Breaking news

84-year-old shot by Hill County deputy

Authorities say the man, who remains hospitalized, attempted to take the deputy's service weapon.

McLennan County grand jury indictments: Feb. 2, 2011

These people were indicted Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 by a McLennan County grand jury.

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NEW

Arrests made in 8 of 11 Waco murder cases in 2011

Often, there is no rhyme or reason to the ebb and flow of murder rates, considered the most unpredictable and least preventable of crimes. Although Waco's figure this year is higher this year than last, it’s about average for the past decade.   > Read more

 
 

 

New sealed indictments posing problems for Waco courts

Officials say there seems to be a hole in the McLennan County law enforcement/court system caused, in part, by a revised law that went into effect Sept. 1.   > Read more

 
 

 

IN DEPTH

DA Reyna reworks discovery procedures for defendants

New crack cocaine guidelines mean some local inmates could get early release

 
 

 

McLENNAN COUNTY DA

Longtime lawman McNamara hired as DA's chief investigator

MORE: DA's new investigator to be kept from conflicting cases

 
 

 

1982 SLAYINGS

DA opposes DNA testing in Lake Waco murders

Lake Waco murders will return to court for DNA

 
 

 

INSIDE CRIME

Police tactics, stiffer sentences may be helping curb violent robberies in Waco

Waco impounds 200 cars in 2 months under new ordinance

Waco considering cameras in Cameron Park following 2 reports of rape

'Crack rentals' all-too-familiar Waco drug problem

Police look to help victims, not just find criminals

 

 

WORTH READING

Waco city officials delaying release of arrest information

The Tribune-Herald has filed a complaint against the Waco city attorney’s office for delaying the release of arrest warrant information that state law says must be made public immediately.   » Read story

 

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Special report

Polygraphs seen by many as useful tool, though inadmissible in court

Don Marshall demonstrates the use of a polygraph machine in the McLennan County district attorney’s office.

Not all prosecutors, defense attorneys and experts are sold on the value of polygraphs, but many see value in the lie-detecting tools.

Property crimes down in Waco, following national trend

Property crimes continued to plummet in the first half of 2010, despite conventional wisdom that crime rises in a recession.

» Full Article

 

City of Waco considering impounding cars of uninsured drivers

The city of Waco may soon start impounding the vehicles of people caught driving without liability insurance.

» Full Article

 

Special report

Officials, scholars suggest changes in use of eyewitness IDs

As scientific evidence about the fallibility of memory mounts, criminal justice officials are beginning to change how they collect and use eyewitness evidence.

Local police departments may have to change or create ID policies

Valorie Settles, a records employee at the McLennan County Sheriff's Office, works on her computer assembling photos of suspects for use in eyewitness identifications.

Many police departments in McLennan County would be required to change their eyewitness identification policies should the Texas Legislature embrace reform measures.

Changing of the guard

Prosecutor seeks to speed up court docket

McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna is looking for ways to streamline the local justice system.

McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna thinks it takes too long from the time a suspected felon is arrested until he stands in front of a jury or a judge.

Another longtime McLennan County prosecutor forced out of DA's office

Wayne Coughran said he was fired, at least in part, because of disagreements with changes made by new District Attorney Abel Reyna.

Another longtime prosecutor has been forced out of the McLenann County District Attorney's office.

Spike in capital murder defendants has court scrambling to find qualified defense attorneys

The unusual spate of capital murder cases in McLennan County in the past few weeks has a judge and his staff scrambling to find enough qualified lawyers to represent all the defendants. Through the luck of the draw or, more specifically, because of state identification numbers given to jail ...

Prosecutor Beth Toben leaves DA's office after 22 years

Longtime McLennan County prosecutor Beth Toben resigned after 22 years in the McLennan County DA’s office.

Waco man indicted in 15-year-old attempted murder case

A McLennan County grand jury indicted a Waco man in a 15-year-old attempted murder case that officials said fell through the cracks in the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office. Gabriel Benitaez Lopez, 35, was indicted in a Dec. 18, 1995, incident in which Elias Torres was shot in ...

DA's office disposed of more than 1,000 felony cases in last two months of 2010

Many are asking what took DA Segrest’s office so long to make decisions on those cases dating back years.

DA Reyna recuses office from more than 150 cases involving former clients

The recusals by Abel Reyna in cases involving 86 of his former clients and six of their co-defendants are a normal part of the transition process as Reyna continues to settle into the office that former District Attorney John Segrest held for 20 years.

New McLennan County DA offering stiffer plea bargains

Judge Matt Johnson (left) administers the oath of office to new McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna during his swearing-in ceremony Jan. 3.

New District Attorney Abel Reyna said he has rescinded offers in about 15 felony cases and increased the prison time offered.

Potential hire for Reyna's DA office indicted in Collin County

Incoming McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna withdrew his offer to a Collin County lawyer after the lawyer's indictment.

A Collin County assistant district attorney who had agreed to join incoming McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna's staff next month was indicted Tuesday on a charge of tampering with a governmental record.

8 prosecutors leaving DA's office in transition

Eight prosecutors under outgoing District Attorney John Segrest (left) will not return when new DA Abel Reyna (right) takes charge in January.

DA-elect Abel Reyna, 38, won’t take the oath of office until Jan. 3 and is not officially authorized to hire anyone yet. But he said he has secured commitments from three prosecutors from other counties.

Reyna says coordination with law enforcement critical to DA's success

District Attorney-elect Abel Reyna hugs a supporter at his election watch party Tuesday night.

It has been 20 years since there was a different district attorney in McLennan County.

Reyna unseats Segrest as McLennan County DA

Abel Reyna, the 38-year-old Republican challenger, received 62 percent of the vote to beat the 60-year-old Democrat.

Grand jury indictments


 

McLennan County grand jury indictments: Feb. 2, 2011

These people were indicted Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 by a McLennan County grand jury.

» Full Article

 

Crime info

The Data SourceWacoTrib.com offers these daily public safety reports via The Data Source, our new public data portal:

 

Searchable databases

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Read our livechat

> Waco crime and law enforcement chat — we talked with police spokesman Sgt. Patrick Swanton, who took your questions

 

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