On the morning of March 26, 2000, the fire department in Lufkin, Texas, responded to a call at 4:30 a.m. about heavy smoke at the Fox Run Apartments.
The firefighters had to break into one of the apartments to put out the flames. A bed had been set on fire just before they arrived. That was when they discovered the charred body of a woman who was bound to the post of the bed.
The woman was identified as Megan Curl, a 26-year-old woman who had been living in Lufkin for five years. Her body had been burned beyond recognition.
On each side of her throat, she had been cut deeply, almost to the bone. Additionally, a plastic bag had been placed over her head.
Megan Curl was born on October 1, 1973. She was diagnosed with a mild mental disability in the first grade. She was often picked on by other kids in school.
When she was 18 years old, she got married and moved to Arkansas. Her husband turned out to be abusive, so she divorced him. She moved back home and lived in her own apartment.
Friends and family described her as a kind and fun-loving person. Her mother described her as an easy target for men to prey on because of how lonely and vulnerable she was. Sometimes, Megan could be too naive and trusting when it came to men.
On the night of her murder, Megan was out dancing at a nightclub called The Electric Cowboy. She was known to go there often. Several regulars saw her talking to an unidentified man who bought her two drinks at the bar.
At some point in the evening, she was kicked out of the club for provocative dancing. She headed to another club called the Sports Shack by herself.
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It was just down the street from The Electric Cowboy. She talked to a number of people there and then caught a ride home with one of the employees.
She arrived at her apartment at around 1:30 a.m. A friend and neighbor had waited up for Megan. While the two women were discussing details about Megan’s night, a car sped into the parking lot and came to an abrupt stop. Megan thought it was the man she had met earlier, so she went down to meet him.
The friend went back inside. When she looked out, Megan was in the car with the man. The next time she looked, the car was still parked, but they were gone. The friend knocked on Megan’s door at around 2:30 a.m. to check on her.
When Megan opened the door, the friend noticed a man behind her. He was baby-faced, had a small frame, and had blonde hair and a mustache. He wore gold-wire rimmed glasses and seemed to be in his twenties.
Megan confirmed that he was the man from the club. The man didn’t say a word or acknowledge the friend in any way. Megan reassured her that she was fine, so the friend left. That was the last time Megan was seen alive.
Investigators started searching for her murderer immediately. After interviewing past boyfriends, they learned that Megan usually slept in shorts and a T-shirt, but when she was planning to be romantic with someone, she would wear a nightgown. Remnants of a nightgown were found on Megan’s body.
Megan’s mother believes that the murderer must have been someone her daughter knew well. All her past boyfriends had alibis for where they were that night. To this day, her killer has never been found.
Anyone with information about Megan Curl’s case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 639-TIPS.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
