Beyond the Headlines: How one East Texas detective uses AI to generate new leads in 1999 cold case
HENDERSON, Texas (KETK)– Twenty-six years ago, in Henderson, a 13-year-old girl disappeared, shaking the East Texas community. Now, in 2025, one detective is working diligently to give them answers.
KETK News had the opportunity to talk to Detective Bice of the Henderson Police Department, who has been leading the investigation into the disappearance of middle schooler Samatha Lynn Clonch for almost a year.
During the interview, KETK News went beyond the headlines and learned more about Clonch’s story from her disappearance one fall morning in September 1999 to a middle school yearbook, uncovering new information.
1999: Clonch’s disappearance
On the morning of Sept. 9, 1999, Clonch was seen leaving her home on Bourne Street in Henderson without her backpack and walking the opposite way from the Henderson Middle School.
“She had just started eighth grade and had left the house that morning, presumably, to go to school,” Bice said. “Her mom noticed that after she had left the house, her backpack was still sitting beside the door. So she went out to try and catch her to tell her, ‘Hey, you forgot your backpack,’ and she saw Clonch walking the opposite direction from the school.”
That was the last time Clonch’s mom ever saw her daughter. Their home was later demolished to build the middle school parking lot.
Clonch’s description in 1999:
- Race: White with Native American descent
- Eyes: Brown
- Hair: Brown
- Height: 5 feet and 6 inches
- Weight: Around 110 pounds
2025: AI to generate leads
Recently, detectives used AI technology to enhance Clonch’s yearbook photo from August 1999, aiming to create a clearer image that might help jog memories or generate new leads.
“There were some minor changes, like her mouth shape was a little bit different,” Bice said. “Her eye shape was a little bit different, but we decided to go ahead and post both of them because the new AI-generated photo gives more of an interpersonal feeling, like it’s clear, you can kind of see into her eyes, you feel like she’s looking at you. So we were hoping that the photo would kind of invoke just anybody who thought that they had information to come forward.”
Bice explained that the enhanced photo was then shared on the Henderson Police Department’s Facebook, reaching more than 35,000 people.
Updates in the case
One of the significant updates in the case is the information that Clonch had cut her hair short before her disappearance, contrary to the long-haired photo that had been circulated for 26 years. This detail could be crucial in identifying her or uncovering new information.
“When I conducted a recent interview with [Clonch’s] mom, she had told me that [Clonch] had cut her hair short in the months prior to her disappearance, because she wanted to look more similar to her older sister, who had short hair at the time,” Bice said. “When I saw that [yearbook] photo in the case file with the short hair, I knew that had to be a more recent photo.”
Mexico theory:
Over the years, there have also been rumors that Clonch might have gone to Mexico, possibly starting a new life there. Detective Bice mentioned that this is one of the active leads they are pursuing, with cooperation from the Texas Rangers.
“We have an individual who’s in Mexico, who is vaguely saying that [Clonch] is possibly still located in Mexico and maybe married and has a family,” Bice said. “We’re working cooperatively with the Texas Rangers right now, who are trying to get a good contact with that individual to get more information to find out if that’s good information or not.”
New Summerfield theory:
Bice explained that there is also another workable lead that led the original investigators to a New Summerfield convenience store in 1999, where her sister was living at the time.
“[Original investigators] documented in the report that a gas station clerk at the time had identified Clonch and her sister inside the convenience store, the day that our detectives went out to follow up on her, which would have been Sept. 15,” Bice said.
Despite this original report, that is all the information Bice has right now until someone can confirm Clonch actually made it to New Summerfield.
If anyone has any information regarding the theory that Clonch was in New Summerfield with her sister on Sept. 15, 1999, or if they resided in a trailer park off Gin Road, where Clonch’s sister also resided, they are encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department.
Bice explained that Clonch’s sister couldn’t confirm she was with her at the convenience store or the trailer park in New Summerfield. She no longer lives in the area, so Bice’s only contact has been by phone.
Next steps
Despite these new leads, many parts of Clonch’s disappearance remain a mystery, which is why Bice explained how crucial it is for the community to come forward if they have any information.
“If they think they saw something or they think they know something, no matter how big or how small, they should come forward with it, because it could be the missing part of the puzzle that we need,” Bice said.
People are encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department at 903-657-3512 to request to talk to Detective Bice if they have any information about Clonch’s disappearance.
This story is the fourth edition of Beyond the Headlines, where KETK News covers unsolved cases in East Texas. The other three are below:
- Beyond the Headlines: How one daughter’s podcast revives hope in an East Texas mother’s 35-year-old cold case
- Beyond the Headlines: Who was the East Texas brother who was murdered nearly 40 years ago?
- Beyond the Headlines: Who was the East Texas mom of 3 who was murdered in 2006?
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