Jess Sexton

William "Jess" Sexton (b. London, October 28, 1879) came to the United States of America as an infant with his parents who settled in Walla Walla, Washington in 1880. Sexton enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Spanish American War and became a decorated soldier. When he was discharged he returned to Walla Walla and married.

Sexton became a farmer and joined the race for sheriff in Walla Walla county sheriffs's race. Sexton won the election and two days before he was to take office he suddenly disappeared. The investigation yielded no clues and the case stalled for ten years until Sexton's widow sold their farm and moved to California. In 1930 a local farmer bought the farm and plowed up the paddock area thereby finding human bones. The police were called and the bones were collected and examined and found to be male. Aware of Sexton's disappearance the sheriff sought to question Sexton's widow. She was not located at the address she had given to the buyer of property. Despite an intensive search Rose Abbott Sexton was never found.

In 1935 a Rose Abbott was arrested in Los Angeles, California for theft of money from a well known directors wife for whom she worked as a housekeeper. She quickly confessed that she had killed her husband in Washington several years before. Before her trial for theft she recanted the confession. Abbott was found guilty of the theft and served one year in jail. When she was released she left Los Angeles and was never heard from again.

To date the murder of William Jess Sexton has never been solved.