September - The Police News

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September - The Police News
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9
VOLUME V, NUMBER 8
Texas' Largest Police News Publication
CASE NUMBER 36,990
THE STATE OF TEXAS VS JEFFERY M. REYNOLDS
THE MURDER OF JEFFERY LYNN PUCKETT
QUINTANA, BRAZORIA COUNTY, TEXAS
es, and many were
taken aback that the
shooting had occurred
A historic home in
in a home that was a
the small island town
Quintana landmark. An
of Quintana was the
official Texas historiscene on June 5, 1999
cal plaque in front of
of a shooting that left
the house cites it as,
Jeffery Lynn Puckett,
"Allen Place, a famous
41, dead, a bullet beboarding house that
tween his eyes.
was built by the Jarvis
Puckett and another
family of Old Quintana."
man, Jerald Difatta,
Jeffery Martin
The
residence is one of
rented rooms from 50year-old Jeffery Martin Reynolds, two on the island that have survived
owner of the home that is identified a century of hurricanes.
Reynolds was indicted by the Braon a Texas Historical Marker as the
zoria
County Grand Jury on July 8,
Allen Place.
When Difatta emerged from his 1999. He was released from jail on
bedroom off the front porch of the $100,000 bond and retained David
residence early that morning and D. Sharp as his defense attorney.
After having his trial reset sevwent into the dining room, he discovered Puckett's body on the floor. eral times in February, May, August
He called 911. Brazoria County and December of 2000, and again
Sheriff's Investigators Chris Kinche- in February of 2001, the case filoe and Steve Ricks were among of- nally went to trial in Judge Randall
Hufstetler's 300th District Court
ficers who went to the scene.
Kincheloe, now the CID command- on March 12, 2001. The jury comer, said Difatta told officers the prised of six men and six women
three housemates had been drink- was selected. Reynolds entered a
ing all night and early that morning. not-guilty plea claiming the shootWhen he went to bed, Difatta said ing was self-defense. Prosecutors
the other two continued drinking and refuted that claim, saying the facts
would prove Puckett had not been a
arguing.
The officers arrested Reynolds for threat to Reynolds.
If convicted, Reynolds faced a pristhe murder.
on
term ranging from five years to life
The owner of Jeff's at the Jetties,
and
a maximum fine of $10,000.
and former owner of an upscale resIn his opening statement, attorney
taurant called Quintana Breeze that
Sharp
told the jury that evidence
had gone out of business about a
would
show
all three of the men
year before the shooting, Reynolds
had lived at Quintana for at least 20 were drinking that night, making it
years. He formerly served as a city difficult to determine what had really
council member and mayor pro tem happened.
Brazoria County District Attorney
and was the building inspector for
several years. Residents of the is- Jeri Yenne alleged, however, that
land expressed shock upon hearing Reynolds had shot Puckett because
of the arrest of such a well known and he believed his tenant was seeing
respected citizen on murder charg- Case Number 36,900...Cont. on pg 5
By Marie Beth Jones
September 2008
HE CALLED HIS KILLER, "UNCLE HILTY"
THE TRAGIC MURDER OF MCKAY EVERETT
CONROE, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 12, 1995
Everett called 9-1-1,
then called his wife,
and finally called
On Sept. 12, 1995,
Crawford, whom he
12-year-old Samuel
knew was a former
McKay Everett was
police officer.
home alone while
Police were able
his parents attended
to estimate that the
a business meeting.
abduction occurred
Hilton Crawford, a
at approximately 8:30
family friend who was
p.m. Young McKay
known by McKay as
was talking on the
"Uncle Hilty," had told
phone with his friend,
McKay's parents that
Elizabeth Schaeffer,
he would join them at
McKay Everett
just moments before
a meeting that night.
Crawford made at least two calls he was taken. Schaeffer had noticed
to McKay's mother, the last one the time just before she was informed
at 5 p.m., to make sure she and by McKay that someone was at the
her husband still planned to attend. door. Schaeffer heard him set the
Crawford never arrived at the meet- phone down, and through the receiver she heard a door open.
ing that night.
During that period, Bill Kahn, a
An hour and a half later, McKay's
parents finished their meeting and neighbor across the street, was putdecided to join friends at a nearby ting his garbage cans at the end of
restaurant. Carl Everett, the boy's his driveway and noticed a car pull
father, made several calls to his house into the driveway of the Everett's
that went unanswered. Concerned, home. As he walked back to his own
Everett left his wife at the restau- house, Kahn heard no sounds out of
the ordinary and never saw any indirant and made
cations of a disturbance. He walked
the 10 minute
back to the foot of his driveway with
drive
home
more trash and noticed the same
to check on
car pull quickly out of the driveway
his son. Upon
and drive off. He was able to identify
arriving,
his
the color, make, and model of the
first indication
car and also noticed a sticker and
that something
emblem that read "Crown Motors" on
was wrong was
the rear of the car.
an outside door
Although no significant physical evito the house
Hilton Crawford
dence could be found at the Everett
stood
open.
There were no signs of a distur- home, the investigation by the
bance, but almost immediately the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office
phone rang. A woman's voice was and the FBI quickly narrowed its
on the other end of the line and told focus on Crawford. His car was idenEverett, "We got your son." She pro- tical to the vehicle Bill Kahn noticed
ceeded to demand $500,000, and in the Everett driveway the night of
warned him not to call police. She the abduction. Investigators noticed
said he would receive another phone Crawford's car had been thoroughly
call in the morning, although that call
"Uncle Hitty"...Cont. on pg 7
was never received. After the call,
By Breck Porter
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must successfully pass a written examination, thorough
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are four 10s.
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Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 3
7!.4%$&5')4)6%3
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Case Number 36,900...Cont. from pg 1
Reynolds' girlfriend. Yenne told the
jury this was not a case of a man defending himself or his property, but
instead was "a case of self pity" and
cold-blooded murder.
During witness testimony, Jesse
Adame, the medical examiner who
performed the autopsy testified that
death was the result of two gunshot
wounds. The shot that struck the side
of Puckett's head was fired from a
distance Adame said, but the one
between Puckett's eyes was a close
contact wound. This made it extremely
unlikely the gun was fired in self-defense, he said. "Most people don't allow someone to put a gun right up to
their forehead," he explained.
Sharp questioned that assumption
however, asking about other factors,
such as darkness and the victim's intoxication, which may have affected
Puckett's reaction. His blood-alcohol
content was 1.6, twice the legal limit.
Adame also said that except for the
gunshot wounds, he observed no signs
of injury on Puckett's body to indicate
Puckett had struggled.
Difatta took the stand for the prosecution describing the events before
and after the shooting. He testified
that Reynolds had awakened him in
the early morning hours of June 5th
asking for a gun, which Difatta said
he gave him, but it was unloaded. He
said Reynolds woke him a second time
to return the gun, saying that he had
shot Puckett "for playing around" with
his girlfriend. Since he had not heard a
gunshot, Difatta said, he thought Reynolds was joking, so he "took the gun,
put it back in my nightstand, and went
back to bed."
In his cross-examination of Difatta,
Sharp asked about a statement the witness was alleged to have made earlier.
Why did Difatta say at the time, that he
might have dreamed Reynolds told him
the argument with Puckett was about
the victim's "fooling around" with Reynolds' girlfriend? Difatta responded that
he had been drinking on that day and
that possibly had clouded his. ????
Testifying in his own defense, Reynolds told the jury that he had argued
with Puckett about money the renter
owed him. Puckett responded by poking him in the chest, and telling him
not to tell him what to do with his
money. Reynolds said at that point he
grabbed Puckett's hand and Puckett
twisted his hand. Puckett was much
stronger than he was and he yelled
to Puckett to stop, Puckett let go and
left the residence after making threats
against him and his girlfriend. Claiming
that he didn't know what Puckett might
CUSTOM SCREEN PRINTING - SIGNS - VINYL LETTERING
be capable of, Reynolds said he woke
Difatta and retrieved one of his guns.
He told Difatta that he needed a gun to
protect himself.
According to his testimony, the argument resumed when Puckett returned
to the house, pushed Reynolds to the
floor, and lunged at him. At that point,
Reynolds said, he pulled the .22 caliber pistol from his pocket and fired
twice.
In her cross-examination of the Reynolds, Yenne questioned the remarkable
accuracy of his shots, particularly the
one determined by the medical examiner to have been fired at close contact, striking Puckett directly between
the eyes. She also questioned why
Reynolds had never called the police,
either before or after the shooting.
Reynolds said when he took the gun
back to Difatta he told him that he had
just shot Puckett. Difatta told him he
would call 911. Difatta had testified
earlier that he thought Reynolds' statement about the shooting was a joke.
After hearing final arguments from
both the prosecution and defense, jurors deliberated for about an hour before finding Reynolds guilty of murder.
The prosecution put no witnesses on
the stand in the punishment phase of
the trial, which required only about 20
minutes of testimony by witnesses for
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Marie Beth Jones is a published author
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Texas. She is Chairperson of the Brazoria
County Historic Commission and a regular
contributor to The Police News.
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JESSE G. SALINAS
the defense.
Reynolds testified at that time that
he was remorseful for having killed
Puckett. The defendant's sister, Debbie Alongis, told the jury that she did
not believe Reynolds posed any threat
to society.
After deliberation, on March 16,
2001 the jury sentenced Reynolds to
40 years in prison.
Today, Jeff Reynolds, inmate number
0106228, is 60-years old. He is serving his sentence in the Mac Stringfellow Prison Unit in Rosharon, Texas.
Reynolds maximum sentence date is
March 14, 2041. His Parole Eligibility
Date is March 14, 2021 when he is
seventy-six.
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Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 5
The Mailbox
Dear Sir,
Your story, Murder in the Damon
Dump, honestly, I have to say that article was absolutely the most distasteful 30!! year old story I have ever read.
What in the hell did you accomplish
other than a front page add?
Are you bragging on your non accomplishments for a 30 year investigation where you could not even get
DNA evidence when given or what.
Why would anyone ever bring up such
a gruesome story other than a headline. I think you are all disquisting at
best.
Lisa Vasek
I worked in law enforcement for nearly
40 years, having retired at the end of
August, 2004. I read the article an saw
the pictures on the raid in Galveston on
prostitutes. At one time some women
prostituted themselves to actually live,
i. e., buy food and provide for their
children. Then came the phase when
young women did it to get through
school. In those days, most prostitutes
were not bad looking and in some instances some were downright pretty
or beautiful in rare cases. But, looking
at what the netted on the Island, well,
it seems that they are prostituting for
other reasons now. Maybe drugs? Or
could it be in an effort to bring up their
self-esteem. In the case of the latter
it damn sure is not making them look
good.
Signed: Anonymous cop
I get upset every time I see a vehicle illegally parked in one of the designated
handicap only parking spots - all of us
who are not handicapped can use the
extra exercise.
A very big THANK YOU for getting
this enacted.
Anne Matijevich, Galveston
We not only owe thanks to the new
Chief, but to you for keeping this in the
public’s eye. It wouldn’t take much for
the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
and the umpteen local PD’s to take
notice of an effective way to stop the
illegal parking. The laws are great,
but they mean nothing if there is no
enforcement. Even the shopping mall
security guards ignore the handicap
parking violations.
Jerry Finch, LaMarque
ate. However, if his primary job is a
Fire Marshall, it was improper to act
in this manner. There were other ways
of handling this situation, especially
with the impending tropical storm. If
he wants to be a Police Officer maybe
he should find a job with the police
department, not the fire department.
What department is carrying his commission anyway? Just because you are
TECLOSE certified does not mean you
are an active Peace Officer. As a side
note, maybe we could get Bayou Vistas speeding problem taken care of
since he is a Certified Texas Peace Officer and he works for LaMarque. The
speeding seems to be much more of
a safety issue than some foul mouthed
woman in Wal-Mart. Thanks!
M. Fagan League City
Breck, I certainly agree with you. No
one not of the same mind set is going to be insulted and angered. It is
justice that the officer was nearby.
Ch 11 news said something about a
person commits no offence if cursing a police office. Ch 11 will say just
about anything to make a “story”. Ch
11 quoted the Supreme Court of the
United States... funny with all my years
as peace officer I was not aware of
such a stupid thing. Anyhow, I agree
with your position.
Cecil Wingo,
ScDr, Forensic Analyst
Angleton, Texas
I wish people would just use some common sense and not say ugly things in
public. It is not a very pleasant thing,
hearing someone yelling in a store or
wherever, it’s just rude. Maybe this will
get everyone’s attention, and to make
them think about others, including their
children.
Detention Officer W. DeShaz
Sterling Bank Robbery in Kingwood
What’s Wrong With The F-Word Anyway?
COMMENTARY
Dear Editor: I would agree that the language she used is totally inappropri-
This man robbed the Sterling Bank at 23852 Eastex Freeway in Kingwood. If
you have information about this case, please call the Crime Stoppers Tipline at
713-222-TIPS (8477).
Drug Problem? NA 1-888-955-8822
Page 6 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
"Uncle Hitty"...Cont. from pg 1
cleaned both inside and out, the cloth
lining in the trunk had been removed
and there were indications that part of
a "Crown Motors" sticker had recently been removed. Based on these
observations, the agents confiscated
Crawford's car. After closer inspection, blood stains and blood spatter
patterns were discovered inside the
trunk and on the exterior near the
car's back bumper. This blood was
conclusively determined to belong to
the boy. The pattern of blood spatters
indicated that the victim had received
at least two significant blows while
inside the trunk of the car.
Investigators were able to track
Crawford's movements on the night
of the abduction through cell phone
records and gasoline and hotel
receipts. Crawford had driven to a
remote area in Louisiana and removed
McKay from the trunk. According to
prosecutors, Crawford shot McKay
twice in the head with a .45-caliber pistol then dumped his body in a swamp.
Afterward, he returned to Texas, hiding his pistol, bloody clothes, and
other evidence along the way.
Police and FBI agents determined
that Crawford had contacted several
employees of the security company
he helped manage and tried to enlist
their cooperation to fabricate an alibi.
Investigators tracked Crawford's movements the day after the abduction and
found he had visited a friend, Billy
Allen. Through subterfuge, Crawford
had convinced Allen to help him clean
the blood from his car, remove and
dispose of the trunk's lining, and hold
onto various items, including a bloodstained .45-caliber handgun.
Based on Crawford's cell phone
records, the FBI contacted Irene Flores,
whom Crawford had called three times
on the night of the abduction. Her
information provided the probable
cause necessary to obtain a warrant
for Crawford's arrest. Crawford was
arrested on the morning of Sept. 15,
1995.
The next day, while in the Montgomery
County jail, Crawford agreed to help
draw a map that led authorities to
the victim's body in an area known
as Whiskey Bay, Louisiana. Crawford
also provided a detailed account of his
version of the kidnapping and murder
which he said was instigated and ultimately committed by a man he knew
as "R.L. Remington." He told investigators searchers would be able to find
two bullet casings, two slugs, and an
unspent bullet at the body site. He
admitted striking McKay, but said that
Remington fired the gun. Police made
a composite drawing of Remington
based on Crawford's description.
Due to the extensive decomposition,
some disagreement arose as to the
exact cause of death. Those experts
consulted, however, agreed that death
resulted from either a gunshot wound
to the head or blunt force trauma or a
combination of both.
Remington was never found, and
it wasn't long before investigators
decided that he never existed. During
the investigation, a man came to the
FBI, saying that he met Crawford at a
Houston horse racing track, and that
Crawford dropped hints to him that he
needed help carrying out a plan involving a boy. The man refused to become
involved. According to Mike Aduddell,
the Montgomery County assistant
district attorney who prosecuted
Crawford, this man who came forward
was the basis for Crawford's physical
description of R. L. Remington.
Hilton Crawford was a member of
the Beaumont police force from 1961
to 1966. He was a Jefferson County
sheriff's deputy from 1966 to 1975.
After an unsuccessful campaign for
sheriff in 1975, Crawford moved to
Conroe in Montgomery County and
started his own private security business, which was unsuccessful. He had
no prior criminal history.
Because of the intense publicity
and public outrage surrounding the
case, Crawford's trial was transferred to Huntsville, in Walker County.
Prosecutors told the jury that Crawford
devised the kidnapping scheme to
cover huge gambling debts and pay
for a lavish lifestyle, which continued
even as his business failed. A jury
convicted Crawford of capital murder
in July, 1996 and sentenced him to
death. The Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals affirmed the conviction and
sentence in February 1999. All of his
subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.
Irene Flores, 52, a former employee
of Crawford's, who was to receive
$25,000 from him for making the ransom phone calls, said that she never
thought McKay would be harmed.
She pleaded no contest to aggravated kidnapping and was sentenced
to 25 years in prison. She had her
first parole hearing in March of this
year, but remains incarcerated in the
Carol Young prison unit in Dickinson,
Texas. Her projected release date is
September 11, 2020.
After the murder, Paulette Everett
suffered a stroke, and she and her
husband divorced. She remarried as
Paulette Norman and went through
three years of physical therapy. While
Carl Everett kept a low public profile,
Paulette started The McKay Foundation
(http://www.protectingchildren.org) to
raise awareness of child safety. "The
greatest thing I can contribute is the
story of what happened and hope
people can look at me and hear my
story and have an awareness," she
told a reporter.
On death row, fellow inmates called
Crawford not "Uncle Hilty," but rather
"Old Man." In an interview, he explained
how he became so desperate as to kidnap the child of family friends. He said
that he sold his security firm and was
awaiting the proceeds, but the buyers
sold the business to a second group,
and his plans collapsed. The new
owners, "some Nigerians," ignored
debts owed to Crawford and failed to
pay the firm's employees. "These had
been my people, so I decided to pay
them myself," he said. He borrowed
so much money he was $450,000 in
debt. "I guess I could have gone to
family for help. I could have struggled.
I should have, but I didn't." "I made a
wrong decision in my life," Crawford
continued. "I really messed up by
being involved. I really am sorry." He
still claimed that R. L. Remington killed
McKay. "I met him at a racetrack in
Bossier City, Louisiana" Crawford said.
"I gave him a card. He knew all about
the security business." According to
Crawford, Remington told him that
"he'd done this before, that no one
would get hurt." He said that he waited
in his car while Remington abducted
McCay. When Irene Flores failed to
make any follow-up phone calls to provide ransom instructions, Remington
shot McKay. "What happened wasn't
supposed to happen," Crawford said.
Other people connected to the case
believe that Remington never existed.
Remington is "in Hilton Crawford's
head," assistant district attorney
Aduddell said. Paulette Norman told an
interviewer, "I think 'R. L. Remington' is
his pistol, and it is his way to disassociate himself with what he did."
Crawford, however, never wavered
from his account. "I know where
Remington is," he told a reporter.
"He's in France. I've got an address."
Then he added, cryptically, "It will all
be made clear in information to be
released after I die." It never was.
Under Texas law, a person can be
convicted of capital murder if the
jury finds him to be responsible for
the victim's death, even if he is not
the person who actually inflicted the
fatal injury. Crawford's lawyer, Roy
Greenwood, acknowledged that even
if Crawford had an accomplice who
pulled the trigger, that wouldn't disqualify his capital murder conviction.
"He's not innocent. He was a party to
a kidnapping capital murder."
Crawford said that he was emotionally and spiritually prepared for
his execution. "I've got peace in my
heart," he said. "I'm fine, I really am ...
I've been thankful for living as long as
I did. I feel sorry for those who have
been here 20, 25 years." He said he
hoped that Paulette Norman would
forgive him, although "If I was on the
other side, I don't know if I could." At
his execution, Crawford thanked his
family, friends, and spiritual advisors
who supported him, and he expressed
love to his family. He also thanked "the
Lord Jesus Christ for the years I have
spent on death row. They have been a
blessing in my life." Then, turning his
head toward Norman, he said, "I want
to ask Paulette for forgiveness from
your heart. One day I hope you will.
It is a tragedy for my family and your
family. I am sorry." Crawford finished
by saying, "May God pass me over to
the Kingdom's shore softly and gently.
I am ready." After this, the lethal injection was started. He was pronounced
dead at 6:19 p.m.
"His gesture doesn't mean anything
to me," Norman said after the execution. She told reporters that Crawford's
last statement showed his desire to
detach himself from murdering her
son. "I'm not surprised he didn't refer
to McKay. He always referred to him
at hiswww.gotlimo.biz
trial as 'the boy.'" Forgiveness,
she said, "is God's job."
Hilton Lewis Crawford, 64, was
executed by lethal injection on July
2, 2003 in Huntsville, Texas for the
kidnapping and murder of McKay
Everett.
281-827
Sources: Clarkprosecutor.org, Texas
Department of Criminal Justice, Texas
Attorney General's Office, Texas Execution
Information Center.
got limo ?
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wherever you see these
outdoor dispenser boxes.
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Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 7
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Call: 409-762-6397 or Call Toll-Free: 1-888-788-8967
Or subscribe online at: www.PoliceNewsOnline.com
To Pay by Phone Call 409-752-6397
Members of the Conroe Police Department honor guard escort the casket
of Sgt. Gary Hardage from the The Ark
Family Church in Conroe on August
14th. Hardage was killed in an off-duty
motorcycle accident four days earlier.
Police News Photo by Scott J. Engle
✃
Make checks payable and mail to:
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(San Leon)
Mechanic on Duty
Now Offering Park & Sell On Our Front Lot
Park your car on our lot where people can see it. Sell it right here.
GROCERY
DVD & Video Movies - 6,000 square feet of groceries
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Full-service Meat Counter - Custom Cut Meats
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CHEVRON GAS / DIESEL FUEL / KEG BEER
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LOTTO • LOTTERY • SOUVENIRS • GIFTS
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FURNITURE: 409-762-3213
Rugs
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Appliances
Leather Sofas
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43rd & Broadway
Page 8 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
24 HOUR WRECKER SERVICE
TONY
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Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 9
NEW COPS ON THE BLOCK
Juan Pena, Police News Correspondent
The Galveston Police Department,
61st Police Academy, graduated nine
cadets in August. Police Chief Charles
Wiley remarked their graduation “represents a beginning that I believe will
be an exciting and challenging career”
and “indicates a level of achievement
necessary for police officers to assume
the awesome responsibility that we all
know they have.” “In spite of what you
may read or hear from others, you’re
respected and appreciated and a very
important part of our free society.”
56th State District Court Judge Lon-
nie Cox told the new officers, “Recently I’ve been criticized in the newspaper
as being too close to law enforcement.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I can’t think of
a better place to be and a better group
of people to be with or be associated
with.” Judge Cox continued to say that
proud parents were “seeing their babies take the greatest step of their
lives, where they become trusted protectors of the community, Guardians
of the peace. And they can’t help but
feel proud, to see that their kids have
grown up to become real men.”
Graduating were J. Benham, R. Stansfield, C. Kelly, T. Boutwell, L. Smith, E. Benavidez, D. Simpson, J. Villarreal, and H. Mustafa
Under New Ownership
GALVESTON ISLAND
2027 39TH STREET
GALVESTON TX
Walk-ins, Crawl-ins, Carry-ins Welcome!
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This Certificate Entitles ALL Galveston County
FIRST RESPONDERS to ALL NEW PATIENT
Services including Consultation, Examination
and Spinal X-Rays.*
SPECIAL RATE
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FREE
15 Minute Massage
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Hatmaker
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1021 61st St, Galveston TX 77551
409-740-6800
Massage dependent on availability.
*Spinal X-Rays only taken if indicated. This Certificate has no cash value after purchase & may only be used for future New Patient Services.
Page 10 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
CITY OF GALENA PARK
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Robert Pruett, Chief of Police
A CIVIL SERVICE CITY
Is accepting applications for
POLICE OFFICER
REQUIREMENTS:
Basic TCLEOSE Certification
Valid Texas Drivers License
Successful Completion of Entrance Exam
Comprehensive Background Investigation
BENEFITS:
T.M.R.S. Retirement (2-to-1 match)
Paid Health Insurance
26 Days Vacation (each year)
15 Paid Sick Days
Supplemental 457 Retirement Plan
Certificate Pay and Longevity Pay
Applications may be obtained from the Galena Park City
Hall, 713-672-2556. Applications will be accepted until
4:00 P.M. on Sept. 23, 2008
EXAMINATION:
A written comprehensive exam will be given at 6:00 P.M.,
Sept. 23, 2008 at 1302 Keene Street, Galena Park TX
ACROSS
1
5
10
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
23
25
26
27
29
32
33
34
36
40
41
44
47
48
50
52
53
54
59
60
61
64
65
66
Ready and willing partner
Urban ball game site
Tend to the sauce
Gimlet or screwdriver
Wrecking-ball swinger
One of eighteen
Judo class protectors
Lotus-__ ("Odyssey" figure)
Exiled Ugandan
One-liner maven
G.P.'s gp.
Marv Albert catchword
Stage whisper
Towboats' burdens
Responds a la "Jeopardy!"
Superlative suffix
La Scala solo
Some musical combos
"Rubaiyat" poet
Starry-eyed one
Iranian currency
Letter addenda: Abbr.
"__ corny as Kansas ..."
Beer/lemonade quaff
Making no sense
Hydrotherapy spot
Bummer of a grade
Roger Clemens's septet
Tennis edge
Conger hunter
Taken-back auto
City near Lake Tahoe
Netherworld kingdom
Gawked at
67 Assns.
68 Hot under the collar
69 Dandelion, to most
DOWN
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
21
22
23
24
28
29
30
31
34
35
37
38
39
42
43
PIN requester
Jungle crusher
Don Juan
Choice word
Movie snippets
Busboys' pickups
Like Cheerios
"__'Clock Jump"
Lima's land
Does a '30s dance
Smith, who gave the Black Power
salute at the '68 Olympics
Long narrative poems
Milk curdler
TV's "Science Guy" Bill
Mean-spirited
"__ Daba Honeymoon"
Scratch up
Explorer Vasco da __
Rubdown targets
Top banana
Word with church or skeleton
Bourbon Street veggie
Poet Teasdale
Parting word
CD-__
Site of one's imagination, so to
speak
Picnic drink
Soapmaker's need
44
45
46
48
49
51
52
55
Rogue
Tom of "Tomorrow"
Proverb
Few and far between
Kramden laugh syllable
They're taboo
Like Lorraine of song
"M*A*S*H" quaff
56 Stickshift selection
57 Robert of "Guys and Dolls"
58 Accepted a gunslinger's challenge
62 __ Dee (Carolinas river)
63 Like a single sock
Solution on page 22
Coupon must be presented on first visit. Exp: 9/30/08
Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 11
ELECT
Robert Pruett
for
Sheriff
Brazoria County
The Sheriff's Department must operate within its budget and County Tax
base. The growth of the department must be controlled with this in mind.
Operating a Sheriff's Department on projected revenue of any sort is
counting your chickens before they hatch.
I will bring the Sheriff's department back to the people by returning your
phone calls. The people will have access to my office without going
through obstacles such as metal detectors.
My office door will always be open to the public and employees. I will
consider implementing a resident deputy program as done in years past.
There is nothing better than a deputy who has strong ties to his or her
respective community.
No employees will lose their careers because of politics.
www.pruettforsheriff.com
Political ad paid for by Robert Pruett Campaign, Shirley Pruett, Treasurer,
5011 County Road 868, Brazoria, Texas 77422.
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Page 12 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
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Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 13
Sheriff Joe H. Snow
Brazoria County Sheriff's Department
End of Watch: Wednesday, September 15, 1920
Age: 38
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, September 15, 1920
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Lynched by an angry mob
Sheriff Snow was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a horse
thief. Sheriff Snow had been to the suspectís farm the day before
the incident to investigate a fire. While there he noticed a saddle and
some horses that had been stolen from his farm a few days earlier.
The next day Sheriff Snow returned to arrest the suspect when he
was shot at close range with a shotgun by the suspect. The suspect
was arrested and taken to jail but before he could stand trial an angry
mob lynched him from a tree in front of the jailhouse.
Sheriff Snow had been with the agency for two years.
Sergeant Ed Holcomb Jr.
Conroe Police Department
End of Watch: Tuesday, September 14, 1982
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: 602
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Tuesday, August 24, 1982
Weapon Used: Rifle; .30-.06
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Sergeant Holcomb was shot with a rifle and killed as he approached
a mobile home during a domestic dispute call. He and three other
officers had responded to the call and located the suspect's wife running from the home. After talking to her the officers learned that the
suspect was inside the mobile home and possibly armed.
Sergeant Holcomb was going to attempt to make contact with the
suspect and walked onto the porch. As he walked past a sliding-glass
door the suspect opened fire, striking him under his right arm in a
spot not protected by his bullet proof vest. The suspect then lit his
home on fire and shot himself.
Sergeant Holcomb was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wound three weeks later.
He had served with the Conroe Police Department for 5 years and
was survived by his wife and son.
Deputy Edmond Hardin
Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department
End of Watch: Thursday, September 15, 1927
Age: 47
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: Monday, September 15, 1924
Deputy Hardin was killed while escorting two prisoners from a local
fairgrounds. He accidentally drove into the path of an ascending airplane which was giving rides at the fair.
Deputy Hardin was survived by his wife and one child.
Police Officer Adolph Howe
Galveston Police Department
End of Watch: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Age: 46
Page 14 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
Cause of Death: Weather/Natural disaster
Date of Incident: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Officer Howe and three other officers were killed in the Storm
of 1900. The storm claimed the lives of over 6,000 citizens and destroyed over 1,500 acres of the city. To date it is the deadliest natural
disaster to ever occur in the United States.
Officer Howe and his parents were born in Denmark. His wife and her
parents were born in Germany. He was born August 1854 and she was
born February 1864. They had nine children; four boys and five girls.
All of the children were born in Texas. Officer Howe was survived by his
wife and all of his children.
Police Officer Charles Wolfe
Galveston Police Department
End of Watch: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Cause of Death: Weather/Natural disaster
Date of Incident: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Officer Wolfe and three other officers were killed in the Storm of 1900.
The storm claimed the lives of over 6,000 citizens and destroyed over
1,500 acres of the city. To date it is the deadliest natural disaster to
ever occur in the United States.
Officer Wolfe and his parents were born in Germany as well as his wife
and her parents. He was born March 1852 and his wife Johanna was
born October 1852. They had two sons, Charles born July 1875, and
Edward H. born April 1883. Officer Wolfe had served with the agency for
7 years and was survived by his wife.
Police Officer Frederick L. Richards
Galveston Police Department
End of Watch: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Cause of Death: Weather/Natural disaster
Date of Incident: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Officer Richards and three other officers were killed in the Storm of
1900. The storm claimed the lives of over 6,000 citizens and destroyed
over 1,500 acres of the city. To date it is the deadliest natural disaster
to ever occur in the United States.
Officer Richards was born in August 1856 in Germany. His mother and
father were also born in Germany. Officer Richards had served with the
agency for 10 years and was survived by his wife and son.
Police Officer Samuel Eugene Tovrea
Galveston Police Department
End of Watch: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Cause of Death: Weather/Natural disaster
Date of Incident: Saturday, September 8, 1900
Officer Tovrea and three other officers were killed in the Storm of
1900. The storm claimed the lives of over 6,000 citizens and destroyed
over 1,500 acres of the city. To date it is the deadliest natural disaster
to ever occur in the United States.
Officer Tovrea had served with the agency for 10 years. Officer
Tovrea's wife, four children, and mother-in-law were also killed in the hurricane. He was survived by his parents and 11 siblings.
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Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 15
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Police Officer SALARY: $18.49/hour (effective 9/1/2008--$19.12/hour)
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Page 16 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
Justice Delayed, or On Credit?
By Jes Garza
There is a verse in
the book of Proverbs
in the Bible that reveals much about justice or the lack of it.
“When justice is done
it brings joy to the righteous and terror
to the evildoers.” The verse is number
fifteen in Chapter twenty-one of the
New International Version Bible.
Decent and law-abiding folks want
and deserve to live, work and play in
a safe community. I see our community as the bigger home of our society.
Just as most of us have a strong sense
of security in our own homes when we
go inside each day, every citizen has a
proper expectation of security in their
communities. When our citizens are
victimized by that small percentage
of anti-social criminals that too often
infect our communities, they become
a cancer in our neighborhoods. That
anti-social behavior is commonly called
crime, and it erodes our security and
our sense of well-being.
I remember that in 1974 and 1975
when I started to focus on the evening news programs and the reports
of crime. I observed and commented
that something had to be done about
the increasing crime rate. I often asked
myself, “Why doesn’t someone do
something about the crime situation?”
I asked myself this question for some
time before one day asking, “Why don’t
I do something about it?” I surprised
myself and then began to give serious
thought to becoming a police officer.
Even as a young boy I believed I could
some day be a policeman.
Now after thirty-two years in law enforcement I am not sure that I’ve done
much about crime in our community.
It seems that there is more crime and
that more and more of our young children and babies have been engulfed
by the seemingly out-of-control crime
problem. There is one thing of which I
am sure. That is that the criminal justice system is seriously defective and
the responsibility for this lies in large
part squarely on the courts. The courts
daily send messages to the criminal element in our society by way of their
judgments and rulings. They also send
very clear messages to the law-abiding citizens and crime victims.
Have you noticed that more and
more citizens are taking matters into
their own hands and defending themselves, their property and the property
of their neighbors from the criminals?
They know that police officers will not
arrive in time to defend them or to
confront the perpetrators who prey on
the innocent and the defenseless. In
addition, for more than twenty years
citizens in communities across our nation have been motivated to become
more involved in the security of their
own homes and neighborhoods. Can
you say, “Neighborhood Watch Programs”? What are law-abiding citizens
encouraged to do when forming and
joining these programs?
The National Night Out program is
about residents getting out of their
homes to meet their neighbors and establish meaningful relationships. This
program compels residents to become
more alert to routine activities in their
neighborhoods and assists them in
the identification of persons with a legitimate presence for safe and secure
communities. Basically, it’s looking out
for one another. Let’s face it. Some of
our residents are elderly persons who
too often are easy targets for the antisocial people that prey on the weak
and the unsuspecting law-abiding citizens.
How do the law and the criminal justice system protect all of its citizens
from the youngest and weakest to the
most senior and vulnerable? My experience is that the arrest of guilty suspects and justice from legitimate court
trials is the only way that the system
will protect us all. The loud and clear
message from justice is “do the crime
and you will do the time.” The criminal element must know with certainty
that when they commit crimes, they
will earn the penalties provided by law.
The message must always be that one
and all will be held accountable for
their disrespectful and destructive behavior that violates enacted laws.
A recent significant event comes to
mind of a citizen in a nearby city that
confronted two felony suspects in his
neighborhood as they attempted to escape from the scene of their crime, a
burglary of a habitation. The habitation
was his next-door neighbor’s home.
The citizen took the initiative to make a
citizen’s arrest and the circumstances
deteriorated very quickly and the concerned citizen used deadly force to
protect himself. The results were that
the two perpetrators were fatally shot
on the citizen’s property.
As it turned out, that tragic action by
an involved citizen brought to an end
the crime careers of the two individuals who were in our country illegally!
One of the dead men had already been
deported once. What message had
the suspects received from our criminal justice system? What had these
Justice Delayed...Cont. on pg 19
remove any of his clothing from the
shack.
Adams also led the police to a knife in
a vacant lot near Mosley’s home. DNA
testing revealed that the knife had
Vick’s blood on it.
A medical examiner testified that Vick
could have been stabbed by more than
one knife.
on the weight machine placed in front
of the closet door.
Hood was scheduled to report to
work at 12:30 p.m. that day, but did
not show up. He was arrested by police in Indiana the next day. At the time
of his arrest, Hood was in possession
of several items belonging to Williamson, including his car, jewelry, camera,
wallet, credit cards, and clothing. Hood
had used Williamson’s credit cards,
cashed one of Williamson’s business
checks, and pawned several pieces of
jewelry shortly after the murders.
Scheduled Execution: Sept. 10, 2008
Charles Dean Hood - White Male
Born: August 20, 2008
Native of Morgan County, Indiana
Occupation: Laborer
Education Level: 11 Years
On November 1, 1989,
Charles Dean Hood was
living with his boss,
Ronald Williamson, and
Williamson’s girlfriend,
Tracie
Wallace.
At
11:30 a.m., Williamson
Charles Hood
came home for lunch
and found a note allegedly from his
girlfriend saying that she had gone jogging. However, Williamson suspected
something was wrong since Tracie’s
name was misspelled on the note. Williamson called the police at 11:53 a.m.
and told them that he believed that his
girlfriend had been abducted. During
this tape-recorded phone call, Williamson indicated that someone named
“Dean” had already called the police
from Williamson’s residence to report a
burglary, but Williamson wanted to add
a possible abduction. However, the
police noted that no previous calls to
the police had been made or recorded
from the Williamson residence. A second voice could be heard in the background of the tape; the voice was later
identified as Hood’s. Hood was known
to go by his middle name, “Dean.”
When the police arrived at Williamson’s
house at 11:57 a.m., they found Williamson dead on the kitchen floor. The
police searched the house and found
blood outside a closet door, and a
weight machine propped up against it.
Inside the closet they found Wallace’s
body, wrapped in two garbage bags
layered on top of each other. Both
victims died from gunshot wounds to
their heads. Wallace had been shot in
her bed, presumably while she slept.
Hood’s fingerprints were found on the
note allegedly from Wallace, on both
garbage bags that had covered her
dead body, on the closet door where
her body was found, and on documents
that had been taken from Williamson’s
safe. Hood’s bloody prints were found
Scheduled Execution: Sept 18, 2008
Joseph Ray Ries - White Male
Born: September 18, 1979
Native of: Douglas, Oregon
Occupation: Laborer
Education Level: 12 Years
Joseph Ries and Christopher Lee White were
convicted in 1999 in
separate trials for the
capital murder of Robert
Lee Ratliff, 64, who was
Joseph Ries found dead in bed at his
home in Cumby, Texas
on February 23, 1999, by his wife and
son. Ratliff had suffered three gunshot
wounds: one in his back, another in
his neck and a third in the head. His
pickup truck was found submerged in
his pond, and his 1991 Lincoln was
missing.
Ries and White were apprehended
three days later in Lawton, Oklahoma.
At the time of their arrest they were in
the Lincoln.
Ries first met Ratliff in the fall of
1998. They formed a friendship, and
at some point, Ries moved in to live
with Ratliff. However, there was a later
dispute about missing property, and
Ries was evicted from Ratliff’s house.
On February 18th, Ries and several
associates stole a pickup truck from
Ratliff’s residence. Ries and White
drove to San Antonio, but because
the truck did not get good gas mileage, they decided to return to Ratliff’s
home and take a Lincoln Continental.
They arrived at Ratliff’s in the evening
of February 21st, but neither Ratliff
nor his Lincoln was present. Ries and
White broke into the house and stole
some items, including two .22 rifles.
Later than evening, they drove the
pickup into a pond, so that the truck
was completely submerged. Hiding behind a barn, they watched Ratliff come
home and waited until the lights in the
house were turned off. About 30 minutes later they entered the house.
Ries sneaked into Ratliff’s bedroom
and took his wallet and car keys. Before leaving, he shot Ratliff in the back
as he slept in bed. Ratliff awoke, and
6':#5':'%76+105
Scheduled Execution: Sept 9, 2008
Gregory Edward Wright - White Male
Born: November 1, 1965
Native of Knox County, Tennessee
Occupation: Laborer
Education Level: 11 Years
Donna Vick was stabbed
to death in her home in
DeSoto, Texas, in the
early hours of March
21, 1997. Gregory Edward Wright, who had
Gregory Wright been staying with Vick in
her home, was seen with her at a VFW
lodge on the night before the murder.
Around 4:00 a.m. the next morning,
Wright and his friend, John Adams,
drove Vick’s car to purchase crack cocaine from a drug dealer who was staying at Llewelyn Mosley’s home. Mosley
testified that Adams and Wright arrived
at his house on the night of the murder and told him that they had some
things from a woman in DeSoto that
they wanted to get rid of, including a
television, a weed eater, a rifle, a color
printer, and a microwave. Several of
these items were later identified as belonging to Vick. Wright negotiated with
the dealer. After exchanging some of
the items, Wright and Adams appeared
cheerful and exchanged “high fives.”
The next day, Adams asked Daniel
McGaughey, an employee at a video
store, to call the police because he
wanted to turn himself in. Adams directed the police to Vick’s house and
assisted in recovering her car. DNA
testing revealed that blood found on
the steering wheel belonged to Wright.
At the house, the police found Vick’s
body on her bed and Wright’s bloody
fingerprint on her pillowcase. In a trash
can, the police found a handwritten
note reading, “Do you want to do it?”
Adams also led the police to a shack
that Wright sometimes stayed in,
where they arrested Wright and seized
a bloody and gold-paint splattered pair
of blue jeans. Outside the shack, the
police found a bloody knife. DNA evidence established that the blood on
the knife and jeans was Vick’s. Several
cans of gold spray paint were found
in Wright’s home, and witnesses testified that Wright had previously been
seen with gold paint on his face and
clothes. A police officer testified that
he had known people to inhale spray
paint to get high.
The police also found mail addressed
to Adams at the shack.
After Wright was arrested, he phoned
a friend from jail and asked her to
Ries shot him again, this time in the
neck.
Hearing the noise, White ran into the
bedroom and asked what had happened but Ries told him to get out,
then fired another shot into Ratliff behind his ear.
They then left in the Lincoln and were
later captured.
Ries will be executed on his 29th
birthday.
Scheduled Execution: Sept 17, 2008
William A. Murray - White Male
Born: February 13, 1969
Native of: Dallas, Texas
Occupation: Laborer, Auto Mechanic
Education Level: 7 Years
On February 10, 1998,
Murray entered the home
of 93-year old Rena Ratcliff and ransacked it for
valuables as she slept.
Ratcliff woke up while
William Murray
he was in her room and
confronted him. Murray hit and choked
her, raped her and killed her.
When police arrived, they found the
house in disarray and the dead woman
nude from the waist down with wounds
and bruising on her head. She also
had an Ace bandage tied around her
neck and into her mouth, soaked with
blood.
The pathologist determined Ratcliff’s
death was caused by strangulation
and blunt force trauma.
Murray’s mother had once cared for
the elderly woman as a home nursing
aide.
At the time of the slaying, Murray had
been out of prison just a few months
after serving only three months of a
10-year sentence for burglary.
After his arrest, Murray told his mother he killed the woman in a drug frenzy.
Evidence showed he had two earlier
marijuana convictions. He admitted to
police that he physically and sexually
assaulted the woman, and wrapped
the Ace bandage around her face and
mouth. He said he stole some change
from a jar and a small knife.
Murray asked the courts in 1999
to allow him to drop all his appeals
and be executed but later changed
his mind, saying that when he said he
wanted to be executed for the sake
of the victim’s family, he knew that his
death would be a mistake and that he
was being influenced by depression
and suicidal thoughts.
If executed on schedule, Murray will
be 39-years old.
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Justice Delayed...Cont. from pg 16
two and countless other illegal aliens
learned by breaking our federal immigration laws? What was the cost to
them for their violations of our laws?
Belle Ortega, a 77-year old, wheelWhen the fools in our society are not
chair bound, retired Houston Police ofheld accountable for their stupidity
ficer, was visiting with family in Housand their anti-social behavior, the meston on a Monday in July, when a car
sage is that they can create chaos and
sped past the apartment and riddled
disorder, to the detriment of our safety
it with 26 shots from an AK-47 assault
and well-being.
Consequently, the Harris County
Grand Jury handed down a “no bill”
to the citizen who fatally shot the two
felony suspects. This very important
decision sent the profound message
that all law-abiding citizens can protect
themselves and their property from
those who violate the laws of their
communities. Another message to the
Belle
criminals is not
toOrtega
expect any special
protection when violating our estabrifle. Several of the shots penetrated
lished laws. I cannot say that I know
the brick exterior and hit Ortega. The
what the citizen was thinking when
shooters fled and Ortega was rushed
he took his bold initiative to confront
to Ben Taub Hospital where she is still
the two burglary suspects. This would
listed in critical condition.
have been my thinking had I been in his
The following Thursday, Houston Hoposition. If I don’t do anything, if I don’t
micide Detectives got a tip that one
get involved now, who or what would
of the shooters was hiding out in a
stop these thugs from coming to my
home in League City. Nine detectives
home next week or in two weeks when
and a HPD Tactical Unit, joined by ofI am not home and ripping me off just
ficers from League City, Dickinson,
as I have now witnessed them breakGalveston County Sheriff’s Office and
ing into my neighbor’s home?
the Precinct Eight Constable’s Office in
Most of us who keep up with the
news and the crimes that are perpetrated on us know that most crooks
are career criminals and they are responsible for Independent
scores of Associate
burglaries,
thefts, assaults and/or drug offenses
than
they ever
get arrested
for. These
Save
or Make
$$$
on
violators probably get caught/busted
YOUR
for their
crimesElectricityy
only about twenty to
thirty percent of the time. It’s no small
wonderCall
that me
percentage
or GOwise
TO:they are
always “ahead of the game!” And when
www.savonpower4u.igniteinc.biz
they
do get arrested and convicted to
serve time in a jail or prison, how much
time will they
spend
behind bars?
Don
Holland
Recently the news reported that an
illegal alien on death row (fifteen years
after his crime convictions) finally re-
281-660-0733
ceived his penalty for the brutal murder of two young teenaged female
citizens of Houston, Texas. He was
put to death according the sentence
by the State of Texas - death by lethal
League City, converged on the home.
injection. In contrast to his violent and
House surrounded, 17-year old Bruno
brutal murder of his two victims, the
Aviles, one of the men charged in the
method of his death sentence was huOrtega shooting, emerged, hands up,
mane. This individual was in our counand surrendered without incident. Potry illegally and spoke English as well
lice, with consent to search the home
as I do. He was also a gang member
from the homeowner, conducted a
who had decided to continue violating
thorough search of the house but
our laws. He and his gang member
failed to find the weapon used in the
buddies were brought to justice and
shooting. Police are still searching for
convicted of the savage murders.
The message must always be sent
to the criminal element among us that
their illegal conduct and destructive
behavior will not be tolerated by lawabiding citizens who want peaceful
communities. Justice is the cornerstone of a secure and productive society and we have a duty as decent and
law-abiding citizens to see it is carried
out. Those individuals who violate our
laws must know beyond any doubt that
they will be held accountable and be
brought to justice very swiftly.
SomeBruno
of you Aviles
may becaptured
familiar with the
quote, “Justice delayed is justice dethe second shooter, 20-year old Andrew
nied.” This is easy to believe if you are
Garcia.
the friend of or the family of a victim
The Police News was on the scene
who has been violated or murdered by
with police when Aviles was taken into
a suspect or a group of perpetrators.
custody.
I don’t believe this. I do believe that justice delayed says to the criminals that
they can “commit their crimes on credit”. They do the crime now and then
for it until
sometime
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Chandara & Eric are not responsible for
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A case when arrogance is equal to
The Rolex Watch:
stupidity!!
TEXAS Highway Department employees
at a farm the
and talked
withhis
an
A stopped
yuppie opened
door of
old
farmer.
The
man
in
charge
told
the
BMW, when suddenly a car came
farmer, 'We need to inspect your farm
and hit
door, ripping it
foralong
a possible
newthe
road.'
off
completely.
When
thedon't
police
The old farmer said, 'OK, but
get
out
in
that
pasture
over
there.'
arrived at the scene, the yuppie
The Highway
Dept. employee
flashed
was
complaining
bitterly about
out his identification card and said, 'I
the damage to his precious
have the authority of the State of TEXAS
"Officer,
look See
whatthisthey've
toBMW.
go anywhere
I want.
card? I
done
to my I wish.'
Beeeeemer!!!", he
will
go wherever
So the old
went
his
whined.
"Youfarmer
yuppies
areabout
so machores.
terialistic, you make me sick!!!",
It wasn't too much later when the
retorted
so
farmer heardthe
loudofficer.
screams"You're
and yelling.
about
stupidHighway
BMW,
Heworried
looked over
andyour
saw several
Department
running
forthat
their
that you employees
didn't even
notice
lives
and
right
behind
was
the
farmer's
your left arm was ripped off!!!"
huge prize bull. The bull was madder
"Oh
my gaaawd...," replied the
than a hornet's nest and was gaining on
yuppie,
finally
noticing
the bloody
the
Highway
employees
at every
step.
The shoulder
old farmerwhere
yelled his
out,arm
'Show
him
left
once
your
card,
Smart
Ass....
Show
him
your
was, "Where's my Rolex?!!!!!"
card!!
Pilgrim Cleaners
409-744-3327 409-762-9013
Jes Garza is a retired Houston Police OfYOUR
HOME
ficer
currently
servingMAIN
as Captain,
Harris
PLANT
or
OFFICE
county Constable’s Office, Precinct One.
FREE PICK-UP 1210 Tremont
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J. VASQUEZ ROOFING
40 Years Experience
All types of roofing • Re-deck Repairs
Pressure Washing - Painting
Jesse Vasquez – Owner
Alvin TX
Wk: 281-489-4660
Cells: 281-935-6514 & 281-235-4446
Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 19
7!.4%$&5')4)6%3
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
If you have information on any of these wanted fugitives call Montgomery County Crime Stoppers
1-800-STOP (7867)
Kalish Law Offices
281-363-3700
www.kalishlawtexas.com
Family Law, Wills,
Real Estate, Immigration
25% discount to Police Officers
Russell, Alicia Michelle
BF 06/28/1982 5’06” 235 lbs.
LKA: 19087 Main, Conroe, TX
Motion to Revoke Forgery
Singh, Gagandeep
WM 06/27/1988 5’10” 190 lbs.
LKA: 12015 Piney Bend, Tomball TX
Aggravated Kidnapping-2 counts
Aggravated Sexual Assault-2
counts
Aggravated Robbery
Templeton, Brandi Jaye
WF 09/17/1983 5’05” 230 lbs.
LKA: 25071 Needham Ln, Porter,
TX
Credit/Debit Card Abuse
Matthews, Lorie Ann
WF 04/30/1973 5’07” 230
LKA: 1539 Airline, Katy, TX
Injury to the Elderly
Cruz, Freddy Jaime
HM 12/21/1975 5’01” 120 lbs.
LKA: 8750 Broadway #2171,
Houston, TX
Murder - Warrant# 21752
Kelley, Nancy Carroll
WF 08/10/1953 5’05” 145
LKA: 5007 FM-1960 #426,
Houston, TX
Motion to Revoke
Felony Driving While Intoxicated
Ramirez, Santa
HF 05/12/1969 5’01” 160
LKA: 203 Sunnycrest, San
Antonio, TX
Assault on a Public Servant
Garcia, Michelle
HF 09/25/1978 5’03” 200
LKA: 16745 Lake Circle, Conroe,
TX
Aggravated Assault w/a Deadly
Weapon
Redmond, Steven Scott
WM 10/19/1961 6’02” 210
LKA: Not Available
Deadly Conduct/Cruelty to
Animals
Warrant# PI523/PI524
Lopez, Nina Michelle
03/12/1970 5’04” 120
LKA: 2135 Lake Hills Dr #2408,
Kingwood, TX
Intoxicated Assault with Serious
Bodily Injury
Martinez, Manel Trejo
HM 12/25/1975 5’05” 160.
LKA: 1209 North 8th, Conroe, TX
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a
Child
Indecency With a Child
Reed, George Alexander
WM 11/29/1972 5’10” 180
LKA: 18307 Navajo Trail, Spring,
TX
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a
Child
Law Enforcement
Equipment and
Accessories
6831 Broadway Suite F
Pearland, Texas 77584
Owned & Operated by
Ofr. Rick Fernandez
Office: 281-412-7358
Fax: 281-412-7354
Mon-Fri 9am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 7pm
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Igde^XVaIVm^
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Clean, Full Sized Cars
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On the Island or Off the Island
McCoy’s Building
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• Lumber • Plywood
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7500 Broadway, Galv.
Brad Claussen: Manager
30 Day Accounts Available
✮ 30 Day Accounts Available ✮
409-744-3401
Contractor’s Line 741-8785
Page 20 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
CREATIONS UPHOLSTERY
$AVID'ILLIOZ/WNER
409-927-2747
12531-1/2 FM 1764 – Santa Fe, TX 77510
Boats - Motorcycles - Jeeps - Pickups - Convertibles
Automotive - Commercial - Marine - Residential
Come see us
for all your
Upholstery
Needs!
Ask people why they have deer heads on their walls and they will tell you it’s because they’re such
beautiful animals. I think my wife is beautiful, but I only have photographs of her on the wall.
RAIDER Unit Takes a Bite Out of Dog Fighters
By Lt. Mark Timmers
This article is dedicated to the law enforcement officers, assistant district
attorneys and interns, computer analysis technicians, and the numerous
other people who diligently worked to
prosecute a group of criminals who
found enjoyment, thrill, and satisfaction in fighting dogs. This
article demonstrates the
direct correlation between
people (criminals) who
abuse animals and the
criminal elements they are
associated with.
Background:
R.A.I.D.E.R Program: Realizing animal cruelty is a
criminal act, the Houston
Humane Society (HHS) and
Harris County Precinct Six Constable
Victor Trevino, joined forces to combat
these, often un-prosecuted, offenses.
HHS is the only humane organization
in Texas to hire law enforcement officers to investigate and prosecute
animal abuse. Therefore, in November
of 2003, animal abusers were put on
notice when these two organizations
jointly created the R.A.I.D.E.R. (Rescue
Animals In Danger Education Resources) program. There are currently two
deputies, a lieutenant and a sergeant,
contracted by HHS assigned full-time
investigating animal cruelty cases.
In July 2007, R.A.I.D.E.R. deputies
presented the first dog fighting case in
over ten years to Harris County Assistant District Attorneys Belinda Smith
and Eric Bily. Smith, the Assistant
District Attorney assigned to the animal cruelty task force, accepted the
criminal charge of “Dog Fighting” on
six adults and one juvenile. This animal
cruelty/dog fighting case highlighted
the need for a specific program like
the R.A.I.D.E.R. program whose deputies spent countless hours conduct-
ing surveillance and investigating this
complex case.
The Dog Fighting Case:
On June 6, 2006, an off duty Precinct
Six deputy observed two individuals
staking out a home on Houston’s east
end. The deputy took up a position of
surveillance, monitored the activity of
the individuals, and
called
f o r
more
officers
to ass i s t
h i m .
He observed
one of
the individuals enter the backyard of
a home and take a motorized go-cart,
while the second individual stood on
the street corner, acting as the lookout person, and talking on a walkietalkie. Precinct Six deputies swept in,
arresting the two individuals who were
later identified as juveniles. During the
booking process deputies learned that
the go-cart was stolen for the sole purpose of being used as a gambling item
at a dog fight. A wooded, vacant lot
adjacent to the Cunney Homes Housing Development was identified as the
neighborhood dog fighting spot. Surveillance began at this location in an
effort to catch the criminals in the act
of dog fighting.
Lieutenant Timmers and other deputies conducted a follow up investigation, in plain-clothes, using a surveying
vehicle and equipment at the vacant
lot. Digital photographs taken depicted a dog fighting pit, equipment, and
injured pit bulls.
On November 11, 2006, Lieutenant Antonio Nichols, supervisor for
Harris County Constable, Precinct Six
The Galveston Housing Authority is accepting applications
for the Public Housing Program, Applications can be picked
up at our main office located at 4700 Broadway, or printed
on-line by visiting our Web site at:
www.Galvestonhousingauthority.org
Public Housing offers many amenities for qualified applicants such as computer learning centers, on site laundry
facilities, and Flat rents for qualified families.
T
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Housing Development Contract (HDC)
arrested two individuals in the Cunney Homes Housing Development for
narcotics and open-warrants. During
inventory of the prisoner’s vehicle, Lt.
Nichols confiscated an amateur produced video tape depicting the criminal
act of dog fighting by numerous young
males. The primary location of the dog
fights shown on the seized video tape
was the same wooded, vacant lot adjacent to the Cunney Homes Housing
Project that the R.A.I.D.E.R. deputies had
under surveillance. Also on the video
tape was the individual recently arrested by Lt. Nichols engaged in the criminal act of dog fighting at this location.
The video tape was forwarded to
the Covert Operations Division (COD)
of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. COD captured still pictures from
the video which were then disseminated back to the Constable deputies
who did good old-fashioned police
work identifying the individuals and
eventually arresting them.
Prior to filing criminal charges on
the six adults and one juvenile, it was
necessary for certain elements of this
dog fighting case to be established.
A large number of man hours were
spent by law enforcement, computer
analysts, and DA interns who established and met the burden of proof for
this criminal case, established that the
crime was within the statute of limitations, and that the location of the crime
was within Harris County jurisdiction.
All six arrested pleaded guilty prior to
trial and justice was served; however I
was somewhat disappointed that this
case did not go to trial. I would have
liked for a jury to see the dog fighting
video, observe and listen to the suspect’s deplorable behavior and hear
testimony of how the evidence in this
case was compiled and processed.
Furthermore, it was especially satisfying to know that the partnership be-
tween HHS and the Constable’s office
is so successful. HHS understands
cops are specifically trained to investigate criminal cases, seize property,
collect evidence, and arrest and house
criminals. While costly, the HHS is committed to funding 100% of R.A.I.D.E.R.
deputies’ contracts.
Likewise Precinct 6 realizes the HHS
staff is superior in the compilation of
pathology evidence from seized animals, providing necessary housing,
food, veterinarian care and expert
court testimony.
For further information on this partnership, or animal cruelty investigations, please feel free to contact Lt.
Mark Timmers through the Houston
Humane Society or Harris County Constable Precinct 6 website. http://www.
co.harris.tx.us/conpct6/
Lieutenant Mark Timmers is the R.A.I.D.E.R.
Program supervisor and has been working with Houston Humane Society since
Nov. 2002. Since that time he has investigated thousands of animals reported to
be abused or neglected. Lt. Timmers has
been in law enforcement for over 20 years
and, as a long-time animal advocate, is
now able to devote all his time to investigating and rescuing animals.
He is a regular contributor to The Police
News.
MILTON JOHNSON
DJ/Music Tech
THE DJ
FOR ALL OCCASIONS
Weddings, Receptions, Parties,
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much more.
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or 409-682-1772
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At the Traffic Light in Jamaica Beach
409-737-2414
Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 21
POLICE NEWS UPDATES
DICKINSON MOTEL
www.PoliceNewsOnline.com
281-337-7242 281-804-6365
Delivered to your e-mail FREE
2514 Hill St, Dickinson
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unt
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Tuesday specials–Oil Change for $19.95–Emission Stickers on models ‘96 and newer’ for $35.00
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4 Blocks from UTMB
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2318 83rd Street
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Page 22 - Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News
(409) 740-0581 - (409) 740-1622
Toll Free: 866-740-1622
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CAFE
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wherever you see these
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Open Monday – Saturday 6am - 2pm
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ALL GALVESTON AND BRAZORIA COUNTY JAILS
Gulf Coast/Piney Woods Police News - Page 23
Drug Problem? NA 1-888-955-8822
ALL DRIVERS BEWARE!
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driving without insurance.
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Police officers now have access to the Texas Insurance
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The Computer in their patrol car will know if your insurance
is current or cancelled.
Avoid high fines — $1,000.00, your driver’s license being
suspended, your vehicle being towed, or WORSE, going to jail!
Call Insurance Junction, Inc.
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Stay Safe, Stay Covered!
Jimmy Fullen,
Master Police
PeaceOfficer
Officer
Current
3320 Broadway • Galveston, TX
409.770.0010
www.insurancejunction.com
Se Habla Español
Insurance Junction, Inc.