Dottie & Bob Tidwell were murdered on November 23, 1983. The couple was found in their home in Roanoke, Texas.
Their house was set on fire to cover up the crimes that had been committed there and to destroy any remaining pieces of evidence. To this day, the case remains unsolved.
Dottie Rowden Tidwell and Bob Tidwell lived in the Oak Country Estates in Roanoke, Texas (approx. 5 miles northeast of Keller, TX). Their remains were found among the ashes.
The authorities did not find any traces or hints of a “robbery gone bad.” There did not seem to be anything such as an open safe or another type of fire-retardant box used to store documentations, insurance policies, and/or jewelry.
Police never found anyone with a motive strong enough to commit these crimes and the opportunity to do so. Everyone they could think of was investigated and ultimately, cleared.
A neighbor had heard two gunshots. The trouble is that the Star-Telegram reported that “no one has said they heard the shotgun blasts.”
The Tidwells were shot in broad daylight at a time that people are usually very busy, the morning commute. Yet nobody saw a strange car coming or leaving the neighbourhood.
Dottie & Bob did not seem to have any enemies. Bob (34) was a Texas realtor and Dottie (40) was an interior designer. According to the papers, they did not have any debts and neither of them had a criminal record.
According to newspaper articles, the Tidwells were each shot twice at close range with a 20-gauge shotgun.
Dottie had also been bludgeoned with a heavy object. I assume on her head. She was shot once in her ear (no information as to left or right ear) and once in her chest (not specified where or at heart area). I have not found any details about Bob’s injuries.
The papers mentioned that bloodstains found in several areas of the house indicated that the Tidwells could have been assaulted and killed in different rooms. They were both found in their bedroom.
As for the murder weapon, police found “stocks of two weapons in the debris which could have been the weapons used.” I hope that this has been preserved.
There are no other newspaper articles online about this case at least, none that I could find. The information that I have comes from these copied articles. They were given to me by the Tidwell family.
If you have any information that could help the Roanoke Police Department, call 817-491-6052. Their website is here.
Rest in peace, Dottie & Bob Tidwell.