Friday, August 10, 2007
By Tommy Witherspoon
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Authorities are in the final stages of their complex investigation of Margaret Mills, almost a year after allegations first surfaced that the former Downtown Waco Inc. executive director and community activist misused agency funds.
Mills, 66, who led the downtown development agency for 18 years and has been praised for helping jump-start downtown Waco’s rebirth, remains free on $25,000 bail after her April arrest on first-degree felony theft charges.
- Jun. 14, 2009: Former Downtown Waco leader Margaret Mills could be released by Thanksgiving
- Nov. 22, 2008: Margaret Mills spends first night in Gatesville prison
- Nov. 11, 2008: Margaret Mills escorted from Waco courtroom to begin 9-year sentence
- Nov. 10, 2008: Prison official describes what Margaret Mills' life might be like behind bars
- Nov. 8, 2008: Family friends pitch in to help Margaret Mills pay $100K restitution
- DAY 3 / Nov. 5, 2008: Judge seethes at attorneys as Margaret Mills plea deal is reached
- DAY 2 / Nov. 4, 2008: Margaret Mills' successor testifies she found Downtown Waco Inc.'s financial records
- DAY 1 / Nov. 3, 2008: Jury selected in Margaret Mills theft punishment trial
- Nov. 2, 2008: Betraying public trust may factor in Margaret Mills' sentence
- Nov. 2, 2008: Bad economy could be bad news for Margaret Mills, jury experts say
- Oct. 26, 2008: After Margaret Mills' guilty plea, question remains whether she can get an unbiased jury for her sentencing
- Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills avoids possible life sentence in plea deal
- Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills' plea deal has some wondering whether they will get paid back
- Oct. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills' attorneys to try again to move her trial from Waco
- Sept. 29, 2008: Defense files 2nd motion to move Margaret Mills trial from Waco
- Sept. 17, 2008: New court filing outlines theft allegations against Margaret Mills
- Sept. 3, 2008: Judge rules Mills should stand trial in Waco, sets Nov. 3 start date
- Sept. 2, 2008: Hearing expected to decide whether Margaret Mills trial moves from Waco
- Aug. 30, 2008: Federal tax lien placed on Margaret Mills' property
- Aug. 13, 2008: Prosecutor: Kick cameras out for Mills theft trial
- July 26, 2008: Margaret Mills' lawyers seek to bar courtroom cameras
- July 19, 2008: Mills' attorneys request change of venue for controversial trial
- July 15, 2008: Prosecutor files motion to restrict evidence in Margaret Mills case in advance of Friday's pre-trial hearing
- Feb. 2, 2008: Trial date set in Margaret Mills' theft case
- Jan. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills pretrial hearing scheduled
- Nov. 7, 2007: Margaret Mills indicted on 1st-degree felony theft charges
- Oct. 3, 2007: DA's office dogged by inquiries in Margaret Mills case
- Aug. 10, 2007: Mills investigation in its final stages
- May 5, 2007: Waco police submit part of Mills investigation to DA
- April 10, 2007: County DA Segrest will recuse himself in Mills case
- April 8, 2007: Disbelief, desperation marked Downtown Waco's final months
- April 3, 2007: Did Mills get special treatment from justice system?
- April 3, 2007: Longtime civic leader arrested, bonded out peacefully
- April 2, 2007: Mills' hard-charging ways won success, created sparks
- April 1, 2007: Arrest warrant issued for Margaret Mills
- Feb. 23, 2007: Investigation wrapping up
- Dec. 17, 2006: Inquiry will continue into 2007
- Nov. 4, 2006: Mills put money in own account on eve of retirement
- Nov. 2, 2006: "Several" subpoenas issued
- Nov. 1, 2006: $500,000 and counting: Questionable finances traced to 2000
- Oct. 28, 2006: Case could shake up courthouse
- Oct. 25, 2006: Downtown Waco office braces for closure
- Oct. 22, 2006: Who's minding the store at DTW?
- Oct. 15, 2006: No third-party audits for DTW Inc.
- Oct. 14, 2006: Ex-Downtown Waco director Mills target of investigation
- Oct. 11, 2006: Police investigating missing money
- Oct. 6, 2006: Missing funds at root of investigation
- Oct. 3, 2006: Downtown Waco Inc. loses city funds amid internal financial investigation
Waco police Detective Charles Jaquith turned his case files over to McLennan County District Attorney John Segrest’s office in May. Since that time, Segrest has had members of his staff and Paul Wash, a certified public accountant and captain in the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, review Jaquith’s investigation and the materials assembled during his eight-month probe. Segrest has said he will recuse his office from prosecuting the case but added that he must review the evidence to determine if there is a prosecutable case before seeking another agency to take it over.
PHOTOS: - MORE VIDEO: Margaret Mills arrives at county jail
- GRAPHIC: Arrest warrant affidavit
- TIMELINE: Downtown Waco scandal
Segrest’s father, Claude Segrest, and Mills’ husband, Coke Mills, were former law partners, and Segrest and the Millses have been active together in local Democratic Party politics for many years. “Matters are progressing,” Segrest said of the Mills case. “I have been in contact with the attorney general’s office concerning this matter. I have met with the individuals in charge of the investigation, and progress continues to be made.”
Segrest declined to discuss specific allegations. However, Jaquith’s affidavit to support Mills’ arrest alleges she stole $268,458 by misusing agency checks and debit and credit cards. She also is alleged to have diverted Downtown Waco members’ dues checks into her personal bank account.
“The Waco Police Department investigators are putting the finishing touches on the matter that will be presented to the attorney general’s office for their consideration, and I hope that can be completed in a timely fashion,” Segrest said. “They are making great progress.”
Pat Beard, an attorney for Mills, declined comment on the investigation.
Waco Police Chief Alberto Melis said his department’s investigation is complete “as far as we are concerned.”
“We have turned everything over to the DA,” he said. “We had a meeting a couple or three weeks ago, and he had requested a couple of more items. We have given them those things, and it is now in their hands. We keep getting asked about it. All we can say is, it is with the DA. We are finished until anything further develops.”
A conviction for first-degree felony theft over $200,000 can carry a punishment of up to life in prison.
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
