Viswa Vanapalli
One night in May 1991, Kathy Page left home for a fun night out but sadly never returned. She was found dead under suspicious circumstances the following day. What followed was an investigation that placed her husband, Steve, front and center. The episode of the ‘Crime Junkie’ podcast titled ‘MURDERED: Kathy Page’ delves into Kathy’s unsolved murder and what happened in the aftermath. So, if you’re curious to find out more about this case, we’ve got you covered.
How Did Kathy Page Die?
Lucille Katherine “Kathy” Fulton was born in Mississippi in January 1957 to James and Dorothy Fulton. At the time of the incident, she had been living in Vidor, Texas. The 34-year-old was a waitress at a restaurant in Beaumont, Texas. Kathy had been married to Steve for over a decade, and the couple had two daughters — Erin and Monica. Furthermore, the couple had been preparing for divorce when tragedy struck.
Kathy left home on the night of May 13, 1991, to meet some friends and another man she was seeing. They were in Beaumont, but Kathy never returned home. The following morning at around 5 am, a paperboy discovered Kathy’s car in a ditch about 100 yards from the Page residence. She was in the driver’s seat and had blood on the back of her head. An autopsy revealed she died of strangulation and transfer blood indicated her clothes were put on after the injury. From the scene, it was clear that someone staged it to look like an accident.
Who Killed Kathy Page?
The authorities learned that in the days leading up to the incident, Kathy had asked Steve for a separation. He had moved his things out of the house and lived elsewhere. According to Kathy’s sister, Sherry, the couple’s marriage had problems, and Steve slept on the couch. She further stated that Kathy and Steve argued on May 6, 1991. While Sherry did allege that Steve would get physical with Kathy during arguments, testimony from others refuted that claim.
Charlotte, a friend of Kathy’s, later stated that Kathy called her at around 9:30 pm or 10 pm on May 13, 1991. She asked Charlotte to cover for her since she was meeting a man. Steve, who claimed to have not known about the affair, told the police that Kathy had asked him to watch the kids that night. He added that they had sex the same night, after which he said Kathy left around 11:15 pm.
The investigation revealed that Kathy left the hotel in Beaumont at about 2:30 am on May 14, 1991, with her body being found mere hours later. When the police went to alert Steve about her death, they noticed that he seemed emotional but saw no tears. Charlotte later testified that Steve called her around 5:30 am to find out where Kathy was. Furthermore, during the investigation, Steve claimed to have called Charlotte at around 2:30 am as well but later changed the time.
At one point, Steve told Kathy’s mother that he never wanted the killer found and hoped the police wouldn’t search the place. He claimed they would find blood because Kathy bled while shaving. On May 18, 1991, in another suspicious move, Steve spilled grease on the carpet where he claimed they had sex before she died. After that, Steve burned the towels he used to clean up in the backyard. There was also testimony regarding family members shampooing the carpet.
While there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest Steve, a civil trial in 2000 found him liable for Kathy’s wrongful death. According to court documents, there was evidence of Steve getting physical during arguments. Furthermore, circumstantial evidence suggested he followed Kathy to Beaumont. While Steve remains the prime suspect, he has never been charged, and the case remains unsolved.
A hefty reward has been offered for any information that would help solve the case. Kathy’s father, James, was disappointed with how the investigation unfolded and put up billboards that accused the police of “botching” the case and “taking bribes.” He said, “They’ll stay up until I die or we find out what happened. I always figured one day, someone would come along and solve the case.” For the uninitiated, the unsolved case of Kathy Page’s death has also reportedly served as an inspiration for the Oscar-winning movie ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.’
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