Off-duty Prairie View police officer fatally shoots man in northwest Harris County parking lot

HOUSTON -- A confrontation between a man and an off-duty Prairie View police officer ended in a deadly shooting this weekend in northwest Harris County.

It happened just before 9pm at the parking lot of a Walgreen's on Veterans Memorial and Antoine Drive. Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies said the officer was working an extra security job at the business when a known theft suspect walked inside.

"The officer saw a suspect come into the business that had been known to pass bad checks back and forth," HCSO Dep. Thomas Gilliland said. According to investigators, the officer confronted the man in the parking lot, but the man struggled with him.

"The suspect fought with the officer," Gilliland said. "The officer then discharged his Taser, which was ineffective on the suspect." At that point, the man reportedly got into his car and tried to drive away, nearly hitting the officer in the process.

"The officer discharged his weapon, striking the vehicle multiple times," Gilliland said. Deputies said the suspect was shot at least once and lost control of the car. The vehicle crashed into a flower bed on the other side of the parking lot, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

We're told the officer was not in full uniform, but he was clearly identifiable as law enforcement. "He was off-duty, wearing a jacket that has Prairie View Police on it," Gilliland said. "Patches on both sides." No names have been released. Officials said the officer was not injured.

This case remains under investigation. So far, the officer has not been charged with a crime. HCSO will be working to determine whether the officer was justified in using deadly force.

HPD: Gunman flees with murder victim's fiancee after shooting in northeast Houston

HOUSTON -- A man is dead and police have labeled his fiancee a person of interest after she reportedly fled the scene with the shooter. Christmas at a home on Bobby Burns at Howton featured a big family gathering of close to 75 people, according to the Houston Police Department.

But when the celebration was over, things took a tragic turn. "It's very, very sad because I just got through talking to him and all his family was out here having a good time, and some tragedy like this happens," neighbor Gregory Brooks said.

According to police, it all started when 37-year-old Ronalee Deandre McGuire and his fiancee began to argue around 2:30am in a detached apartment behind the house.

"He gets out of bed; he was having an argument with his fiancee, and a black male enters and shoots him," HPD Sgt. Mark Holbrook said.

McGuire was pronounced dead when officers arrived. Police said his fiancee and the shooter both left the scene. "The entire family is just amazing people, and it's a tragedy right now that this happened on Christmas," family friend Herbert Journet said.

Inside the bedroom during the shooting, were four kids between the ages of eight and 13. "Two of them are his children; two of them are his nephews," Holbrook said. "Very sad, especially for that baby just out here crying; very sad, saying somebody killed his daddy," neighbor Vickie said.

"He takes care of his kids, and he was a good person. He was a good person," Brooks said. " I don't know why somebody would want to take his life like that." Detectives want to talk to McGuire's girlfriend and a young man who left the home just before police arrived; police are not calling them suspects.

"They've been dating for a while had a relatively stable relationship, we don't know how much she's involved in all of this but she did leave the scene right after it happened," Holbrook said.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts can call HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Missouri City husband arrested in connection with wife's murder

HOUSTON – A husband wanted in connection with the murder of his wife Friday night in Missouri City was arrested Sunday morning, police have confirmed.

Lance Hilton, 45, has been charged with murder, according to the Houston Police Department. According to investigators, police were called to a home on Ridge Rock at Krause after 10:30 p.m. and found Marian Hilton lying dead in her bed.

Her young daughter, who is about 11, heard her parents arguing. She went downstairs to find her mother dead. On Saturday, police found Hilton’s car in southeast Houston. The couple had been married for about five years.

Marian Hilton worked in the records department at Methodist Hospital in the Medical Center downtown. She has three daughters and two grandchildren. Her grandson was born a month ago.

Teacher accused of groping students faced similar claims in 2011

HOUSTON -- Ysidoro Rosales-Motola is facing felony charges stemming from claims by more than one student at Sharpstown High School.

Now a former student at Westbury High School said he made similar complaints about Rosales-Motola in 2011. Police investigated but at that time the district attorney's office said there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute.

HISD reassigned Rosales-Motola to non-classroom duties after the most recent claims surfaced in October. He was arrested Friday at a motel where police said he was hiding, and since then he's been unable to post bond.

Principal arrested on Sharpstown HS campus, accused of failing to report child abuse

 HOUSTON -- An HISD high school principal has been arrested, accused of failing to report child abuse. The district sent out a release late Thursday afternoon, stating Sharpstown High School principal Rob Gasparello was arrested on campus.

Gasparello was in a 2012 PBS documentary called "Drop Out Nation." His mission has been to keep kids in school, kids like Connor Gerber. 

"He tried to be active in everyone's academic life, tried to make things better for all of us," Gerber said. But his reputation is now on the line after Gasparello was arrested Thursday afternoon for failing to report child abuse.

"Mr. Gasaparello was arrested and my mouth was just open," Sharptown parent Tonya Jones said. Jones found out from a recorded phone call sent out to all the parents. District officials also stated more administrators are expected to be arrested in connection with the child abuse but would not elaborate on any details.

"I feel like if someone did come to Mr. G and say, 'Mr. G I'm getting abused at home,' or whatever, I feel that he would have done something about it," student Karencia Jones said.

Gasparello was gained national attention for his dedication to his students. He appeared on CNN and even was recognized by Governor Rick Perry and featured on the governor's YouTube page. "Parents like me need to really know the details of the situation. You can't really back someone unless you really know," Jones said.

The district also said the priority starting Friday will be to make sure things run smoothly and that learning continues without any interruptions. Additional administrators will be there to make sure that happens.

2 teen’s dead, community in shock after mass shooting at Cypress house party; Suspects remain at large

HOUSTON -- A community is in mourning after a mass shooting this weekend at a northwest Harris County home left nearly two dozen people shot and two teens killed, and authorities say two suspects are still on the loose.

At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia described the event as a "birthday party gone wild." The violence unfolded just before 11pm Saturday at a home in the 7300 block of Enchanted Creek Drive near FM 529.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says 20 people were shot, and two of those victims are dead. HCSO authorities tell us Queric Richardson, a 17-year-old student of Morton Ranch High School in Katy, died at the scene. A 16-year-old girl died after being transported to Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital. Her name has not been officially released.

Richardson's father, Laurence Guidry, is having a hard time understanding how his two sons went to the party, yet only one of them came home. "Queric didn't deserve this. He was just a child," Guidry said. "He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Relatives told us Richardson, who would have turned 18 next week, was a good student and worked at a local Dairy Queen. His 16-year-old brother, Kenneth Guidry, was shot while trying to save him.

"He was shot 10 minutes before he even realized he was shot, trying to help his brother," their father said. Richardson's brother was one of 18 survivors who reportedly suffered gunshot wounds. A 19th victim has a broken leg, officials said.

Injuries range in severity. As of Sunday night, one person remained in critical condition at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Sheriff Garcia said alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been a factor in the shootings, but the suspects may be gang-affiliated. No firearms have been recovered from the scene.

Boulden said she never expected this to happen at her birthday party. "My brother and them were patting people down. [The suspects] didn't want to get patted down and they walked off. And then I guess they came back and went through the gate," Boulden said. "They weren't supposed to be here, whoever they were."

There is an active search underway for two unidentified suspects -- ages 17 and 22. Anyone with information is asked to call HCSO Homicide at 713-967-5810 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Girlfriend of man accused of recording sex assault of young girls charged

HOUSTON -- A 42-year-old man is accused of molesting children as far back as 1999, and now his girlfriend is facing a felony charge in the case as well.

Julia Lack, girlfriend of Tad Costin, has been arrested. Detectives with the Pearland Police Department charged Lack with one count of possession of child pornography. The charge stems from evidence seized at Lack's residence earlier this week after the execution of a search warrant.

It was Lack's father who found the evidence that broke this case wide open. On Thursday, Benny Lack broke his silence and opened up about the disturbing discovery his wife made in their home.

"It's just like making us look like we're the bad people," he said. "I walked in there and it was sick. I couldn't even look at it all the way through." What he saw were videos and images of Lack's boyfriend, Tad Costin, allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a number of little girls. Some wearing Disney nightgowns. The videos, Lack says, were on a telephone SIM card that was stashed away in a box of his daughter's belongings.

"Once I seen it, I said he's got to be stopped. There wasn't a doubt in my mind," Benny Lack said. "All I was trying to do was protect my daughter." The father said he called police, who then began investigating Costin.

Costin is now charged with four counts of sexual assault of a child. Authorities say the 42-year-old sexually assaulted as many as 15 girls ranging in ages from four to seven years old, and is accused of engaging in sexual acts with victims as far back as 1999.

Investigators say they found hundreds possibly thousands of images at the Pearland home he shares with Julia Lack. He was arrested there on Friday. Benny Lack says he doesn't regret turning Costin in to authorities, even though now his daughter faces a charge of possession of child porn. "You don't believe your daughter participated in any of this?" we asked him. "I do not," he said.

Benny Lack says he has not spoken with his daughter since Costin's arrest and was not aware of her arrest when we spoke with him. Julia Lack's bond has been set at $30,000.

If you know anything related to this case, you are asked to call the Harris County District Attorney's Office or Detective Cecil Arnold with the Pearland Police Department at 281-997-4151.

Houston woman found dead after reporting robbery, kidnapping

HOUSTON, TX— A southwest Houston woman has been found dead at home following a weekend in which she reported being robbed, abducted, freed and her car stolen.

Police on Tuesday announced the homicide investigation into the death of 25-year-old Meghan Hairston.

Autopsy results are pending on Hairston, whose body was discovered Monday by her mother when she could not reach her daughter. Police said Hairston was found at 5914 Bridlington about 5:30 p.m.

Investigators say Hairston on Friday reported an aggravated robbery at her residence. She told police that four unknown people barged in, stole items and forced her to accompany them to ATMs and withdraw cash. Police say Hairston was later dropped off unharmed at an undisclosed location.

Hairston on Saturday reported her home was burglarized and her car stolen. The vehicle was recovered Monday.

Houston man-23, accused of killing ex-girlfriend, her new boyfriend in San Marcos

SAN MARCOS, TX -- Two people were murdered and the suspected killer was found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Police are calling it a deadly love triangle.

The incident happened in San Marcos, but Eyewitness News has learned two of those involved have ties to the Houston area. Hailey Nicholls, 22, lived in Kingwood. Her ex-boyfriend, who police say killed her, lived in northwest Houston.

We talked to Nicholls' mother, father and older sister. They said Nicholls was senselessly taken from them and don't understand why. Investigators say this may have been a case of a love affair gone terribly wrong.

"I heard the girl ask, 'Why are you here?'" a neighbor said. Their love affair turned deadly early Thursday morning when police say 23-year-old Daniel Brewster Stillwell confronted Nicholls and her 27-year-old boyfriend, Jesse Robledo, in a San Marcos apartment.

According to police, Nicholls was shot in head on the floor. Robledo was also shot in the head; his body was found on the bed.

"The breakup between the ex-boyfriend and girlfriend -- between Stillwell and Nicholls -- was, to my understanding, very recent. It's about the best I can tell you for sure. But yeah, it's going to be a recent breakup issue," San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams said.

Robledo was from San Antonio. His father calmly described how he found out about the killings. "The police, they just sat us down and said to us basically that my son was deceased," he told WOAI in San Antonio.

For hours, police looked for Stillwell. According to police, he called his roommate and said he hurt his girlfriend. Before police could catch him, he drove his car off cliff in an area of Comal County known as Devil's Backbone.

"I've been here 10 years now, this is first time we've had a double murder in that sort of tradition," Williams said.

Nicholls had an identical twin sister. Her mother told me her heart also goes out to the other two families who are grieving right now. She says right now, three families are at a loss.

3 Men dead after shooting in NW Harris County neighborhoods

HARRIS COUNTY – Investigators have determined that three men killed in a shooting Thursday morning in a northwest Harris County neighborhood are the only shooters involved in the incidencrt.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, investigators found the bodies in a neighborhood on Briarchase Drive near Torrey Drive after reports of gunfire just before 10 a.m.

The two victims were found in a white Ford Mustang that crashed into the front yard of a home, deputies said. The two men had been armed with pistols and a bag of marijuana was found in the vehicle.

The third shooting victim was found in the parking lot of the Torrey Pines Recreation Center, deputies said. He too was found with next to a pistol. The shooting had many neighbors standing around wondering what is going on.

Jackie Rangel dropped her daughter off to school this morning when she saw the commotion. “I heard like four or five gun shots and then I heard sirens. I came out and see police flying down the street, and that's what it is,” Rangel, a neighbor, said.

Investigators will be looking at surveillance video from the park. “They just said there are two other guys shot in a car back here and they just think it could be drugs,” Julie Johnson, neighborhood resident, said.

Man's body found in northwest Houston ditch

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston Police Department is investigating an apparent homicide after a man was found dead in a ditch Sunday in northwest Houston.

The body was discovered in the 6400 block of Gold Street at Creston near Interstate 610 and the Hardy Toll Road. HPD Homicide detectives spent the day at the scene. The body was found just before 9am near some railroad tracks.

Officers have been canvassing the area looking for clues, and they believe this is a murder. The cause of death has not been officially determined yet, but a shooting or stabbing are both under consideration as blood was found at the scene.

Neighbors didn't report hearing any gunshots, but if a passing train could have masked any specific noise. Police are also considering that the man could have been killed at another location and the body dumped, but they don't believe he was here very long.

"Probably last night sometime. Here again, it's not necessarily to say he was shot at this location. He could have been dumped here," Det. Ramon Cervantes said. "As you can see here, it's not necessarily desolate; but the area where we found this individual, you can see where people have dumped things, and there's a portion of this area where it is somewhat desolate."

Investigators say the man's body was found by a family driving by. They first noticed his shoes. "My brother recognized some shoes, and we slowed down and there was a body lying there," Larry Washington said.

"I told them it was a mannequin," Larry's brother, Orish Washington, said. "I didn't believe it was somebody." The grim discovery has cast an eerie feeling on their neighborhood, especially among the family that had a very unexpected start to their Sunday morning.

The body has not been identified, but police said the man was black and in his early 20s. This case remains under investigation. 

Man in wheelchair killed by hit-and-run driver in north Harris County

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Investigators are searching for a hit-and-run driver who killed a man in a wheelchair this morning in north Harris County.

It happened around 3:20am on Aldine Mail Route near Airline. According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, a witness saw a red extended-cab Ford pickup truck strike the victim in the southbound lanes of Airline.

The driver then reportedly made a U-turn and fled north. Deputies said the victim was an older Latino man who was in the inside southbound lane in his wheelchair when he was fatally struck. He died at the scene.

"He was in the lane of traffic," HCSO Dep. Paul Begley said. "Unknown if he was trying to cross, or just in the lane."

Investigators collected vehicle parts from the scene of the crash to possibly help them locate the suspect vehicle.

Please stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for updates. Reporter Sonia Azad is at the scene and will have live reports from the scene 8-10am.

Man shoots, kills would-be robber after returning Redbox movie in north Houston

HOUSTON -- A man was attacked on Tuesday evening in north Houston after stopping to return a movie at the Redbox outside of McDonald's.

According to investigators, he got back in his car and was approached by at least two suspects who attempted to steal his car. He was forced out of the vehicle and pushed down.

The victim had a gun on him and he fired at the suspects. He killed one of the robbers and wounded one of the other suspects who got away. Police did not release any other information regarding the case.

“It is kind of odd being right out in the open. I guess people and the desperate need of people nowadays,” said Dedrick Moore. “They give up hope and try to go any other way to get their means."

Moore lives in the area and visits the McDonald's often, but not without caution. "I am always checking my area,” Moore said. “Looking around knowing what is going on around me."

The victim did not want to appear on camera, but he said he was doing OK.

Suspect's family 'shocked and destroyed' by crime at Spring HS

SPRING, Texas -- Luis Alonso Alfaro, 17, was charged with killing a classmate Wednesday at Spring High School by stabbing him to death.

Harris County Sheriff’s deputies said the teen confessed to the crime. He said nothing as reporters tossed out questions to him while deputies walked him to a waiting car at the Criminal Investigations Bureau.

His stepfather had a lot to say from his home in Spring, even though he didn't want to be identified. First and foremost, he had a message for the victim's family.

“I'll probably go meet them and say my prayers and share my thoughts and say I’m sorry for whatever altercation happened,” said Alfaro’s stepfather.

All four victims had been stabbed. Three were treated and released from area hospitals. The stepfather did not know where the teen got the knife used in the attack. “He didn't have one at the house. We checked his room, we checked everything,” said Alfaro’s stepfather.

The family said Luis worked part-time at a fast food restaurant, went to school, came home and didn't have any issues. They were stunned. His mother was reportedly “devastated and destroyed.”

Alfaro’s stepfather was sensitive to critics who may point the finger at the parents. “It's not our fault. It's not parenting,” said Alfaro’s stepfather. “You can't monitor your kids 24-7.” 

He said Luis will likely pay the price for the crime. The stepfather did not believe the brawl was gang-related. “I don’t believe that,” said Alfaro’s stepfather.

Witnesses- Denny's customer killed by robbers was trying to protect children

HOUSTON – A customer was fatally shot and an employee was injured during a robbery at a Denny’s restaurant in west Houston. It happened at the Denny’s along Interstate 10 at Washington Avenue around 10:30 p.m. Monday, according to officers with the Houston Police Department.

Police said three men wearing masks and bandanas went into the restaurant and ordered all customers and employees to the ground. A family member of one of the victims said the men took purses and cell phones, and even pointed their guns at small children. The men also stole money from the customers and the cash register.

Witnesses said the robbers became angry and started shooting before they left the scene. The bullets struck a customer and an employee who was trying to escape out the front door. The robbers escaped in a minivan, believed to be stolen.

Police spent several hours looking over the scene and the evidence, which included bullet holes in some of the cars parked outside. Police said the men wore masks, but the crime and the getaway vehicle may have been captured on video by surveillance cameras.

If they are putting a gun to a small kid’s head, they need to be stopped," said Drue Placette. Denny’s reopened a few hours after the deadly robbery. Regulars stopped by to check on the employees they’ve come to know.

"You never think it’s going to happen to somebody you know, or some place that you go, and it’s really sad when it does," said Peggy McMillan, a regular. "It’s horrible. We just want to check and make sure everybody is OK. I know somebody didn’t make it and we feel really bad about it."

4 - Years boy, drowns in Liberty County pond

HOUSTON -- A heartbreaking situation unfolded Monday in Liberty County which took the life of a 4-year-old child.

The sheriff’s office said deputies received a call from a grandmother around 12:30 p.m. to report that her grandson was missing from a residence in the 4500 block of Private Road 4501.

The grandmother, who is wheel chair bound, said the boy had been missing for 15 minutes before she called 911. A short time later, the boy's body was found in a nearby pond. 

Deputies responded to the pond, located near Indigo Road and PR 4501. Authorities recovered the child and performed CPR, but it was too late. Officials said it is possible believe the child had been in the water 30 to 40 minutes before he was found.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office is investigating.

Bicyclist struck, killed by car at Memorial Park

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities are investigating a deadly auto-pedestrian accident at Memorial Park.

Authorities are investigating a deadly auto-pedestrian accident at Memorial Park. It happened around 7:30pm in the 6700 block of Memorial Drive.

Witnesses say the bike rider had started to cross the street but then turned around to go back. That's when an oncoming car heading westbound on Memorial struck him then crashed into a light pole.

"I was walking around the corner and I heard a big thump, like the earth had shaken. So immediately, I knew somebody was in trouble and had a horrible crash," witness Charlotte Jolivet said.

Authorities say the bicyclist died at the scene, and the driver of the car was transported to a hospital in an undisclosed condition.

"Well you definitely have to be careful. This is a busy time of day; this is a busy park with a lot of people on bikes, people running and then the cars on the street. This is a pretty fast street," HPD Sgt. Johnnie McFarland said.

Other bikers at the park know agree.

"We stay on the back bike paths. We have the lights, we have the reflectors and try to have the hats but we try not to get on the streets because the cars can't see us all the time," a bicyclist at the park said.

The identities of the cyclist and driver of the cars have not yet been released. Officials have shut down the outbound lanes of Memorial at Memorial Loop as the investigation continues.

Mexican man on Texas death row loses appeal

HOUSTON -- A 43-year-old Mexican national on Texas death row for the beating death of a man at his Hill Country ranch near Kerrville almost 16 years ago has lost a federal court appeal, moving him a step closer to execution.

Attorneys for Ramiro Hernandez argue he was mentally impaired and ineligible for execution for the 1997 slaying of 48-year-old Glen Lich. The former Baylor University history professor was fatally beaten with a crowbar. His wife also was attacked but survived.

Hernandez, from Tamaulipas, Mexico, also argued he had poor legal help at his Texas trial, where he says verification of a previous murder conviction and prison term in Mexico was improperly allowed.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected each one argument. Hernandez does not yet have an execution date.

HPD finds woman feared kidnapped in northeast Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The missing woman who was at the center of a police investigation was found safe Monday evening. Now investigators are searching for answers into why she was taken.

Families in one northeast Houston neighborhood are still upset but are also relieved that this abduction ended with the victim being found alive and unharmed.

Investigators say at about 11:30am Monday, 29-year-old Elsa Yaneth Munos Romero was running down Shot well Street, madly yelling for help and saying that someone was trying to kill her. She even went to one home and knocked on the door. When the homeowner opened it, he says she threw her Honduran passport at him and was taken into an SUV by a man and a woman.

The witness said both of the man and woman who took her had MS-13 gang tattoos. MS-13 is an particularly violent gang, heavily involved in human trafficking, prostitution and other illegal activity.

"You see little kids running up and down trying to be in gangs, but I've never heard of MS-13 being here in this neighborhood," neighbor Yolanda Gonzales said.

"I've never noticed or seen any violence at all. It's always quiet," neighbor Monica Rios said. At about 7:30 Monday, HPD homicide detectives confirmed they had located Romero unharmed, and they are interviewing her for details about the abduction.

10-year-old boy shot while sleeping in southwest Houston

HOUSTON -- A 10-year-old boy is improving after he was shot as he slept inside his southwest Houston apartment overnight Monday.

The shooting happened at the Summer Crossing apartment complex on Beechnut near Wilcrest. "It sounded like machine guns," said resident Erica Newsome. "It sounded like a series of 10 shots." It's a sound Newsome did not expect to wake up to.

"It was so loud. It sounded like it was right at my door," she said. Police say a gunman opened fire late Monday night in the middle of the southwest Houston apartment complex.

"They were standing right there when they fired off," said eyewitness Tony Lofton "That's where they found all the rounds at."

Bullets struck shutters and a staircase, and shattered windows. At least one bullet penetrated through the wall of apartment 821 and struck the 10-year-old boy who was sleeping in apartment 803. "I saw the little boy today and he's innocent," said eyewitness Mardoqueo Garcia.

Neighbors say the little boy's family called 911 and he was transported to the hospital. Houston police tell us Arzate, who was just an innocent bystander, is expected to be OK. But for now, there are no suspects and no motive for the shooting.

That's frustrating news for many residents who are now worried about their safety. Parents who heard the gunshots are panicked. "It wasn't even my children and we were terrified," said Newsome.

It was terrifying enough for Newsome to move out. "We're moving this week," she said. "This was enough." Investigators say they still don't know who the intended target was. Police had detained someone at the scene but they later determined that person was not connected to the shooting.

Anyone who may know anything is being asked to contact police.

Police officer killed in shootout at Killeen apartment

KILLEEN, TX -- A police officer is dead and another is wounded after a shootout at a Central Texas apartment complex with a man armed with a military-style assault weapon.

The suspect also was killed in the shootout at the Grandon Manor Apartments, near Killeen Mall.Killeen tactical officers went to the complex about midnight Saturday after a man was reported frightening people in the pool with a gun. 

A police statement says officers found the man in an apartment and tried to talk him out when he fired one shot. Police say the man then came to the door with hands up but wouldn't come out. 

He backed deeper the apartment, grabbed the rifle and began shooting at officers, wounding two, one fatally. Other officers killed the suspect. Identities haven't been released.

Tip leads to two arrests in kidnapping case, one man sought

Houston police have arrested two suspects and are asking for the public's help in locating a third suspect wanted for inquiring in the assault and kidnapping of a woman at 8800 Lake Forest Boulevard about 2am on June 30.

Police say a 28-year-old woman was arguing with her boyfriend at a convenience store at 9430 Mesa at Tidwell. She got into a car with three unknown men and was driven around the Lakewood Subdivision.

During this time, police say the woman was physically assaulted and a rape attempt was made before she was able to escape and run away. She suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Police say Roy Dean Griffin, 20, and Delton T. Sidney, 21, are in custody and charged with kidnapping. Justin Darreal Johnson, 20, is wanted for questioning in the case.

The suspects and victim were seen on surveillance video at the Time Saver convenience store on Mesa. After police released that video to the public, a Crime Stoppers tip leads to the identities of the three wanted suspects. Sidney and Griffin were arrested on Monday without incident. Police say Griffin had changed his look and cut his dreadlocks since the day of the incident.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Justin Johnson is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

Man Stopped For Speeding on Bridge Jumps Out Of Car into Meramec River, Police Say

A driver pulled over for speeding early morning on Highway 21 parked his car on the bridge over the Meramec River and jumped. He went straight from the vehicle over the edge of the bridge and into the river, Lt. Robert Wolf of the Missouri State Highway Patrol tells Daily RFT this morning, adding, "The search continues."

Wolf says an officer pulled over the driver at about 1:38 a.m. and that there was no pursuit of any kind. But as soon as the car parked, he says, the man jumped out without even opening a door. "The driver slid across to the passenger seat and jumped through the window and into the Meramec River."

Wolf says that a search began immediately for the man and that the Mehlville Fire Protection District, the highway patrol's marine division and police helicopters have all been working to locate the man.

He says that around 5:30 a.m. they were forced off of the water temporarily due to storms, but resumed the rescue task a short while later and have not yet located him. Wolf has no other details at this time to offer about the man and says he can't confirm his identity or whether he was the owner of the vehicle in question.

 There was no clear reason why the man fled. "It was simply a traffic stop for speeding," Wolf says. Based on the Post-Dispatch's latest report, it appears that a dramatic scene is unfolding at the river.

The paper has recognized the driver as Jeff Henning of Fenton, apparently based on testimony from his mother Mary Henning of Imperial. Troopers, the mom told the paper, had called Jeff's father early Wednesday. Relatives are reportedly gathered along the riverbank watching the search.

Police release sketch of suspects who assaulted, robbed postal worker

Houston -- The United States Postal Inspection Services is asking for the public’s assistance in finding two men that assaulted and robbed a postal mover in midtown while delivering the mail.

The incident occurred on Thursday, June 20 at approximately 11:30 a.m. in the 1700 block of Tuam.

The mailman had just parked his truck and was about to distribute the mail to a row of boxes in front of a townhome when he said two men in their 20s casually walked up to him and began to chat.

The letter transporter said the men wanted whatever he had in his pockets. They eventually pulled out a gun and hit him on the right side of his face. Both suspects are describe as 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 150 pounds.

Information which leads to the apprehension and filing of charges on the suspects involved can earn a reward of up to $5,000.

Call U.S. Inspector Shadowiness at (281) 512-8525 if you have any information regarding this case. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Crime and Punishment in texas

Texas laws currently recognize five types of felonies and three types of misdemeanors. Every crime in the TPC is classified as one of these eight types.

Felonies

The different types of felonies are capital, first degree, second degree, third degree and state jail. The most serious offense is capital felonies.

Misdemeanors                                           

The three types of misdemeanors are class A, B, and C. Misdemeanor sentences are serve in county jails.

Offense	Punishment
Capital Felony	Execution
First Degree Felonies	5 to 99 years, $10,000 Fine
Second Degree Felonies	2 to 20 years, $10,000 Fine
Third Degree Felonies	2 to 10 years, $10,000 Fine
State Jail Felonies	180 days to 2 years, $10,000 Fine
Class A Misdemeanors	Up to one year, $4000 Fine
Class B Misdemeanors	Up to 180 days, $2000Fine
Class C Misdemeanors	$500  Fine

For more information visit at: http://houstoncriminalattorney.com

Police warn about increase in car burglaries

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Crime Tracker alert -- Houston police say they're seeing a big jump in car break-ins in neighborhoods across the city. And it's particularly become a major concern for residents on the northwest side.

Right now police are warning you that locking your cars just isn't enough. Burglars are on the prowl, and they're hitting some northwest side neighborhoods pretty hard. Resident parked a Buick in Oak Forest. Its locks were popped with a screwdriver; crooks ripped out the stereo and stole speakers from the trunk.

"Well, it's scary," said Diane, a concerned neighbor. "It's definitely scary."Scary, since neighbors are learning the Buick is among a string of cars and trucks thieves broke into this week in areas across northwest Houston.

"We've had a significant increase here in The Heights," said HPD Sgt. Chad Wall. "It's actually a little over 50 percent."Sgt. Wall says some drivers are making their cars simple targets for thieves."The problem is they are leaving purses, computers, and all that kind of stuff in their vehicles," he said.

Using 13 Eyewitness News' exclusive Crime Tracker, we looked at reported motor vehicle burglaries across northwest side patrol beats, including neighborhoods like the Heights  Westport, Timbergrove, Oak Forest and Garden Oaks to name a few. The data shows police responded to 211 car burglaries in those areas between January and March last year, compared to the 368 break-ins during the same time this year. That's a 74 percent increase.

As for that Buick, it was later found abandoned about two miles away. Diane said, "It doesn't seem to matter what neighborhood you live in, it's going to happen."Police say car burglaries in some areas like Sunset Heights are actually down about 14 percent, but that doesn't mean you should let down your guard.

George Zimmerman Judge Orders Jury to Be Sequestered During Trial

The Florida judge presiding over George Zimmerman's murder trial reversed herself today and announced that the jurors will be sequestered for the trial. The Florida judge presiding over George Zimmerman's murder trial reversed herself today and announced that the jurors will be sequestered for the test.

In February 2012, Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Fla., shot and killed 17-year-old  Trayvon Martin after a confrontation in the dark.

Judge Debra Nelson said that during the trial she will consider motions to admit details as evidence on a case-by-case basis, outside the presence of jurors who will decide if Zimmerman is guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Martin.

Earlier the judge had ruled that the six-member jury and four alternates would be anonymous, but declined to have them sequestered. The racially charged case has attracted national attention.

Jurors are rarely sequestered, isolated by the court away from their families and their homes, for a second degree murder trial. On Wednesday, a potential juror assigned the number E7 told the court he had little knowledge about the case. However on an earlier Facebook posting months ago the juror appeared to have written “I CAN tell you THIS. Justice…IS coming”.

An ABC News search of the Facebook page revealed that a person resembling E7 wrote on March 21, 2012 the same date as on the court record.

The posting also alleged a conspiracy involving Zimmerman and local police.Both counsels approached the bench, and the judge asked him about a Facebook post, and he confirmed it was his. Lawyers from both sides today were confronted with outright bias by potential jurors.

In four days of jury selection at least 24 jurors are in the potential jury pool and 85 have been dismissed. Lawyers on both sides are trying to find 40 potential jurors before they begin a more intense question-and-answer session known as voire dire.

Both sides are wary of potential moles, individuals who say they know little about the case that made national headlines because they are eager to be picked.

The stealth juror is one that says the answers that everyone wants to hear but inside has a secret, hidden agenda, said veteran defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh, a legal analyst. Analysts say Nelson's decision to sequester the jury could be to protect them from outside influence.