Full Notification

(Harris County, TX) Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Cold Case investigators were informed of the capture of David Lee Edds by members of the US Marshals Task Force based in Hattiesburg , Mississippi.

He was taken into custody this morning in a wooded area outside of Waynesboro , MS.

Investigators believe Edds fled the Harris County area , after he was indicted for murder last week.

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.

Investigators canvassed the Montrose area and conducted several interviews with witnesses.

Investigators worked in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and the Texas Rangers during the original investigation.

The original investigation 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 close proximity to the crime scene at the time of the murder.

Cold Case investigators interviewed Edds in 2017.

Edds 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.

Some of his arrests/convictions included homicide, burglary, robbery, narcotics possession, weapons charges, DWI, bail jumping and parole violations.