Mary Day
Four-year-old Mary Day was kidnapped from a rural road in Brenham, Texas by Cameron Willingham, who would later gain fame for his controversial execution in a separate arson case.
This entry corrects a reference. Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in 2004 for an arson fire that killed his three daughters in 1991. His execution became one of the most controversial in American history after fire science experts concluded the fire was accidental, not arson. The Innocence Project and multiple investigations have argued Willingham was innocent.
Willingham did have prior convictions for burglary and theft but was not connected to a Mary Day kidnapping. This case file documents the wrongful execution controversy.
In 2009, a Texas Forensic Science Commission investigation found that the original arson determination was based on outdated and unscientific methods. Governor Rick Perry replaced members of the commission before they could issue their findings.
The case remains a flashpoint in the debate over capital punishment in the United States. If Willingham was indeed innocent, his execution would represent one of the most significant failures of the American justice system.
Curated starting points for verifying and researching this case. Direct references are checked; search links are provided as further-reading aids. ColdCaseIndex is an index of public information — see a case correction? Email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Have Information About This Case?
Cold cases are solved when someone comes forward. Even a detail that seems minor can matter. If you have any information about this case, contact law enforcement through one of these channels:
- FBI Tips (tips.fbi.gov) — submit a tip online to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- FBI Tip Line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
- The local police department or sheriff's office in Texas, or the state bureau of investigation
Tips can usually be submitted anonymously. To report an error on this page, email info@coldcaseindex.com.