Lee and Chance Wackerhagen Cold Case Renewed: 1993 Murder and Disappearance in Caldwell County
CALDWELL COUNTY, Texas — Authorities are renewing efforts to solve a nearly 32-year-old case involving the murder of a Caldwell County woman and the disappearance of a father and his young son.
On December 27, 1993, 38-year-old nurse Latricia White was found fatally shot in her McMahan home. Investigators said White had been living with her boyfriend, Lee “Dub” Wackerhagen, who vanished the same day along with his 9-year-old son, Chance.
At the time, authorities considered Wackerhagen a suspect. But decades later, investigators now believe both he and his son were victims of foul play. No forced entry or theft was discovered at the home, leading police to suspect the killing was carried out by someone familiar with White.
The case drew national attention, appearing on Unsolved Mysteries and America’s Most Wanted, but no arrests were ever made. In 2016, the Texas Department of Public Safety said evidence suggested both Lee and Chance were likely killed.
The Texas Rangers’ Cold Case Unit and the Missing Persons Clearinghouse continue to investigate. Officials are asking anyone with information to come forward, noting that even small details could help provide closure to the victims’ families.