Retired Freeport police captain Richard Miller reveals evidence discovered inside a home linked to the Becky Beard murder case, including apparent blood evidence, drag marks and cadaver dog alerts.
Nearly 40 years after Rebecca “Becky” Beard disappeared, a retired Freeport police captain is revealing evidence investigators discovered inside a home believed to be connected to her murder.
In my exclusive interview, Richard Miller describes apparent blood evidence, drag marks and two cadaver dogs that alerted beneath the home. He also recalls finding unusual material while digging before officials ordered him to stop.
Despite those discoveries, investigators never secured the home as a crime scene.
Watch my exclusive interview with Richard Miller
Richard Miller reveals evidence discovered inside the home
Retired Freeport police captain Richard Miller speaks exclusively with Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose about evidence discovered inside a home linked to Becky Beard’s murder.
Miller spent 22 years with the Freeport Police Department. He was a rookie when Becky disappeared in March 1986. Years later, he revisited the investigation as a police captain.
During a search of the home, investigators used luminol to look for possible blood evidence. Miller describes apparent blood smears on a wall and floor, along with marks leading toward the back door.
Two cadaver dogs also alerted beneath the house.
Officials ordered Miller to stop digging
Miller says he began digging beneath the home after the dogs alerted. During that search, he discovered unusual white material.
Before he could determine what he had found, officials ordered him to stop.
The material has not been confirmed as human remains. However, Miller’s account raises questions about evidence investigators may have left behind.
Why wasn’t the home secured as a crime scene?
Inside the home investigators searched in connection with Becky Beard’s murder. Retired Freeport police captain Richard Miller describes evidence discovered during the investigation.
John Cone previously told investigators that Paul Taylor Jr. allegedly confessed to him about Becky’s death.
Cone reported that Taylor had removed a mattress and carpet from the home. He also offered authorities a key to the property.
Yet investigators did not immediately secure and process the residence following Cone’s report.
Miller’s account now provides additional details about what investigators discovered during a later search.
Newly uncovered records raise more question
Newly uncovered investigative notes reference finding Becky Beard’s body. Her family says they were never informed of such a discovery, raising questions about what investigators knew in 1995.
Becky’s family has spent decades searching for her remains. They have also reviewed investigative reports and court records in their effort to uncover what happened.
Records involving possible human remains have raised additional questions for the family.
Miller’s interview offers a new perspective on the evidence discovered beneath the house. However, it does not establish that investigators recovered human remains.
Paul Taylor Jr. pleaded guilty in connection with Becky’s death in 1995. Her body has never been recovered.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’m sharing my story in hopes it helps someone else recognize when it’s time to leave.
I was 51 when I entered a relationship that moved very quickly.
What began as a whirlwind romance eventually became something I never imagined I would experience: emotional and physical abuse.
I’ve debated whether to write this.
I’m not writing it to identify or publicly shame the person I was with. I won’t name him.
I’m writing because somewhere another woman—or man—may be explaining away things happening behind closed doors just as I did.
For a long time, I did exactly that.
I minimized the bruises and changed my behavior. Walking away from arguments became routine. Sometimes I slept in another room. I even recorded what was happening, hoping he could see for himself what I was experiencing.
Nothing worked.
If sharing my experience helps one person recognize that they don’t have to wait for something worse to happen before leaving an abusive relationship, then telling it is worth it.
The first time he put his hands on me
I photographed the bruising on my leg after the first time he physically hurt me.
Before this relationship, I had never had a man physically hurt me.
The first time it happened, I was stunned.
He kneed me and I fell to the ground.
But it wasn’t the last time.
He would jab his finger hard into my chest. He grabbed my neck. There were bruises, abrasions and other marks on my body.
One night, he grabbed me by the leg while I was lying in bed and dragged me into the living room because he wanted me to sleep in the guest room.
So the next time there was an argument, I tried something different.
I went to the guest room.
That didn’t work either.
He broke through the door.
There were other times he damaged or broke down doors when I went into another room because I was trying to avoid a confrontation.
That became one of the most frightening parts of the relationship.
There was nowhere I could go inside my own home to make an argument stop.
If I stayed, things could escalate.
Walking away meant he could follow me.
Even going into another room didn’t necessarily keep him out.
I kept changing what I did because I thought maybe I could prevent the next incident.
Nothing worked.
The physical incidents happened when he was drinking
I photographed the bruising on my shoulder after one of the physical incidents.
The physical abuse happened when he had been drinking.
The next day, there were times he couldn’t remember what he had done.
But I remembered.
I remembered everything.
He sometimes remembered nothing.
I was left with the bruises, damaged doors and memories of what had happened. Then I sometimes found myself trying to explain those events to someone who said he couldn’t remember them.
I even tried recording him.
It wasn’t to embarrass him. I hoped that if he could hear himself later, he might understand how bad things had become.
Maybe hearing his own behavior would change something.
It didn’t.
I kept moving the line for what counted as abuse
Then came the explanations.
I was told it was my fault.
One of the things I remember most was the justification that he had never punched me in the face.
For a while, I actually used that distinction myself.
He didn’t punch me.
Was this really abuse?
Was I making too much of it?
Had I done something to cause it?
Looking back, those questions show me how much my understanding of what was normal had changed.
Instead of asking why someone I loved was hurting me, I was asking whether I had been hurt badly enough for it to count.
Eventually, the line for what I considered abuse kept moving.
Why I documented the injuries but never called police
I photographed this abrasion after being dragged. I kept pictures of my injuries even though I never called police.
I photographed some of my injuries.
I took pictures of bruises, abrasions and marks on my body because somewhere inside me, I knew I needed to document what was happening.
But I never called police.
I worried about what an arrest could do to his career.
Even while I was documenting injuries I believed he had caused, part of me was worried about protecting him from the consequences.
That is difficult for me to admit now.
I don’t share it because I’m proud of that decision.
I share it because someone reading this may understand it.
Abusive relationships can make you question things that once would have seemed obvious.
I could look at bruises on my own body and still find reasons to minimize them.
There had been no punch to the face.
I never called police.
No trip to the hospital followed.
So maybe it wasn’t that bad.
At least, that is what I told myself.
Editor’s note: The photographs accompanying this story were taken by me at the time and document injuries I experienced during the relationship. I am sharing only a few of them.
It wasn’t only physical
There were accusations of cheating.
Arguments could somehow get turned around until I was defending myself against things I hadn’t done.
Over time, I felt smaller.
I felt ashamed.
I felt worthless.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline lists behaviors such as extreme jealousy, preventing someone from making their own decisions, intimidation, blaming a partner for abusive behavior and other controlling behaviors among warning signs of abuse.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand what was happening to me.
I was too busy trying to figure out how to stop the next argument.
I left once — and went back
I bought this RV and left. I went to a campground, but eventually I was convinced to return.
At one point, I bought an RV and left.
I went to a campground.
He found me there and convinced me to come back.
So I did.
For a long time, that embarrassed me.
Why would someone leave an abusive relationship and then return?
I understand that question differently now.
Leaving isn’t always a single moment.
Sometimes you leave and go back.
You may not be ready.
You may still love the person.
There can still be hope that things will change.
You may believe that changing your own behavior will change the relationship.
And sometimes you have to leave more than once before you stay gone.
The trip that changed everything
I became sick during our trip to Cozumel. What happened in that hotel room would ultimately change everything.
My trip to Cozumel happened in February.
I became extremely sick. At one point, I was passed out in our hotel room.
Someone apparently heard yelling and screaming coming from the room and became concerned enough to contact authorities.
People came to our room and insisted on checking on me to make sure I was breathing.
I learned about it the following morning.
That stayed with me.
Strangers had heard enough from outside our hotel room that they were worried about the person inside it.
But I still didn’t leave.
That’s important to me now because there wasn’t one dramatic moment when everything suddenly became clear.
The realization came slowly.
I had already tried changing my behavior. Walking away from confrontations didn’t work. Neither did going into another room or sleeping somewhere else. I even recorded what was happening, hoping he could hear and see his behavior afterward.
I had even left once before.
But I went back.
Months later, Lynette Hooker disappeared
Then, months after my Cozumel trip, Lynette Hooker disappeared on Easter Sunday.
As a reporter, I followed her story as it began receiving national attention.
But this time, I wasn’t experiencing a story only as a journalist.
After everything that had happened in my own relationship, her disappearance affected me personally.
Cozumel came back to me.
So did the bruises I had photographed.
I remembered the doors that had been broken when I tried to get away from confrontations.
Being dragged from my bed by my leg was impossible to forget.
Most of all, I remembered how many times I had convinced myself it wasn’t that bad because I had never been punched in the face.
And one thought kept coming back to me:
I don’t want to become another statistic.
I wasn’t comparing my circumstances to Lynette’s or claiming to know what had happened to her.
Her disappearance simply forced me to confront a question I had avoided for too long:
What was I waiting for?
My first trip without him. I traveled to Italy alone and began discovering what life on my own could look like.
I didn’t know whether my relationship would ever become more dangerous.
I didn’t need to know.
For months, I had been waiting for some unmistakable event that would finally give me permission to leave.
I finally realized I didn’t need one.
I already knew I didn’t feel safe.
That was enough.
This time, I just left
Why I’m telling my story now
I’m an investigative reporter.
I’ve interviewed victims and covered crimes throughout my career.
Much of my work has involved asking difficult questions.
Yet I found myself in a situation I once believed could never happen to me.
That realization carried a lot of shame.
But intelligence, education, age and professional success don’t make someone immune from an abusive relationship.
That is one of the reasons I’m sharing photographs I once kept private.
Another person may be looking at bruises on their own body tonight and making the same calculations I made.
“He didn’t really hit me.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
If this sounds familiar, help is available
If you’re experiencing relationship abuse—or questioning whether what’s happening to you is abuse—you can speak confidentially with an advocate at the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Call 800-799-SAFE (tel:800-799-SAFE) (7233), text START to 88788, or use the Hotline’s online chat. The service is available 24/7.
If you are in immediate or life-threatening danger, call 911 (tel:911).
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
According to the Attorney General’s ruling, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office told the state that the incident captured on the body camera “was not criminal in nature.”
The county also represented that the body camera recording “will not be used as evidence in a criminal prosecution.”
Based on those representations, the Attorney General determined the recording must be withheld under Texas Government Code Section 552.101 in conjunction with Article 2B.0112(c) of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
Texas law generally exempts body-camera recordings from the Public Information Act unless an exception applies. One of those exceptions involves information that is or could be used as evidence in a criminal prosecution.
Why the explanation raises questions
This is where I have questions.
Becky Beard disappeared from Freeport in March 1986.
Paul Taylor Jr. later pleaded guilty in connection with her death, but Becky’s remains have never been recovered.
Her family has continued searching for answers and for Becky.
The body camera video I requested is connected to those continuing efforts.
So the wording in this ruling stands out.
Brazoria County represented to the Attorney General that the incident recorded on the body camera was not criminal in nature and that the recording would not be used as evidence in a criminal prosecution.
That raises an obvious question:
If the recording is connected to efforts surrounding a decades-old homicide case, why is the incident being characterized as noncriminal?
The ruling itself does not answer that question.
It also does not independently determine whether the underlying Beard case is open or closed. It addresses whether this particular body-camera recording must be released under the Public Information Act.
Attorney General relied on county’s representations
There is another important distinction.
The Attorney General did not independently conclude from the ruling that nothing criminal occurred.
Instead, the decision specifically says it was “based upon these representations and our review” that the information must be withheld.
In other words, Brazoria County made representations about the nature and potential use of the recording, and the Attorney General applied the law to those facts.
The Attorney General’s Open Records Division also explains that these letter rulings apply only to the specific documents and circumstances involved. They are not precedent for other records requests.
The September 25 ruling makes that limitation explicit, stating that it applies only to the particular information and facts presented in this request.
The search for Becky continues
This ruling means I will not receive the body camera video through this particular Public Information Act request.
But it also adds another question to a case already filled with them.
Why was this incident described as noncriminal?
What exactly was the purpose of the law enforcement contact captured on the recording?
And how does that description fit with the continuing efforts to locate Becky Beard?
Those are questions I will continue asking.
Becky disappeared nearly 40 years ago.
Her family is still looking for her.
And I am continuing to investigate what happened to Becky Beard and the decades of decisions that followed.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
More than a year after the Patrick Wright killing in Galveston, his mother, Kim Lain, says she still has serious questions about the investigation.
Kim Lain was there when her son died. She says she saw the man involved in the confrontation. She spoke directly to him. Moments later, she watched her son collapse after he was shot.
The investigation took several unexpected turns. Police first arrested the wrong man on a murder charge. Investigators later acknowledged problems with gunshot residue testing.
Authorities eventually identified another man as the shooter. They said he admitted firing the shots but claimed self-defense.
Watch the full investigation
Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose sat down with Kim Lain to discuss her son’s death, the investigation and the questions she says remain unanswered. Watch the full report below.
A Galveston County grand jury later took no action in the case.
Patrick William Wright with one of his children. His mother, Kim Lain, remembers him as a devoted father who put family first.
Now Lain is questioning how investigators handled her son’s death and why no one faces charges.
Patrick Wright killed in Galveston
Patrick William Wright was 29 when he died on June 20, 2025.
Lain remembers her son for much more than the circumstances surrounding his death.
“He was a very pure soul, that is for sure,” Lain said. “Family was everything to him.”
She described Patrick as someone who held doors open for strangers and helped people who needed it.
“He’s the guy that would give the homeless a few bucks and something to eat, no questions asked,” she said. “I admired that about him.”
A confrontation on Avenue R
Police at the scene following the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Patrick William Wright in Galveston.The scene on Avenue R in Galveston following the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Patrick William Wright.
Lain says she and Patrick were traveling along Avenue R in Galveston when another vehicle made a wide U-turn and came close to them.
She says Patrick wanted the vehicle’s license plate number. He backed up until the two vehicles were next to each other.
“I heard my son say something to the effect of, ‘Hey, you know, what’s your problem? You almost hit me,’” Lain said.
Patrick eventually got out.
Lain says she repeatedly asked her son not to engage with the other driver. She also asked the other driver to leave.
Seconds later, she heard gunfire.
“It sounded like four shots to me,” Lain said. “It was more than two.”
Patrick then appeared at her window.
“He clenched his chest, and he said, ‘I’ve been shot,’” she recalled.
Lain called 911 at 10:14 p.m.
“He collapsed on the hood, and I lost him there,” she said.
Patrick had been shot twice in the chest.
Lain says less than three minutes passed between the U-turn and the shooting.
Police initially arrested the wrong man
The investigation soon took an unexpected turn.
Galveston police initially arrested Uber driver Sanddy Diaz Pino on a murder charge. Police later determined he was not the shooter.
Galveston police initially arrested Uber driver Sanddy Diaz Pino and charged him with murder.
Days later, police determined he was not the shooter.
Investigators said video evidence raised questions about his involvement. Police also acknowledged problems with preliminary gunshot residue testing that produced false-positive results.
Authorities dismissed the murder charge against Diaz Pino.
Investigators later identified another ride-share driver.
Emergency responders tend to 29-year-old Patrick William Wright after he was shot in Galveston on June 20, 2025.
Authorities said that man admitted shooting Patrick but claimed he acted in self-defense.
Lain disputes part of the shooting account
Early reports cited a witness and a probable cause affidavit. They said Patrick lunged toward the driver’s open window before the shooting.
Lain says she did not see that happen.
“It hurts immensely,” she said. “It also hurts how things have been characterized … because that is not what I witnessed at that scene.”
Lain also disputes the identity of the driver.
She says she looked directly at the man behind the wheel and spoke to him during the confrontation.
Lain says she later made a sworn identification of the man she saw that night. She says the man she identified was not the same person authorities identified during their investigation.
She later took her eyewitness identification to authorities.
Lain says authorities told her it did not qualify as new evidence.
Grand jury takes no action
Patrick William Wright was 29 years old when he was shot and killed in Galveston in June 2025.
The case went before a Galveston County grand jury. The grand jury returned no indictment.
Grand jury proceedings remain secret under Texas law. That means the public cannot independently determine all the evidence prosecutors presented or why jurors reached their decision.
Lain has also discussed her own involvement in the grand jury process. Before publishing, I would confirm with Kim that she personally testified and then add that fact here. Your package does not establish that point clearly enough for me to put it in as fact yet.
Lain questions evidence in the case
Kim Lain with her son, Patrick William Wright, years before his death in Galveston.
Lain says the prosecutor who presented the case later discussed the evidence with her.
According to Lain, the prosecutor said the case went before the grand jury without a firearm, ballistics evidence, eyewitness identification or physical evidence tying the person under investigation to the scene.
Lain says the prosecutor told her authorities did have a confession and information from Uber placing that person there.
Those statements reflect Lain’s account of what the prosecutor told her. Grand jury secrecy prevents the public from independently confirming everything jurors saw or heard.
Lain says authorities told her she would need new evidence before they could consider the case again. She says they gave a firearm as one example.
She also questions why authorities want her to produce new evidence while opposing the release of Patrick’s complete autopsy file.
Lain believes that file could contain forensic evidence relevant to the case.
A mother continues searching for answers
Patrick William Wright was a father of three. His mother, Kim Lain, says family meant everything to him.
Lain says she was also told that another grand jury would reach the same outcome even if she produced new evidence.
She questions how anyone could know what another grand jury would decide.
“I feel violated. I feel betrayed,” Lain said. “I feel pain for my son. I feel pain for myself. Every day is hell.”
More than a year after Patrick’s death, Lain wants authorities to take another look at the case.
She wants investigators to consider her eyewitness identification and her account of her son’s final minutes.
For Lain, Patrick is more than a name in an investigative file.
He was a 29-year-old father whom she remembers for his kindness and devotion to his family.
“Family was everything to him,” she said.
A grand jury’s decision not to indict does not determine guilt or innocence. Grand jury proceedings are secret, and the evidence presented to jurors generally remains outside public view.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Seven fatal aviation crashes across three countries have left at least 21 people dead in 11 days. Graphic created for Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose.
Update: September 16, 2026
Another fatal aviation crash occurred on September 15. It marked the seventh deadly crash in 11 days.
The seven crashes occurred across three countries. At least 21 people died.
The latest crash involved a news helicopter in Los Angeles. The crew was covering another deadly crash when the helicopter went down.
News helicopter crash kills three in Los Angeles
Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw pictured at Whiteman Airport in December 2025. Both were killed in the September 15, 2026, news helicopter crash in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of George Marciniw/Facebook.
A news helicopter crashed Tuesday evening in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. Three people died.
The helicopter was covering a deadly collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus. NBC4 and Telemundo 52 said the aircraft crashed shortly before 7 p.m.
NBC identified two of those killed as aerial journalist and photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both worked for Angel City Air, which operated the helicopter.
A third person was killed on the ground. Two other people were taken to a hospital.
The helicopter crashed between commercial buildings and burst into flames, damaging vehicles and storage containers.
The cause of the crash has not been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
Tammy Rose aboard the KPNX news helicopter in Phoenix. Rose worked at KPNX when Chopper 3 and Chopper 15 collided while covering a police pursuit in 2007.
This tragedy hits close to home for me. I spent years aboard television news helicopters. I was working at KPNX in Phoenix when Chopper 3 and Chopper 15 collided. Our helicopter was also covering the police pursuit. I then had to report on the crash that killed four people.
Pilot killed in Alabama plane crash
File photo of a Van’s RV-4, the same aircraft model involved in the fatal Alabama crash. This is not the aircraft involved. Public-domain photo by Adrian Pingstone via Wikimedia Commons.
A Van’s RV-4 crashed near Albertville, Alabama, Tuesday morning. The crash killed the pilot.
The FAA said the aircraft crashed around 6:50 a.m. on September 15. The pilot was the only person aboard.
Local authorities identified the pilot as 62-year-old Douglas Emge of Whiton. The FAA and NTSB continue to investigate the crash.
Seven fatal aviation crashes occurred across three countries in 11 days. At least 21 people died.
The crashes occurred from September 5 through September 15, 2026. They involved several types of aircraft. Those included private planes, a cargo jet, a training aircraft and three helicopters.
Investigators have not linked the crashes. They have not identified a common cause.
Craig and Danna Eady and their two children were killed after their private airplane crashed near Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno, California, on September 5, 2026.
The deadly stretch began September 5 near Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno, California.
A single-engine Grumman American AA-5 crashed shortly after takeoff and caught fire near the San Joaquin River.
Two children died at the scene. Danna Eady, 41, and her husband, Craig Eady, 44, later died from their injuries.
Danna Eady was a certified flight instructor. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Amazon cargo jet overruns Miami runway
NTSB investigators examine the wreckage of 21 Air Flight 7598 after the Amazon Air cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport on September 6, 2026. Photo courtesy: NTSB.
One day later, a Boeing 767-300 freighter overran a runway while landing at Miami International Airport.
The September 6 crash involved 21 Air Flight 7598, which was operating for Amazon Air after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The jet crossed an airport road, struck vehicles and caught fire. Five people on the ground were killed. Five others were hospitalized, including the two pilots.
NTSB investigators said flight information indicates the jet landed at high speed. The pilots briefly appeared to consider taking off again after touchdown.
The investigation remains underway. Authorities have not announced a final cause.
A Cessna 172 crashed and caught fire September 7 at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego.
The two people aboard were killed.
The privately operated aircraft crashed on airport property. No one on the ground was reported injured.
Federal investigators are working to determine what caused the airplane to go down.
Flying Doctor helicopter crashes in Malaysia
Five people died September 8 when a BO-105 helicopter crashed near Long Lellang STOLport in Sarawak, Malaysia.
The helicopter was conducting a Flying Doctor Service mission. Those aboard included the pilot and four medical workers traveling to serve remote communities.
Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Authority identified the helicopter as registration 9M-LLF. The country’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating.
Officials have not determined what caused the crash.
Pilot killed in remote Australian helicopter crash
A helicopter crashed September 12 on a remote pastoral property in South Australia.
Police said the helicopter crashed at Devonborough Downs, approximately 200 kilometers west of Broken Hill.
The 51-year-old pilot was the only person aboard. He died at the scene.
Authorities have not released the helicopter’s type or operator. South Australia Police notified aviation authorities, and investigators are preparing a report for the coroner.
The seven crashes involved different aircraft, missions, operators and locations.
One involved a large cargo jet. Three involved small airplanes. Three involved helicopters.
Investigators are examining the crashes independently. There is currently no evidence that the accidents are connected or share a common cause.
Investigators will examine factors including weather, maintenance, pilot actions, aircraft performance and operating procedures. Final findings in some of these investigations could take months or longer.
Tammy Rose Reports will continue following each investigation as authorities release confirmed information.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
John Gabriel Mendoza Jr., 18, was a Texas State University student who died following the June 1, 2026 shooting involving former Brazoria County deputy Kevin Daniel Tippit.
Months after the fatal shooting of John Gabriel Mendoza Jr., Brazoria County released an incident report printed two days after the shooting.
The sheriff’s office printed the report on June 3, 2026, at 7:39 a.m. The report warns that it only reflects the investigation as it existed at that time.
The county released the early John Mendoza report on September 14. However, it withheld the bodycam, dashcam and nearly the entire detailed narrative.
What the John Mendoza report shows
The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office lists the incident under case number 2606-0001.
The report identifies the original allegation as evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. It lists the location as the 1100 block of FM 2004 in Lake Jackson.
The report identifies the vehicle as a red 2021 Dodge Challenger.
A short summary states that deputies attempted a traffic stop before the vehicle fled.
The report lists the State of Texas as the victim. It identifies Mendoza as the suspect in the alleged evading offense.
That classification only concerns the original pursuit report. It does not establish that Mendoza committed a crime.
County redacts Tippit’s narrative
Former Brazoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Daniel Tippit faces a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant in connection with the June 1, 2026 shooting of John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. Photo credit: Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.
The detailed narrative contains one visible line about former Brazoria County Deputy Kevin Daniel Tippit.
The report states that Tippit advised he was in pursuit at about 12:09 a.m.
The county covered nearly every word that follows with black boxes. It also redacted the names of the assisting officers.
The visible line does not establish when the pursuit began. It only records when the report says Tippit advised that he was in pursuit.
Records do not contradict Ranger affidavit
Former Brazoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Tippit has been charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault by a public servant in connection with the fatal shooting of 18-year-old John Gabriel Mendoza Jr.
The new report does not contradict the timeline in the Texas Ranger affidavit.
The Ranger affidavit says Tippit observed the Challenger around 12:06 a.m. It also says he activated his emergency lights and siren.
The available scanner recording begins carrying pursuit traffic around 12:08 a.m. The sheriff’s report then places Tippit’s pursuit notification at about 12:09 a.m.
Those times describe different points during the encounter. They do not prove that investigators provided an incorrect timeline.
The newly released report also does not reveal the “accidental discharge” statement. The previously obtained scanner audio already captured Tippit making that report.
Rangers reviewed bodycam and dashcam
The Texas Ranger affidavit says investigators reviewed Tippit’s bodycam and dashcam.
According to the affidavit, the Challenger reached approximately 120 mph and ran six red lights. The pursuit ended inside the garage at Mendoza’s family home.
The affidavit says Tippit entered the garage and fired through the driver’s-side window.
Scanner traffic later captured Tippit reporting what he described as an “accidental discharge.”
The new John Mendoza report offers no additional account of the shooting. Brazoria County withheld the videos that could allow the public to examine the encounter independently.
Attorney General allows county to withhold records
The Texas Attorney General issued ruling OR2026-038106 on August 28, 2026.
The ruling covered eight public-information requests, including Brazoria County request number 26-1859.
Brazoria County argued that releasing the evidence could interfere with an active criminal case. The Attorney General allowed the county to withhold most of the investigative material.
However, the ruling required the county to release basic information.
Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose then requested the information covered by the ruling. Brazoria County assigned that follow-up request number 26-2947.
The county responded on September 14 with the early report and extensive redactions.
Report predates major developments
The sheriff’s office printed the released report on June 3.
That date matters because the report predates several major developments in the case.
Sheriff Bo Stallman fired Tippit on June 9. Stallman cited policy violations involving the handling and discharge of Tippit’s firearm.
A Brazoria County grand jury later indicted Tippit on aggravated assault by a public servant. Texas Rangers arrested him on August 11.
The court has scheduled Tippit’s trial for February 1, 2027. Court dates can change.
An indictment does not establish guilt. The law presumes Tippit innocent unless prosecutors prove the charge in court.
Release offers no updated shooting account
The records released in September provide an early account of the alleged evading offense. They do not provide a current summary of the shooting investigation.
The packet contains no updated narrative following Tippit’s firing, indictment or arrest. It also contains no bodycam, dashcam or complete radio record.
The release confirms that Tippit advised he was in pursuit at about 12:09 a.m. Beyond that entry, it adds little to the established public record.
The most important evidence remains outside public view.
Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose will continue seeking the bodycam, dashcam and other records as the criminal case moves forward.
Read the documents
The Attorney General ruling, Brazoria County’s response and the sanitized incident report appear below.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the Lindsay Clancy case.
Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday in the Lindsay Clancy murder case after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict following seven days of deliberations.
The mistrial leaves the high-profile Massachusetts case without a verdict. Because the jury deadlocked, the charges were not resolved. Prosecutors must now decide whether to seek a retrial or pursue another lawful resolution.
Jury reports another deadlock
The jury deliberated for more than 38 hours. Jurors told the court three times that they could not agree on a verdict.
A note from the jury foreperson raised concerns about one juror. The foreperson claimed that the juror would not follow the judge’s instructions on reasonable doubt.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington asked Sullivan to remove the juror. Sullivan denied that request. The judge said he could not resolve the jury’s internal disagreement by replacing a juror based on the foreperson’s account.
Defense sought emergency intervention
Caption: Lindsay Clancy watches the proceedings as her defense seeks emergency appellate intervention before the court declares a mistrial.
Sullivan announced his plan to declare a mistrial after the jury reported its final deadlock.
Reddington asked for time to seek emergency appellate intervention. Sullivan delayed the mistrial order for one hour.
No appellate ruling stopped the court from declaring a mistrial before the deadline. Sullivan then ended the trial without a verdict.
A mistrial based on jury deadlock generally does not decide the defendant’s guilt or innocence. It also does not ordinarily bar the government from retrying the case under the constitutional protection against double jeopardy, because the jury could not reach a verdict.
Case focused on criminal responsibility
Clancy faced three murder charges in the deaths of her children. Cora was 5, Dawson was 3 and Callan was 8 months old.
The defense did not dispute that Clancy caused the children’s deaths in January 2023. Instead, Reddington argued that postpartum psychosis left her unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of her conduct or to conform her conduct to the law.
Prosecutors argued that Clancy planned the killings and understood that her actions were wrong. Jurors had to decide whether the prosecution proved the elements of the charged offenses and whether Clancy was criminally responsible under Massachusetts law.
In Massachusetts, a defendant may be found not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility if a qualifying mental disease or defect substantially affected the defendant’s ability to appreciate the wrongfulness of the conduct or to conform conduct to the law. The defense bears the burden of proving that defense by a preponderance of the evidence.
The jury could have convicted Clancy of murder or a lesser offense, including manslaughter, if the evidence and instructions supported that verdict. Jurors could also have found her not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility. That finding is not the same as an ordinary acquittal and can lead to court-ordered psychiatric commitment and continuing judicial review.
What happens after the Lindsay Clancy mistrial?
The mistrial did not result in a conviction or an acquittal. The charges remain unresolved, and the court must address the case’s next procedural steps.
Prosecutors may seek a retrial with a new jury, subject to applicable court rules and constitutional requirements. They may also negotiate a plea agreement or decide not to pursue the charges. Any dismissal could be with or without prejudice, depending on the circumstances and the court’s order.
A retrial would not necessarily repeat every procedural step in exactly the same way, but the parties would select a new jury and present the case again. Evidence and rulings from the first trial could affect the proceedings, and the court would decide which issues remain open.
Clancy remains at a psychiatric hospital while the case continues. Officials have not announced a new court date or a decision about a second trial.
Outside the courtroom, I have also been working on a deeply personal project.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
James Elmore Jr. was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the Laura Miller case. The judge also imposed a $10,000 fine and credited him with 156 days served.
James Elmore Jr. received a 20-year prison sentence Thursday in the Laura Miller case.
The judge also imposed a $10,000 fine.
The sentencing came after an emotional statement from Laura’s father, Tim Miller. He spoke directly to Elmore before the judge announced the punishment.
Tim Miller addresses James Elmore Jr.
Miller told Elmore about the damage Laura’s death caused his family.
He also spoke about Elmore’s own family.
Miller said Elmore’s son had recently posted messages suggesting he did not want to live. Despite everything that happened, Miller said he would do what he could to help keep Elmore’s son alive.
Miller then turned his attention back to Laura.
He told Elmore he once wanted to believe Elmore had not played a larger role in what happened to his daughter.
Miller said he no longer believed that.
He ended his statement by telling Elmore that he hoped he could someday find peace.
Judge sentences Elmore to 20 years
After Miller finished speaking, the judge sentenced Elmore to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The judge also ordered Elmore to pay a $10,000 fine.
Elmore received credit for 156 days already spent in custody.
The sentence followed a jury trial in Galveston County.
Elmore plans to appeal
The defense also confirmed plans to appeal the case.
Elmore’s trial attorney asked the court to release him as counsel. The judge said the court would appoint another attorney to handle the appeal.
The notice of appeal had already been filed when the judge addressed the issue in court.
Laura Miller case reaches another milestone
Memorial sign highlighting four victims whose cases have been linked to the same recovery site during the investigation into Clyde Hedrick and several unsolved homicides.
Laura Miller disappeared in September 1984.
Her remains were discovered near Calder Road in League City in February 1986.
Her father later founded Texas EquuSearch and spent decades searching for missing people while continuing to seek answers about Laura.
The sentencing marks another major development in a case that has remained part of the Texas Killing Fields story for more than four decades.
Outside the courtroom, I have also been working on a deeply personal project.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
James Elmore Jr. was found guilty after a two-day trial in Galveston County tied to the death of Laura Miller.
A Galveston County jury found James Elmore Jr. guilty Wednesday following a fast-moving trial connected to the death of Laura Miller.
The verdict came after just two days of testimony.
Jurors began deliberating Wednesday afternoon. A short time later, the court notified the media that the jury had reached a verdict.
Elmore stood trial on charges tied to Laura Miller and Audrey Cook, two women whose remains were found in the League City area decades ago.
Jury reaches verdict in James Elmore Jr. trial
The case moved quickly Wednesday.
Prosecutors rested their case. The defense then called witnesses before both sides completed their cases.
Six women and six men ultimately received the case.
The jury returned its verdict later Wednesday afternoon.
Elmore was found guilty.
I will update this story with the verdict on each individual count and sentencing information as the court releases those details.
Tim Miller takes the stand
Laura Miller’s father, Tim Miller, was among the key witnesses called by prosecutors.
Miller testified about his years of contact with Elmore and his efforts to learn what happened to his daughter.
Jurors also heard about information Elmore allegedly knew concerning Laura and the location where her remains were found.
The defense later cross-examined Miller about those conversations and the investigation.
Jurors watched recorded interviews
The jury also watched recordings involving Elmore.
Those recordings became an important part of the prosecution’s case.
Investigators questioned what Elmore knew about Laura Miller and events surrounding her death.
The testimony focused on whether Elmore knew details that had not been released to the public.
Decades after Laura Miller disappeared
Memorial sign highlighting four victims whose cases have been linked to the same recovery site during the investigation into Clyde Hedrick and several unsolved homicides.
Laura Miller disappeared in 1984.
Her remains were later discovered near Calder Road in League City.
The area eventually became associated with several unsolved deaths and disappearances.
Laura’s death remained under investigation for decades.
Elmore’s arrest brought the case back into a Galveston County courtroom more than 40 years later.
What happens next
The case now moves to the next phase following the guilty verdict.
I am continuing to follow developments from the courthouse and will update this story with the verdict on each charge and sentencing information as those details become available.
Full courtroom video and continuing coverage will also be posted on Tammy Rose Reports on YouTube.
Outside the courtroom, I have also been working on a deeply personal project.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
James Elmore Jr. sits with his defense attorney during his trial in Galveston County.
Jurors in the James Elmore Jr. trial watched a lengthy 2022 recording Wednesday that put Elmore’s own words at the center of the case.
The video shows Elmore riding with Tim Miller through League City. Elmore points out locations tied to Laura Miller, Audrey Cook and Clyde Hedrick.
The recording also captures Elmore making claims about what happened to Laura before and after her death.
Prosecutors played the video during Day 3 of the trial.
Tim Miller explains why he recorded Elmore
Tim Miller testifies about his conversations with James Elmore Jr. during the trial.
Miller told jurors he wanted to preserve what Elmore had told him.
He said Elmore had discussed several health problems. Miller feared Elmore could die before investigators resolved the case.
Miller said he contacted a friend with a production company and arranged the recording.
He told jurors he wanted Elmore to repeat what he had previously told him.
Miller also stressed during the recording that Elmore had contacted him voluntarily.
The video dates to Oct. 10, 2022.
Elmore returns to Calder Road
James Elmore Jr. points out an area near Calder Road during a 2022 recording with Tim Miller that was shown to jurors.
The recording shows Miller and Elmore driving through areas connected to the investigation.
They returned to Calder Road, where investigators found the remains of Laura Miller and Audrey Cook in 1986.
Elmore pointed out areas where he claimed the bodies had been placed.
He also discussed how the area looked decades earlier. Elmore described thick vegetation and fewer homes.
Miller questioned Elmore about the locations as they drove through the area.
Elmore claims he saw Laura at Hedrick’s house
One of the most significant portions of the recording focused on Clyde Hedrick’s former home.
Elmore claimed he saw Laura at the house.
Memorial sign highlighting four victims whose cases have been linked to the same recovery site during the investigation into Clyde Hedrick and several unsolved homicides.
He also described events involving drugs inside the home. Elmore claimed he prepared drugs and warned Hedrick that the amount was too much.
Elmore said he later saw Laura covered with a shirt. He claimed he initially thought she was sleeping.
Elmore also described returning to the house days later.
His account forms a key part of the prosecution’s case against him.
Cemetery becomes another focus
A cross memorial for Laura Miller stands near the Calder Road area where her remains were found in 1986.
The recording also took jurors to a cemetery near the neighborhood where Laura lived.
Elmore claimed Laura sometimes went to the cemetery.
He said Hedrick had seen and spoken with her there before her death.
Elmore described an encounter in which Hedrick approached Laura while Elmore and another man were nearby.
That claim could become important because it addresses whether Hedrick knew Laura before she died.
Elmore discusses shirt found near Laura Miller
Clyde Hedrick in an undated photograph. His clothing became relevant during testimony about a shirt found near Laura Miller’s remains.
The shirt found near Laura Miller’s remains also came up during the recording.
Elmore claimed Hedrick often wore cowboy-style shirts.
He also claimed Hedrick later complained about losing a favorite shirt.
Investigators found a man’s shirt near Laura’s remains.
Jurors will have to decide what weight to give Elmore’s statements and whether they connect to other evidence presented during the trial.
Jurors hear Elmore in his own words
James Elmore Jr. talks with Tim Miller near Calder Road during a 2022 recording later played for jurors.
The recording marks a significant point in the trial.
Until now, jurors have heard witnesses describe statements Elmore allegedly made about Laura Miller and the investigation.
Wednesday, they heard Elmore make claims himself.
The video allowed jurors to watch him point out locations and answer Miller’s questions.
Elmore faces a manslaughter charge in connection with Laura Miller’s death. He also faces tampering charges involving the remains of Laura Miller and Audrey Cook.
The trial continues in Galveston County.
Editor’s note: Statements attributed to James Elmore Jr. in this story come from the recorded interview played for jurors in court. The allegations and evidence remain for the jury to evaluate.
Outside the courtroom, I have also been working on a deeply personal project.
My new book, When Two Worlds Collide During WWII, follows two families on opposite sides of World War II and the remarkable events that eventually brought their lives together in Wisconsin.
The story is based on my own family history, with real people, family photographs and stories passed down through generations.
