The ToyBox Killer_ David Parker Ray

← Return to Archive

🎬 Watch The ToyBox Killer_ David Parker Ray

⚠️ Viewer discretion advised. Contains disturbing content based on real events.

David Parker Ray, known as the "Toy Box Killer," was an American kidnapper, torturer, serial rapist, and suspected serial killer who operated primarily in Elephant Butte, New Mexico, from at least 1957 until his arrest in 1999. He constructed a soundproofed, repurposed cargo trailer on his property, which he called the "Toy Box," where he allegedly tortured and sexually abused numerous women. The trailer was equipped with a gynecology chair, mirrors, chains, pulleys, whips, surgical instruments, syringes, electrical shock devices, and other torture implements, and Ray spent an estimated $100,000 outfitting it. He used the space to inflict physical and psychological torment on his victims, often recording the abuse on video or audio. Ray targeted women, particularly sex workers and drug addicts, luring them with ruses such as posing as a police officer or soliciting them. His final known victim, Cynthia Vigil, escaped on March 22, 1999, after being held captive for three days. During her captivity, Ray and his accomplice, Cindy Hendy, tortured her with whips, chains, and electric shocks, and she used an ice pick to stab Hendy and flee. The discovery of the "Toy Box" and evidence such as a fake police badge, the victim's clothing, and audio tapes confirmed the extent of the abuse. Ray was arrested and charged with 12 counts, including kidnapping, aggravated battery, and conspiracy, but was never formally convicted of murder despite allegations that he killed between 45 and 60 women. He claimed to have drugged victims to erase their memories and disposed of bodies by burying them, dumping them in Elephant Butte Lake, or leaving them in ravines. Authorities have never recovered any bodies, and no definitive evidence has linked him to any confirmed murders. Ray was transported to the Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs, New Mexico, on May 28, 2002, to be questioned by state police but died of a heart attack before the interrogation could take place, at the age of 62. With his death, the investigation into his alleged crimes became a dead end, though the "Toy Box" was opened to the public in 2002 in hopes of prompting more victims to come forward. In 2011, the FBI conducted a search near Elephant Butte Lake for potential remains but found none. In 2012, Australian authorities contacted the FBI about a possible victim named Connie, mentioned in a letter found in Ray's residence, but no confirmation was established. Ray's case remains one of the most disturbing in American criminal history, with his torture chamber and methods influencing popular culture, including films like Saw and television series like Criminal Minds.

← Return to Archive