poem written by Kacie about her mother’s passing alongside images of her peers. Using the pseudonym Dave Fagen, Fuller attempted to groom at least three other girls approximately Kacie’s age beginning in winter 2000; none of these attempts progressed to face-to-face meetings. He offered a plane ticket to a girl from Michigan (which she declined) and sent unsolicited flowers to another girl in Dallas.

Investigators uncovered records indicating two visits by Fuller to Arkansas during fall 2002. On October 11, he arrived at Clinton National Airport, rented a vehicle, and stayed at Motel 6 in Conway—likely conducting surveillance near Kacie’s residence. On November 2, he purchased a firearm under the pretense of target practice for his children. Two days later, he returned to Little Rock, rented another car, checked into Motel 6 once more, visited Guardsmart seeking large storage units while claiming to have bought vehicles, and extended his stay until November 8. Authorities believe he planned Kacie’s abduction during this period but failed to execute it.

Upon returning home, Fuller acquired duct tape, chains, zip ties from Home Depot, and chloroform from a chemical supplier. He packed these items into his Buick Regal before driving back to Arkansas to abduct Kacie.

DNA testing through CODIS revealed no connections to previous crimes.

Fuller was cremated; Krens retained his ashes with plans to scatter them at Mount Olympus. His remains were interred at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Millcreek, Utah, alongside those of his parents who passed away after him.

Reactions

At first, Fuller's parents found it hard to believe the allegations concerning their son's involvement in the crime and his death, but law enforcement eventually persuaded them of the truth. Ned Fuller, Kacie's father, wanted to reach out to Rick Woody to express his sympathies; however, police officers advised against it.

Kacie’s funeral was held on December 9, and she was laid to rest at South Crossroads Church Cemetery in Rose Bud, Arkansas, alongside her mother.

To honor Kacie's memory, her relatives and friends created the Kacie Woody Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to raising awareness among parents and children about Internet safety. Rick Woody established this foundation to help avert similar incidents. The foundation’s website was taken offline in 2024.

In early 2003, Rick gave permission for federal and state authorities to incorporate Kacie’s story into the FBI’s Internet safety and law enforcement training initiative called "Innocent Images." By June of that year, the FBI distributed patches depicting a teddy bear beside a computer screen inscribed with "KACIE WOODY 1989-2002" to members of the task force.

During an interview on Man With a Van, Jessica recounted hearing an intruder on the night she stayed at the Woody residence, speculating that it might have been Fuller attempting to abduct either her or Kacie.

On December 3, 2012, a decade after Kacie’s abduction, family and friends gathered for a commemorative service at Greenbrier High School.

Media appearances

In December 2003, Cathy Frye, a former journalist from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, produced a four-part documentary entitled Caught in the Web, which explored Kacie’s life and tragic murder.
Investigation Discovery broadcasted an episode called "Age, Sex, Location" on January 15, 2014, as part of its series Web of Lies, covering Kacie’s case.
On February 20, 2020, the show Man With a Van on Investigation Discovery aired an episode named "Catfish Killer," detailing this case.
On March 8, 2021, Tim Woody—Kacie’s brother and now a law enforcement officer—was interviewed by KATV, where he discussed his sister’s death and emphasized online safety precautions.

External links