Trey Carlock was silenced to his grave in 2019 at age 28 after a retraumatizing civil litigation process with Kanakuk Ministries. Their well-known director, Pete Newman, groomed and sexually abused Trey and countless others during his 14-year tenure at Kanakuk’s popular Christian sports camps based in Branson, Missouri.
Trey was required to file civil litigation by the age of 23, due to Texas’ civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases. His abuse became known through a 2009 criminal investigation, and Newman was sentenced to three life terms at Jefferson City Correctional Center. In order to pursue restitution to afford therapy, civil litigation ensued with many of Newman’s victims. Kanakuk and its agents forced settlements on “John Does” like Trey, which ended with restrictive NDAs, silencing victims and covering up what Kanakuk knew about Newman and when (along with concealing other important information from the public).
Trey told a therapist, “They will always control me, and I’ll never be free,” before he died by suicide just before his 29th birthday. He was scared to share his story even in confidential, therapeutic settings for fear that Kanakuk would come after him like they did an earlier “John Doe.” Kanakuk’s institutional abuse on top of the sexual abuse proved to have deadly consequences.
The passage of Trey’s Law in Texas and Missouri has sparked a national movement. Our goal now is to expand the protection of survivors’ voices in every state.
Our mission is simple: survivors of child sexual abuse and trafficking should never be silenced, anywhere. Through advocacy, education, and legislative action, we’re working to expand Trey’s Law in every state–ensuring survivors have the freedom to share their own stories, hold bad actors accountable, and prevent further harm. This is an urgent matter of public safety.
This is more than policy reform — it’s a promise to stand on the side of victims, not predators.
Elizabeth Phillips is the founder of Trey’s Law, an initiative of No More Victims. As an advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse and trafficking, Elizabeth raises awareness about the misuse of NDAs and supports statute of limitations reform in the U.S. in honor of her late brother, Trey Carlock. She is also an entrepreneur and investor who has served as the Executive Director of Phillips Foundation since 2013. Phillips served two terms as a Governor-appointed Trustee for UNC Greensboro and is currently on the boards of the National Center for Family Philanthropy, The Dallas Foundation, Mission Investors Exchange, and SMU’s Maguire Ethics Center, along with other affiliations. She has been profiled by The Financial Times, Barron’s, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Forbes, The Business Journals, The New York Times, and featured on PBS and Good Morning America. Elizabeth and her husband, Kevin, are cofounders of The ImPact and managing principals of Phillips Enterprises.
Todd Latiolais is the Director of Policy & Advocacy for Trey’s Law, bringing more than a decade of experience advancing policies and programs that protect children from abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. Before joining Trey’s Law in 2025, Todd served as the Director of External Relations for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, the nation’s largest state association of CACs, where he helped strengthen partnerships with state agencies, policymakers, and child-serving organizations. He also helped establish and lead the Child Sex Trafficking Team in the Office of the Texas Governor, where he served as the team’s Prevention & Policy Administrator. Todd earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and remains deeply committed to fostering collaborative, survivor-centered approaches to safeguard children.
Todd Latiolais is the Director of Policy & Advocacy for Trey’s Law, bringing more than a decade of experience advancing policies and programs that protect children from abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. Before joining Trey’s Law in 2025, Todd served as the Director of External Relations for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, the nation’s largest state association of CACs, where he helped strengthen partnerships with state agencies, policymakers, and child-serving organizations. He also helped establish and lead the Child Sex Trafficking Team in the Office of the Texas Governor, where he served as the team’s Prevention & Policy Administrator. Todd earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and remains deeply committed to fostering collaborative, survivor-centered approaches to safeguard children.