But, none of that happened."
Investigators noted Duckett left early for his phosphate mine shift the night Weldon vanished, arriving late and disheveled.
He lived near the dump site and brought home a stuffed kitten matching one Weldon bought that day.
"James Duckett viciously abducted, we suspect raped, and we know from circumstance, murdered, violently murdered this little girl," said Judd.
Sheriff Judd noted that despite testing over 10 clothing items as technology advanced, no usable DNA evidence or witnesses ever emerged.
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"There was no obvious evidence at the scene," said Judd.
Detectives accumulated tens of thousands of hours on the investigation, but investigators never identified any other suspect.
Judd attempted to interview Duckett prior to his execution, but the inmate refused to meet with investigators.
"He was a psychopathic, murdering, egotistical, vicious child pedophile up to the very end," said Judd.
Family members and friends of Weldon attended Duckett's execution, expressing relief that the process concluded.
"Even though we know that Duckett killed her, they didn't have to let us be there," said Mindy Oakley, Jeanifer's best friend.
"They didn't have to let us attend the execution, and we're grateful to her family for giving us that closure."
Weldon's family reaffirmed their belief in capital punishment following the execution.
"Anybody who doesn't believe in the death penalty is crazy, because what if that was your daughter, your sister, your aunt, you know?
I believe in the death penalty and that was justice and if my mom was alive, she'd be good with it," said Amy Weldon, Jeanifer's older sister.
