Man Sentenced for 1982 Murder of Odessa Woman After Cold Case Breakthrough

ODESSA, Texas (TCN) — More than four decades after the brutal murder of 64-year-old Velma Nesset, a 62-year-old man, Billy Ludwigson, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for her killing. Ludwigson pleaded guilty to the 1982 murder, which had gone unsolved for nearly 42 years. The case was recently revived thanks to advances in forensic technology.

According to a September 25 news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Nesset’s remains were found in a drainage culvert, showing evidence of sexual assault. Nesset, who worked at Permian Mall, was reported missing on April 19, 1982, after failing to show up to work. Her partially nude body was discovered shortly thereafter, leading to an intense investigation.

At the time, Odessa Police arrested a male suspect who allegedly confessed to the crime. However, the 1983 trial resulted in an acquittal due to insufficient evidence and what authorities later identified as a false confession. The case went cold for decades.

In 2020, the investigation was reignited through the use of a sexual assault kit initiative. This advanced testing identified Ludwigson as the primary suspect. In July of that year, Texas Rangers and Odessa Police arrested Ludwigson in Denver, where he confessed to the murder. He was extradited to Texas in October 2020 and later indicted on murder charges by an Ector County jury.

After more than 40 years, justice has finally been served for Velma Nesset with Ludwigson’s guilty plea and 20-year prison sentence.