HCSO Makes Arrest For 1976 Murder
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Cold Case investigators have charged a 61-year-old male for the murder of a man whose body was found near Atascocita Road over 40 years ago.
On Tuesday, May 11, 1976, at approximately 6:00am, the nude body of an adult white male was found on an oil field road (private road) just north of 3000 Atascocita Road. The victim had multiple stab wounds and lacerations on his torso, head and neck.
The victim was later identified as 28-year-old Rene Anthony Guillotte of Houston.
Investigators were able to determine that the victim was last seen leaving a bar at approximately 1:00am, in the Montrose area of Houston on this same date. They canvassed the Montrose area and conducted several interviews with witnesses.
The original investigation eventually grew cold after exhaustive work by the HCSO Homicide Division and the case went unsolved.
In July of 2014, the Cold Case Unit began review of this case. While conducting follow-up investigation, investigators were able to link physical evidence recovered at the crime scene and evidence recovered at autopsy to David Lee Edds.
Research revealed Edds lived in Humble, just a couple miles from the crime scene, at the time of the murder.
Cold Case investigators interviewed Edds earlier this year. He denied knowing the victim, being at the crime scene or having any knowledge of the murder. He could offer no explanation as to why he was linked to the crime scene and to the victim by physical evidence.
Investigators learned that Edds was charged by the Houston Police Department in 1977 for assaulting a man with a knife after leaving a bar in the Montrose area.
Edds has a lengthy criminal history dating back to his juvenile years, including homicide, burglary, robbery, narcotics possession, weapons charges, DWI, bail jumping and parole violations.
