LOCAL/NEWS

03/01/2010

Texas death row inmate set to die for murder of Brazilian couple in Plano
Michael Sigala killed Kleber and Lilian Santos in August 2000 while he was on probation and was allowed to leave a Dallas-area substance abuse treatment center for the day to look for a job.

McKinney woman sentenced to 10 years for heroin-injection death of best friend 12:45 PM CT
A woman convicted of killing her best friend by injecting her with heroin was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison.

Dallas police investigating shootout at Lower Greenville bar
Four people were hit by gunfire after a fight broke out at the Billiard Bar, police said. None of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening.

Frisco police hope new fines will curb false alarms 8:53 AM CT
The city says it's wasting more than $1 million a year sending police out in response to burlgary alarms, almost all of which are false.

Last 2 figures in Dallas City Hall bribe case sentenced to 14 and 3 years, respectively 2:04 PM CT
The infamous public corruption case, the biggest in the city's history, is essentially over.

02/28/2010

Dallas-Fort Worth area police reports
The police blotter summarizes selected crimes. Information is provided by city police departments. Incidents are listed by street name and block.

Local news briefs

02/27/2010

Paperwork mistake led to Dallas County felons' accidental pardons
A former constable now running for Dallas County clerk is the beneficiary of a paperwork snafu in which the county's criminal-court judges granted unsolicited pardons to perhaps hundreds of convicted felons over the years.

Woman who injected friend with fatal dose of heroin convicted of murder
McKINNEY – A Collin County jury deliberated five hours Friday before finding Kristin Metz guilty of murder for the 2008 heroin injection slaying of her best friend, Stevie May.

Three in Dallas City Hall case sentenced in a 'betrayal of our city'
Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison for leading a massive shakedown scheme that a federal judge called a "betrayal of our city."

SENTENCING SCHEDULE

Democrats dominate Dallas County judge primaries
The judicial primary elections Tuesday in Dallas County are yet another indicator that the balance of political power has shifted to the Democrats. The Democrats have 10 primary battles for state district judge. The Republicans have none.

Head of charity confesses to lying about how he lost his leg
Amputee Craig Gavras has traveled America, drumming up support for an organization that raises money to buy artificial limbs for the needy. At times, he's shared his personal story: He lost his leg during a mob attack while working as a Dallas police officer.

02/26/2010

Next round of sentencing in Dallas City Hall corruption case begins Monday
U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn will sentence two others convicted during last year's trial: car dealer Rickey Robertson and southern Dallas activist Darren Reagan.

3 in Dallas City Hall case sentenced in a 'betrayal of our city'
Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill was sentenced to 18 years in prison; his wife, Sheila Farrington Hill, to nine years, and D'Angelo Lee, received 14 years.
Video: Hill, attorneys speak
More sentencings on Monday
Graphic: Connecting the defendants

Paperwork mistake led to Dallas County felons' accidental pardons
A former constable now running for Dallas County clerk is the beneficiary of a paperwork snafu in which the county's criminal-court judges granted unsolicited pardons to perhaps hundreds of convicted felons over the years.
Link: Compare the candidates

Woman who injected friend with fatal dose of heroin convicted of murder
A Collin County jury deliberated five hours Friday before finding Kristin Metz guilty of murder for the 2008 heroin injection slaying of her best friend, Stevie May.

U.S. announces Texas roundup of 300 immigrants with criminal records
The largest share of the arrests were in North Texas. About half the convictions were for violent crimes or drug offenses, officials said.

Dozens of longhorns found starving, dead in Van Zandt County
The SPCA of Texas was called to seize the malnourished animals, which are being moved to the Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney, pending a custody hearing Tuesday.

84-year-old woman beaten, robbed at Far East Dallas home
The victim told officers that she had fallen, but her nephew said it appeared as though there was a struggle in the home.

Jury begins deliberating in McKinney murder trial stemming from heroin overdose
Kristin Metz has admitted she injected her friend with the fatal dose, and prosecutors argue that the heroin was a deadly weapon that Metz wielded in a "clearly dangerous" manner.

Dallas businessman arrested, barred from SMU over student complaints
Lee William "Bill" McNutt III, a former White House official who heads a Texas arts commission, was arrested by campus police Feb. 15.

Wet, cold day will yield to sunny weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth
North Texans may have already seen today's high temperature, as a storm system moves in slowly from the east.

Ex-McKinney teacher arrested on charge of improper relationship with student
A McKinney high school teacher was arrested Wednesday on a charge of an improper relationship with a student, a second-degree felony, police said.

02/25/2010

Three deputies seek removal of embattled Dallas County constable
They allege in a petition that the constable is guilty of misconduct, criminal conduct, retaliation, incompetence, official oppression and misuse of county property.
Blog: Investigates
Download: See the petition for removal

Arrest warrant issued for Dallas police officer accused in off-duty confrontation
An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for a Dallas police officer who is accused of illegally pointing his gun at a man and ordering him to his knees while during an off-duty confrontation in July.

Stabbing is Arlington's first homicide of 2010
At first, the victim's girlfriend denied involvement, but eventually she confessed, police say.

Crime blog: Prosecution rests in McKinney woman's murder trial for friend's heroin overdose
The state has rested its case against Kristin Metz, the McKinney woman charged with murder for injecting her best friend with heroin two years ago. The defense will begin presenting its case after the lunch recess, with closing arguments expected later this afternoon.

Drug suspect arrested after chase in northeast Dallas
The chase began about 10 p.m. when Billy Bob McGowan left a suspected drug home at an apartment complex in the 6400 block of Melody Lane.

Shoeless bandit gets 35 years in prison in Fort Worth heists
Detectives say 21-year-old Johnny Lee Britt thought he could elude police by not leaving shoe prints.

Report says Fort Worth officer drank on duty before fatal crash
The review found that Officer Jesus Cisneros drove to three bars and drank up to three beers in an unauthorized undercover detail before going off duty, drinking more and colliding with a vehicle driven by Sonia Baker.

Dallas-Fort Worth area news briefs for Feb. 25
A judge last week dismissed a felony charge of injury to a child against a Dallas police senior corporal after prosecutors asked that he do so.

Cheerleaders' belongings stolen at Dallas Convention Center during competition
Someone stole cellphones, credit cards, cash, jewelry, electronics and other items from out-of-state teenage cheerleaders in town for a national competition at the Dallas Convention Center over the weekend.

02/24/2010

Dallas constable at center of corruption probe seeks removal of county judge
Constable Jaime Cortes' removal petition accuses Judge Jim Foster of incomeptence and "gross misconduct."
Download: See Cortes' petition
Report: Constable Cortes abused power
Blog: Crime

Woman on trial for murder for friend's heroin overdose in Collin County
Kristin Metz admits aministering the injection that killed 21-year-old Stevie May in 2008, but the defense says the state is overreaching in charging Metz with murder.

New punishment hearing ordered for Texas death row inmate Charles Dean Hood
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, in its ruling, declined to address the issue of a romance between the trial judge and the prosecutor.

Appeals court rejects Arlington killer's claims of mental impairment
The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans moves Michael Wayne Hall, 30, a step closer to execution for the 1998 torture and fatal shooting of 19-year-old Amy Robinson.

Report: Dallas County deputy constables given comp time for volunteer security at Price's charity event
A Dallas County investigation has concluded that deputies from two constable precincts improperly received the equivalent of more than $15,000 from the county for security work at a charity event run by Commissioner John Wiley Price.

Tarrant woman's case shows challenge authorities face in distinguishing between erratic behavior, real threats
Kimberly "Asma" Al-Homsi, 45, did all of these things. But figuring out whether such a person is really dangerous, merely suspicious or part of a terrorist network can be tricky – and law enforcement authorities walk a fine line between infringing on the rights of people who exhibit erratic behavior and monitoring people who are real threats.

02/23/2010

Dallas County commissioners favor civil service protections for deputy constables
Commissioners revoked the protection in 2003 because of a lengthy and costly lawsuit filed against the county by three former deputies.

Mechanic praised for rescuing woman from burning car on LBJ Freeway in northeast Dallas
As flames burst from an overturned car Monday along LBJ Freeway in northeast Dallas, Addissu Andabo punched and tore out the windshield with his bare hands.

Boyfriend pleads guilty, gets life term in woman's slaying
A Dallas man who killed his girlfriend when he tried to steal her television set pleaded guilty to murder Monday in exchange for a life sentence.

02/22/2010

Passer-by praised for rescuing woman from burning car on LBJ Freeway
As flames burst from an overturned car Monday along LBJ Freeway in northeast Dallas, Addissu Andabo punched and tore out the windshield with his bare hands. He pulled an injured woman he'd never met from her burning vehicle just before fire engulfed the car. And then Andabo, 22, wiped off his bloodied hands and drove back to work repairing cars in Plano.

2 shot in truck along I-30 in Dallas
Police say they don't know whether the shooting was a case of road rage.

Wrong-way driver nabbed on North Central Expressway
The 18-year-old is charged with driving while intoxicated.

Dallas police think they know who drove stolen pickup into house
An occupant of the house was injured. The suspect remains at large.

Irving firefighters battle three-alarm blaze at apartments near Las Colinas Country Club
Fighting the three-alarm blaze required all available equipment in Irving, a fire department spokesman said.

02/21/2010

Texas exonerees aren't free from income taxes on compensation

FILE 2004/Special to DMN

John Michael Harvey, jailed for 12 years, says as the state tries to make amends, the IRS aims to seize it.
Blog: Crime | More crime news

02/20/2010

Homeless man found fatally shot near Dallas Convention Center
A 29-year-old homeless man died early Saturday morning after he was shot multiple times at close range, according to Dallas police reports.

Suspect and victim in fatal Pleasant Grove stabbing identified
Felipe Alonso, 49, of Dallas faces a murder charge in connection with the slaying of his wife, 48-year-old Alma Alonso.

Ex-mayor Kilpatrick may face jail for missing restitution payment
DETROIT – The prosecutor who forced Kwame Kilpatrick out of the Detroit mayor's office in 2008 said he violated his probation by missing a Friday deadline to make a $79,011 payment toward his $1 million restitution to the city.

02/19/2010

'Scarecrow Bandit' is sentenced to 330 years
Four of the gang's seven members have gotten prison terms. Three await sentencing.

Woman, 48, killed in Pleasant Grove; husband in custody
The woman, who was not identified, died of "homicidal violence," investigators said.

Traffic stop in Arlington leads to marijuana bust 2:26 PM CT
The arrest took place after the driver tried to flee from a routine traffic stop, police said.

Police chase begins in Grapevine, ends in arrest 127 miles away
Kieran Duffy, 22, eventually pulled over around 5 a.m. on Interstate 20 near Canton, about 50 miles east of Dallas, police said. He faces a charge of evading arrest, a third-degree felony.

Collin County man sentenced to 99 years in prison for securities fraud
A Collin County man faces 99 years in state prison for defrauding 130 mostly elderly victims of nearly $11 million.

2 Fort Worth officers wounded in drug raid
The department's SWAT team was serving a narcotics warrant in the 2400 block of Las Brisas Street when gunfire broke out around 9:45 p.m.

Driver slain in shootout with Haltom City police; woman found dead in his car
The events that led to the shootout started about 6:30 p.m., when police were called to the 5600 block of Elliott Reeder Road near the Haltom City-Fort Worth line.

02/18/2010

Statewide roundup will target those with outstanding warrants
A roundup as big as Texas is set to go down soon, but if you're lucky, you won't be invited to participate.

Irving crackdown to target teen drivers

Teen drivers: Irving police are watching you.

Garland woman's home invaded by armed robber
The gunman, who took cash, got away before police arrived.

Former Plano East teacher indicted over relationship with student
Daniel Salas, 30, was indicted over an incident that occurred in October, according to the Collin County district attorney's office.

02/17/2010

2nd suspect sentenced in McKinney quadruple murder case
Eddie Ray Williams, 27, is the second man convicted in the botched 2004 robbery plot that left four people dead.

Dallas man sentenced to 80 years in beating death of girlfriend's 6-year-old son
Jurors rejected Anthony Beckett's contention that he did not know that beating Christopher was wrong. He faces up to life in prison for committing injury to a child.

Robbery suspect arrested, pit bulls shot in standoff at Red Bird home
James Farley was arrested on an aggravated robbery warrant shortly before 10 a.m. at a home in the 700 block of Oceanview Drive, police said.

RSS

SMS Alerts

Newsletters

FIND IT

MOST POPULAR