Image courtesy of Mansfield County Jail
A Predator Hidden in Plain Sight
For years, Reginald Kimbro moved through North Texas committing violent sexual assaults while avoiding serious consequences. His crimes escalated until two women were brutally murdered in 2017, exposing dangerous gaps in how repeat offenders were tracked across jurisdictions.
Who Is Reginald Kimbro
Reginald Kimbro was a Texas man whose criminal behavior followed a chilling pattern. He targeted women he did not know, using sexual violence and strangulation. Despite multiple accusations and forensic evidence connecting him to earlier assaults, he remained free long enough to continue offending.
The Murder of Molly Jane Matheson
In April 2017, 22-year-old Molly Jane Matheson was found dead inside her Fort Worth apartment. She had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled. Evidence showed the killer attempted to clean the scene, washing items in an effort to destroy DNA.
Those attempts failed. Forensic evidence recovered from the apartment would later play a key role in identifying the man responsible.
The Killing of Megan Getrum
Just days later, Kimbro attacked again. Megan Getrum, a 36-year-old woman from Plano, disappeared while walking at a popular nature preserve. Her body was later found in a nearby lake.
She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. The randomness of the attack and the distance between locations confirmed investigators were dealing with a highly dangerous serial offender.
A Long History of Sexual Assault
As law enforcement retraced Kimbro’s past, a disturbing history surfaced. He had been accused of aggravated sexual assault as early as 2012. Additional attacks occurred in multiple Texas cities over the following years.
Several survivors reported being drugged, raped, and strangled. Some survived only because they lost consciousness and were later abandoned. Many of these cases were never fully connected at the time, allowing Kimbro to continue escalating his violence.
How Investigators Connected the Crimes
The case against Kimbro came together through DNA evidence, cell phone records, surveillance footage, and location data. Once arrested, he was conclusively tied to multiple assaults and both murders across several counties.
What investigators uncovered confirmed their worst fears: Kimbro was not a one-time offender, but a serial predator who had gone undetected for years.
Life Without Parole
In 2022, Kimbro pleaded guilty to capital murder and multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault. He received life sentences without the possibility of parole and waived all rights to appeal.
The sentence ensured he would never again pose a threat to the public.
Why This Case Still Matters
The fallout from Kimbro’s crimes led to changes in how sexual assault cases are tracked in Texas, with an emphasis on identifying repeat offenders sooner. His case remains a stark example of what can happen when warning signs are missed and cases remain siloed.
Final Thoughts
Reginald Kimbro’s crimes devastated families and permanently altered the lives of survivors. While justice was ultimately served, the damage left behind underscores the importance of accountability, information sharing, and taking sexual violence seriously before it escalates.
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.
