By Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose
How An Unlikely Prison Friendship Began
Former Harris County deputy Kent McGowen says one of the most unexpected chapters of his life began while serving a prison sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
McGowen was convicted in the 1992 murder of Susan White and spent 19 years in prison before he was paroled. Since his release, he has spoken publicly about his case and his time in prison, including conversations he says he had with convicted serial killer Roy Alan Stuart.
According to McGowen, he spent nearly two years housed near convicted serial killer Roy Alan Stuart, where the two developed an unlikely relationship that led to conversations about alleged unsolved murders across Southeast Texas.
McGowen says he carefully documented those conversations, typed formal reports, and later turned the information over to multiple law enforcement agencies.
I have not independently verified Stuart’s alleged prison statements or whether they resulted in any solved criminal cases.
An Unlikely Prison Conversation
McGowen told me that most inmates avoided Stuart, describing him as someone who appeared exactly how many people would imagine a serial killer.
After noticing Stewart sitting alone, McGowen said he bought him a pint of ice cream and a soft drink from the prison commissary.
According to McGowen, that simple act led Stuart to begin discussing murders he claimed to have committed throughout Texas.
“Nobody would talk to Roy,” McGowen said. “After that, he just started talking.”
McGowen said one reason he began paying close attention was because Stuart showed him what McGowen recalls was a letter that Stuart claimed had been written by attorney Tom Selleck. According to McGowen, Stuart also claimed Selleck represented him at the time. Selleck currently serves as the Brazoria County Criminal District Attorney and previously worked as an assistant district attorney before entering private practice. I have not independently verified the letter, its authenticity, or Stuart’s claim regarding the alleged legal representation.
Claims Of Additional Victims
McGowen alleges Stuart described several killings that were never publicly connected to him.
Among the stories McGowen recalls were allegations involving:
A woman allegedly abducted from Houston during rodeo season.
A victim allegedly killed near a waterway in Brazoria County.
Bodies allegedly disposed of in or near the Brazos River.
Additional killings Stuart allegedly discussed involving Southeast Texas.
McGowen says Stuart showed no remorse while recounting the alleged crimes.
Documenting Every Conversation
Rather than relying on memory, McGowen says he immediately began documenting the conversations.
He kept handwritten notes while incarcerated before later typing formal reports describing what Stuart allegedly told him.
McGowen says he eventually forwarded those reports to multiple law enforcement agencies, including investigators in several Texas counties.
“I wanted to document everything while it was still fresh,” McGowen said.
Investigators Later Contacted Him
According to McGowen, investigators later reached out requesting copies of his notes.
He says an FBI agent also contacted him after learning about the reports and asked to review the journals because they reflected his contemporaneous observations while Stuart was allegedly making the statements.
McGowen says he continues to maintain copies of those writings today.
Questions Still Remain
Whether Stuart’s alleged prison statements can ever be verified remains unknown.
At this time, I have not found any publicly available records that independently confirm the additional alleged victims described by McGowen.
However, McGowen believes investigators considered the information important enough to request his documentation years after the conversations took place.
As part of my continuing coverage, I am preparing additional public records requests to determine what investigative steps, if any, followed McGowen’s submissions.
This remains an active reporting project. If you have firsthand knowledge related to Roy Alan Stuart or the investigations discussed in this article, contact me through ChopperRose.com
Related Coverage
Convicted Former Deputy Says He Was Framed — But Key Questions Remain (coming soon)
Rebecca Beard Investigation: Exclusive Interviews And Court Records
Texas Killing Fields: Continuing Coverage
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