The Phantom: Sierra Vista’s Most Horrific Resident

When we think of Serial Killers, we think of the big ones: The Zodiac, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, etc. These stories are so well known these days, they've lost much of their shock value.

You never want your town tied to a string of brutal murders, but unfortunately, Sierra Vista's name has already been tarnished.

The Phantom Murders

In 1967, Sierra Vista was rocked by one of the most gruesome sights anyone could imagine. A seven year old girl by the name of Cindy Clelland was found in the middle of the desert, mutilated and obviously murdered. Police began the investigation immediately, but the killer made himself known. He delivered a handwritten letter to SVPD that read "I am The Phantom. You have found my first victim. My next victim lives on Steffan Street. 9 yrs old. (Fools!!!)". SVPD took no chance, identified the probable victim, and provided round-the-clock protection. That wasn't enough.

On June 22nd, shortly after the letter arrived, six year old Jenelle Haines went missing. Her body was found later that day, much in the same state the previous victim had been.

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Was The Killer Caught?

Luckily, it didn't take long to track down the murderer. Closer to a demon than a human being, 16 year old William Huff was found guilty. He had had multiple run-ins with SVPD already, and his handwriting and description matched those in the police database. He was arrested, and sentenced to 55 years for the murders.

He was released in 2016 on house arrest in Tucson, but shortly was sent back in 2019 for violating his parole. An eight year old girl was found in his apartment on a surprise visit by his parole officers, and he was sent right back to the slammer, where he will likely stay until his death.

[AZ Family][KBZK7]