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Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma

Dallas Police Revise Policy After Accidentally Deleting Data

A police employee accidentally deleted 22 terabytes of case files when trying to migrate data between servers. August 22, 2021 In Dallas, at least one murder trial has been delayed after a police employee accidentally destroyed 8 terabytes of digital case files and materials during a routine data migration process gone wrong. A Dallas Police Depart...

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Former Cyril police chief facing charges Alvin Pickens III

Investigators said Pickens confessed to taking it from the evidence room and then bought the speaker back from the store. August 5, 2021 CYRIL, Okla. (KSWO) -The former chief of police in Cyril is facing charges, accused of taking confiscated items. Alvin Pickens III is charged with knowingly concealing stolen property and two counts of petit larce...

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Dallas murder suspect to be released from jail while city determines if it lost evidence

Jonathan Pitts is the first defendant known to be impacted by the city's loss of police department data. August 14, 2021 Update 6:30 p.m.: This story was updated with additional details about how this could impact other court cases, a statement from Dallas police and to reflect that Pitts remained jailed. A murder suspect scheduled to go on trial t...

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A Guide to Fentanyl Touch Overdoses, Which Do Not Exist

False police reports of secondhand fentanyl overdose are remarkably consistent. Enter Article DATE HERE Once as a paramedic student, I accidentally sprayed fentanyl in my face. It was my first time administering the medication, and a patient with a broken ankle was lying on the gurney in front of me, tensed uncomfortably, when the ambulance hi...

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1174 Hits

Judge dismisses case after DA's office says critical evidence missing


Defense attorney who said his client was unlawfully indicted, spent unnecessary time in jail and was negatively impacted by a missing videotape  July 31, 2021 LAS CRUCES - A judge dismissed a case against a man accused of beating, robbing and attempting to sexually assault a massage parlor worker. The case was dismissed without prejudice, mean...

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998 Hits

Locust Grove police chief admits to stealing drugs, weapons from evidence room

Williams later admitted to stealing and ingesting methamphetamine from the evidence room of the Locust Grove Police Department JUNE 22, 2021 LOCUST GROVE, Okla. — The Locust Grove police chief is now facing charges after being arrested, accused of stealing various items from the police department. Police Chief Charles Williams, 47, was arrested Fri...

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Man charged in cold-case murder of Mitchell County teen

A search warrant was obtained to collect Adkins' DNA, which led to his arrest in connection to Dunn's murder. June 18, 2021 MITCHELL COUNTY, Texas -- A man has been charged in the murder of Mitchell County teen Hailey Dunn -- over 10 years after she was last seen alive. Shawn Casey Adkins, 35, of Big Spring, TX , was arrested Monday and charge...

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50 kilos of the drug have washed ashore this week in Matagorda County

Sheriff's Department report that 50 Kilos of what is thought to be cocaine have been found washed up on the beaches  May 31, 2021 MATAGORDA COUNTY, TX – The Matagorda County Sheriff's Department report that 50 Kilos of what is thought to be cocaine have been found washed up on the beaches of Matagorda County over the past several days. The She...

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801 Hits

Arrest made in 1983 cold case murder in Montgomery County

38 years later to the day, and collected a known DNA sample from Darnell. May 19, 2021 MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – An arrest has been made in a decades-long cold case of a Houston woman who was found dead in 1983 in Montgomery County, according to the Sheriff's Office. On March 17, 1983, a deputy who was patrolling in the 4000 block of Interstate 45...

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Coconino County Sheriff's Office Arizona man charged in connection with cold case rape in Cedar City thanks to familial DNA

The big break in the case came when police in Arizona used familial DNA testing to identify a possible suspect in a rape case in Flagstaff that investigators believed was committed by the same man nine months earlier. May 4, 2021 CEDAR CITY — The Iron County Attorney's Office has filed charges in a nearly 17-year-old cold case rape investigati...

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1354 Hits

Former Beverly Hills police chief indicted, arrested on theft charge

A grand jury indicted Schmidt on charges that he stole money and firearms from the Beverly Hills Police Department  May 11, 2021 Former Beverly Hills Police Chief Thomas Eugene Schmidt was arrested Monday morning by Texas Rangers on a charge of theft by a public servant. According to an indictment unsealed Monday, a grand jury indicted Schmidt...

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Albuquerque's rape kit backlog cleared

Years ago, an audit revealed more than 5,400 rape kits statewide were untested May 2, 2021 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced Friday that the city cleared it's decades-old rape kit backlog. Keller said the backlog was actually cleared in March 2020. "I remember it was during COVID when we sent the last one out," Keller said. ...

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San Angelo Police make arrest in 2008 cold case murder of Jordan Holden

DNA evidence has led to the arrest of a Katy man in connection to a 2008 San Angelo cold case April 27, 2021 SAN ANGELO — DNA evidence has led to the arrest of a Katy man in connection to a 2008 San Angelo cold case, according to a police news release. Just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 27, 2021, police announced an arrest had been made in the shoot...

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A Happy Ending: Reuniting Missing Property With Its Rightful Owner

The college ring was found in a purse about the be destroyed in the Lancaster PD property room  APRIL 22, 2021 With two people; one a Lieutenant, the other a civilian and, a mound of property that ranges from drugs, to money, to clothes to sometimes, valuable items that could easily get lost in the mix, if a human touch isn't applied then prop...

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841 Hits

Dallas Sheriff’s Clerk Supervisor Umeka T. Myers Arrested After Allegedly Stealing From Evidence Vault


The Dallas County Sheriff's Office has arrested one of their own, clerical supervisor Umeka T. Myers for theft. April  7, 2021 DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The Dallas County Sheriff's Office has arrested one of their own, clerical supervisor Umeka T. Myers for theft. Umeka T. Myers (credit: Dallas County Sheriff's Office) "Accountability is a core va...

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1737 Hits

Santa Fe police evidence room upgraded after scathing report

The changes were spurred by a scathing report released last year that outlined issues with the police department's evidence handling policies and procedures. March 3, 2021 Mar. 4—The Santa Fe Police Department has finished upgrading and replacing locks and keys in its evidence storage area and purchased a bar-coding system for evidence management, ...

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1203 Hits

Texas has the tools to end the rape kit backlog. Let’s use them.

The rape kits collecting dust in Texas labs represent unidentified criminals that could be named and prosecuted, even halting repeat rapists February 6, 2021 That's the number of untested rape kits in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, and more than 1,000 of them sit on lab shelves in Dallas. Each kit holds unique DNA eviden...

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1641 Hits

Want your wallet back when you get out of jail? San Antonio wants $25 for holding it


"You're preying on poor people's lives," said Laquita Garcia, a San Antonio-based bail reform advocate" December 29, 2021 The San Antonio Police Department charges a $25 fee for prisoners to get their own property returned to them after leaving jail. Police Chief William McManus supports the $25 fee as a simple way to defray some of the costs of st...

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1411 Hits

GCSO wants to reunite weapons with lawful owners

Burglary and other victims would come in seeking their property and would have to be told it couldn't be found November 5, 2020 The Greenlee County Sheriff's Office needs your help. The GCSO has more than 300 firearms in evidence lockers that need to be returned to their rightful owners, but the agency doesn't have a list of gun owners to tie the g...

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935 Hits

San Juan County's biggest pot bust 'only a fraction' of growing on Navajo Nation

Police seized 2,000 pounds of suspected marijuana, with an estimated street value of $2.8 million November 2, 2020 ARMINGTON Three weeks ago, Farmington police and San Juan County sheriff's deputies got a tip about a man moving a truckload of marijuana into a budget motel on the west side of town. When they began knocking on doors at the Travel Inn...

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1017 Hits

Texas Sheriff Charged With Destroying Evidence In Officer-Related Death

Williamson County grand jury indictment accuses Chody of intentionally destroying or concealing video and audio recordings of the fatal encounter, which was filmed for the television show Live PD. September 30, 2020 A Texas sheriff has been indicted on felony charges of tampering with evidence in the case of Javier Ambler, a Black man who was kille...

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1569 Hits

Suspect Arrested in 1974 Cold Case Murder of Carla Walker; Was ‘Random Attack': Police

DNA profile was then used to narrow the search to three brothers with the last name McCurley. Enter Article DATE HERE September 22, 2020 Suspect was a person of interest in the 1974 slaying but detectives said there wasn't enough evidence to tie him to the case 46 years ago.Texas company used a new forensic process to create a full DNA profile...

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1553 Hits

CBP officers confiscate over a million dollars worth of drugs

Federal agents seized over a million dollars worth of meth during three separate drug smuggling attempts September 10, 2020 LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) -Federal agents seized over a million dollars of drugs during three separate incidents at the start of the month. The first incident happened on August 31st when officers at the World Trade Bridge referred ...

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1132 Hits

Arrest Made in 17-Year-Old Lubbock County Cold Case


A recent alert in CODIS — the Combined DNA Index System — led the Texas Rangers and the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office to focus their attention on Castillo September 8, 2020 CrimeLatest News Arrest Made in 17-Year-Old Lubbock County Cold Case September 8, 2020 After more than 17 years, a man is facing charges in the 2003 slaying of a 21-year-old L...

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1318 Hits

Oklahoma police officer collapses, given overdose-reversal drug Narcan after fentanyl exposure

The Bartlesville police officer was packaging methamphetamine found during a Friday traffic stop when he became unresponsive. March 10, 2020 An Oklahoma police officer was administered a life-saving overdose drug after he was exposed to fentanyl last week, authorities said. The Bartlesville police officer was packaging methamphetamine found during ...

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1115 Hits

Clifton PD returns U.S. Navy Captain's sword seized in 2008 as a result of an arrest


During the audit, numerous items of stored evidence were able to be disposed of or returned to the owner. September 1, 2020 CLIFTON, TX — An audit of the Clifton Police Department evidence room lead to the return of a sword that was seized in 2008 as a result of an arrest. The department says the audit was conducted recently. During the audit, nume...

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1363 Hits

Doña Ana County Sheriff: 'We can't even speculate about a motive' in former deputy's evidence-hoarding case


72 pieces of case evidence found in a former deputy's foreclosed house was a failure of leadership. AUGUST 1, 2020 LAS CRUCES — At a press conference Friday at the County Commission Chambers in Las Cruces, Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart said the 72 pieces of case evidence found in a former deputy's foreclosed house was a failure of leadership....

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Former Doña Ana County deputy accused of hoarding evidence from unsolved sex crimes in his garage

Lopez is alleged to have failed to turn in 72 pieces of evidence from the nine unsolved sex crimes involving adults and children that he investigated while serving as a deputy and detective from 2003 to 2014. August 1, 2020 LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- A former Doña Ana County Sheriff's deputy faces multiple felony charges after officials confirmed Fr...

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1208 Hits

Arizona Man Originally Suspected in 1978 Cold Case Murder and Sexual Assault Arrested 42 Years Later

All evidence related to the crimes had been preserved by detectives and was stored in the department's property room  April 12, 2020 An Arizona man has been arrested on murder and sexual assault charges more than four decades after police discovered the two victims in the back of a pick-up truck. Glenn Williams, now 62, was the original suspec...

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1122 Hits

Roosevelt County deputy accused of stealing evidence

  The sheriff says he was made aware of about $8,000 of cash missing from the evidence vault July 15,2020 NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A Roosevelt County deputy has been fired and charged amid allegations he stole evidence. The sheriff says he was made aware of about $8,000 of cash missing from the evidence vault back in January of 2019. The sheriff as...

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1045 Hits

Former mayor of Achille headed to prison this week

Arrested for stealing guns, drugs and cash from the police department's evidence room. July 12, 2020 "Drugs will lead you to one of two places either the graveyard or prison, and my life is a definite testament to that," Northcutt said. Northcutt will head to a federal prison in Texarkana Thursday to begin his two year prison sentence. Back in Nove...

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1160 Hits

Deaths caused by fake pills continue to climb in Oklahoma, with links to North Texas

The fake pills are nothing new to local, state, or federal authorities from California to Florida. June 25, 2020 Oklahoma authorities voiced concern Wednesday that overdoses and deaths linked to fake prescription pills continue to increase throughout the state. And, some investigations have led Oklahoma authorities into North Texas. As of May, six ...

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1209 Hits

4 years after being charged with evidence theft, former Havasu cop remains at large

May be in the Boston area, sources say.  June 12, 2012 It has been four years since felony charges were brought against a former Lake Havasu City police detective accused of stealing drug evidence in multiple criminal cases from his own department. He now remains a wanted man, and authorities believe he is in the Boston area. According to inve...

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1992 Hits

SF man allegedly stole truck, guns from BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs)

He also allegedly stole a dozen firearms from the BIA Office of Justice Services in Nambé June 9, 2020 SANTA FE – Derek Nicholas Padilla had himself a busy month. According to online court records, Padilla has been charged in nine separate cases in Santa Fe magistrate and District Court since May 4 – mostly for vehicle theft, but also for breaking ...

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2582 Hits

Judge says Santa Fe violated law by failing to produce records requested by ex-cop

Santa Fe violated state law by failing to produce records concerning missing evidence requested by a retired police officer. Enter Article DATE HERE State District Judge Bryan Biedscheid has determined the city of Santa Fe violated state law by failing to produce records concerning missing evidence requested by a retired police officer. Biedsc...

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1089 Hits

Phoenix police make arrest in cold case murder dating back to 1987

DNA at the scene of the crime was later matched to 52-year-old Darron Joseph Miniefield May 7, 2020 PHOENIX (3TV/CBS5) -- Phoenix police have made an arrest in a cold case murder that dates back more than 30 years. On Feb. 21, 1987, 41-year-old Marilyn Johns was found in an alley near Central Avenue and Lincoln Street in the downtown area. She had ...

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1191 Hits

Audit reveals $27K missing from OKCPD property room

Chief Wade Gourley added more oversight, tamper-proof bags, and a video-monitored location. May 18, 2020 OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – According to city auditor, the Oklahoma City Police Department is missing at least $27,000 from its evidence room. According to the audit, $10,775 is missing from case envelopes. Another $16,296 was checked out to the Dist...

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1135 Hits

Turnabout for mayor who claimed he was smeared

  The police department as a collective organization isn't responsible for jeopardizing yet another criminal case. Webber says the blame belongs to former Detective. May 16, 2020 We've heard two sides of a sad story, and almost no one is satisfied. Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber says a now-retired police detective lost the physical evidence that h...

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1615 Hits

Santa Fe Police Department loses evidence in child rape case

Ytuarte said he clearly remembers turning in the sexual assault examination kit to the department's evidence room and he's "deeply offended" by attempts to pin the blame on him. May 14, 2020 Cute  Physical evidence collected during a sexual assault examination of a 4-year-old girl in a 2018 case has gone missing, Santa Fe police officials ackn...

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1852 Hits

As Santa Fe struggles with shortfall, cuts to public safety may be limited

Enter Headline here April 21, 2020 As the city of Santa Fe faces a potential $46 million budget shortfall, the extent to which it will impact the city's emergency services staff is yet to be fully known. Mayor Alan Webber announced employee furloughs Monday, at either four or 16 hours a week, but for now, public safety employees will see only a min...

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1185 Hits

Cold-Case Team, FBI Agents Secure Arrest in 2001 Cold-Case Homicide

The Cold Case Team had a confirmation with a match from the victim's DNA and crime-scene evidence. March 17, 2020 CHINO HILLS – A long-ago mystery into the death of a pregnant female dumped onto the roadway in 2001 came to the fore during the collaboration of Homicide Cold Case Detectives and agents from the FBI Forensic Genetic Genealogy Team. Fir...

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1855 Hits

Missing funds prompt investigation of Canton Police Department


State audit revealed cash seized from two drug suspects was missing from the police department's evidence room March 9,2020 CANTON — The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has opened a criminal investigation into the Canton Police Department after a state audit revealed cash seized from two drug suspects was missing from the police department's...

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1275 Hits

Upgrading Santa Fe police evidence room could cost a half-million dollars, plus new staff

The new positions will bring the number of evidence room employees to seven, which will allow the department to staff the room seven days a week, rather than only Monday through Friday. February 17, 2020 Equipment to revamp the Santa Fe Police Department's outdated evidence room is expected to cost about $467,000, and another $400,000 is needed to ...

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1757 Hits

New Mexico man accused of 2 cold case rapes after backlogged rape kit tested

Enter Headline here February 16, 2020 A youth advocate is facing charges in two cold case rapes in New Mexico and California after DNA testing was conducted last month on a backlogged rape kit from 1997. The rape kit was collected by Albuquerque police after a 17-year-old girl reported being raped by an acquaintance at a party in April 1997, accord...

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1243 Hits

Dallas Police Issue Reprimands, Suspensions for 23 Former Vice Officers

Detectives failed in 25 instances to place cash evidence or property into the property room by the end of their tour. January 29, 2020 Dallas Chief of Police U. Renee Hall disciplined nearly two dozen former vice officers Wednesday for mishandling department money used in gambling operations and for not delivering evidence in those cases to the pro...

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1078 Hits

Upgrades Coming in SFPD Evidence Protection

City proposes software updates and recruitment in as first steps to solve evidence room problems February 1, 2020 The Santa Fe Police Department and the city manager have begun a series of corrective actions in response to problems in the department's evidence room. It is still unclear how many cases may have been impacted by the department's failu...

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1187 Hits

Dallas Police Issue Reprimands, Suspensions for 23 Former Vice Officers

Not delivering evidence in those cases to the property room. Enter Article DATE HERE Dallas Chief of Police U. Renee Hall disciplined nearly two dozen former vice officers Wednesday for mishandling department money used in gambling operations and for not delivering evidence in those cases to the property room. The investigation into suspected ...

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1170 Hits

Report: Police department evidence room has serious issues

Issues with the evidence room came to light after the department discovered it lost evidence in the 2017 Selena Valencia murder case. January 11, 2020 The Santa Fe Police Department's evidence room is understaffed, its employees are undertrained, items are held in no logical order and at least one area is secured with only a $10 Master Lock, accord...

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1985 Hits

Clovis Police detective charged with embezzling

In December,  Capt Romero found $144 in crumpled cash while searching Hernandez's desk in his office; Romero was looking for drug paraphernalia that had gone missing in an unrelated case. January 14, 2020 CLOVIS, N.M. — A Clovis police detective has been charged with embezzling $166 from a man he arrested in June. Francisco Hernandez, 33, face...

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Boswell police officer arrested for pawning department firearms

Karr pawned four department weapons. January 17, 2020 BOSWELL, Okla. (KXII) - A Boswell, Oklahoma, police officer was arrested Monday accused of pawning department firearms. The Oklahoma State Bureau Of Investigation tells us an investigation last month revealed Shawn Karr pawned four department weapons. The 33-year-old was arrested Monday at Boswe...

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