Full Cases
David Parker Ray, the Toy Box Killer: The Case File
Video · 4:03 · Watch on YouTube
David Parker Ray was convicted of kidnapping and torture in 2001 and died in prison in 2002. He was never convicted of murder. Here is the court and FBI record, with sources on screen.
0:00 David Parker Ray case file: overview
0:19 Toy Box Killer arrest, Elephant Butte
0:45 David Parker Ray: the cases, verdict and plea
1:56 What the FBI says about Ray
3:17 Ray case: where it stands
Chapters
- 0:00David Parker Ray case file: overview
- 0:19Toy Box Killer arrest, Elephant Butte
- 0:45David Parker Ray: the cases, verdict and plea
- 1:56What the FBI says about Ray
- 3:17Ray case: where it stands
The record · as of Oct. 30, 2026
How we know
Primary records are court and agency documents; reporting is news coverage we checked against them. How we report.
What happens next
Verified timeline
- 1999-03-22A 22-year-old woman escaped a trailer near Elephant Butte, N.M.; police arrested David Parker Ray and Cindy Hendy that day (reported by police/press; both later convicted or pleaded guilty).Wikipedia; ABC News 2011; Deseret 2011; KRQE
- 1999-03-22Ray was charged with kidnapping and sexual torture counts involving three women (37 counts per AP); charged cases tried separately. Charges only until verdict.Fox/AP 2011; Wikipedia
- 2000-01-01Cindy Hendy sentenced to 36 years after pleading guilty (kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration) and agreeing to testify. Year 2000 per AP/Wikipedia; exact day not verified.Fox/AP 2011; Wikipedia; KRQE
- 2001-01-01Ray convicted at trial of kidnapping and torture of a Colorado woman (2001; AP/Deseret). Wikipedia says this followed a mistrial and retrial on 12 counts. Exact verdict date not verified.Deseret/AP; Fox/AP; Wikipedia
- 2002-05-28Ray died of a heart attack at Lea County Correctional Facility, Hobbs, N.M., age 62, before a planned police interview. Never convicted of murder.Wikipedia; ABC News 2011; Crime Library
- 2011-10-07FBI, N.M. State Police and Albuquerque PD announced a search of a canyon near Elephant Butte Reservoir; FBI spokesman Frank Fisher: 'We aren't looking for any one particular victim.'Deseret/AP; Fox/AP; FBI Albuquerque release
- 2011-10-12FBI spokesman (ABC): 'David Parker Ray wrote in his journals that he had up to 40 victims. We suspect that he could have killed some. We don't know how many.' Attribute to FBI; journals claim not independently verified.ABC News 2011; Deseret/AP
- 2019-07-15Hendy released on parole (card's '2022' is wrong); last two years of the 36 count as parole, no state reporting.KRQE; Grunge; Wikipedia
Also in our research file
- FBI, Other Law Enforcement to Search for Possible Victims of David Parker Ray Primary recordFBI · 2011-10
- FBI Albuquerque: FBI, Other Law Enforcement to Search for Possible Victims of David Parker Ray (Oct 9 2011) Primary recordweb.archive.org
- FBI 2011 'David Ray case' photo gallery (dsc0001.jpg ...) in Wayback: items photos released Nov 2011 Primary recordweb.archive.org
- No additional human remains found at Elephant Butte ReportingKRWG · Oct. 19, 2011
- FBI Search New Mexico Lake for 'Toy Box' Killer's 40 Victims ReportingABC News · Oct. 12, 2011
- FBI Joins Search of New Mexico Lake ReportingFox News · Oct. 10, 2011
- FBI plans New Mexico search in serial killer case ReportingDeseret News · Oct. 7, 2011
- KRQE: Hendy released July 2019 (36-year sentence, last two years as parole) Reportingdigital-release.krqe.com
- KRQE gallery: Letter from Hendy's 2006 petition asking judge to reconsider sentence Reportingkrqe.com
- Smoking Gun: 1999 probable-cause affidavits, Ray and Hendy (5 scanned pages) Reportingweb.archive.org
- David Parker Ray SecondaryWikipedia
- What Happened To The Toy Box Killer's Accomplice, Cindy Hendy? SecondaryGrunge
Updates and corrections
Spot an error? Email corrections@undercurrentdaily.com. See our corrections policy. Have information about this case? Contact the investigating agency first.
