Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels.
Mark D. Wilson/SAEN
Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/SAEN
Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/SAEN
Investigators are searching for any clues in a stolen body from Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News
Investigators are searching for any clues in a stolen body from Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News
Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News
Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News
Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News
Julie Mott, died on Aug. 8 at age 25. Her body was stolen from the Mission Park Funeral Chapels. Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News
From execution-style killings to adults having sex with under-age kids, these shocking cases made headlines across the Lone Star State.
Dec. 13, 2015: North Texas campus officer shoots, kills ax-wielding student Ryan McMillan, 21, pictured above, was fatally shot after he carried a hatchet as he walked in front of a campus police officer’s patrol car. In dashcam videos, he restates “shoot me” over and over again. According to reports, the police responded to a report that an individual was breaking windows near campus. An investigation is ongoing.
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Dec. 4: Pasadena-area woman arrested with having sex with teen nephew 'hundreds of times' Peggy Phillips, 43, has been charged with sexual assault of a child after she allegedly had sex with her teenage nephew when he was still in high school. According to reports, the nephew contacted authorities in July to complain of the sexual assault. He said the abuse began shortly after he arrived in Pasadena from out of state, in about 2009.
Facebook
Nov. 16, 2015: Six dead in Texas campsite attack; man charged with murder
William Hudson, 33, was charged with one murder count in relation to the killings of six people at a Texas campsite. Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said the bodies were found in a rural part of the county, southeast of Dallas.
HOGP
Nov. 16:
Couple charged after toddler found dead, burned inside home oven Racqual Thompson, center, was charged of child endangerment after her toddler was found apparently burned to death in an oven. The 19-month-old child was found dead after Thompson was allegedly left the child alone with its three siblings. The eldest was 5 years old.
James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle
Nov. 2, 2015: Houston man accused of prostituting 4-year-old girl
Andrew Turley, 28, was arrested Nov. 12 for allegedly posting an ad on Craigslist to prostitute a 4-year-old girl. After more than 60 emails between the ad's author and undercover police, Turley allegedly offered two hours with the girl for $1,000, KPRC reported.
Oct. 1, 2015:
Houston socialite among 6 accused of money laundering Katherine Le, a well-known jewelry designer, and her husband, Hao Dinh Nguyen, 51, were both arrested and charged with organized criminal activity. The two, along with four others, were accused of concealing more than $300,000 in proceeds from illegal gambling.
Houston Chronicle
Sept. 2, 2015: Dallas dentist fatally shot at luxury apartment Pediatric dentist Kendra Hatcher, 35, above, was shot and killed by supposed gunman Kristopher Love, a hitman hired by Brenda Delgado, 33. Delgado reportedly promised to pay the alleged killer in drugs and money from a drug cartel.
Mendoza, Madalyn S/Facebook.com
Aug. 28, 2015: Officer killed in ambush at NW Harris gas station Harris County sheriff's deputy Darren Goforth was fatally shot while filling his gas tank in suburban Houston. Officials described the act as an execution-style killing. The accused gunman, Shannon Miles, 31, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial by defense experts.
HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HO / New York Times
Aug. 25, 2015:
Outrage over Texas man sentenced to 10 years probation in sexual assault of 2-year-old Thomas Boden, 29, pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony charge of injury to a 2-year-old female child. The San Angelo man could avoid a conviction in a brutal sexual assault of a two-year-old girl if he completes a 10-year probation sentence, sparking outrage at what some see is a light punishment.
Tom Green County Jail
Aug. 25:
Police arrest San Antonio man accused of throwing acid on pitbull Ignacio Sanchez Alvarez, 45, was arrested after reportedly pouring acid on hid dog Rosie, a 5-year-old pitbull. ACS reported she was found with chemical burns to 100 percent of her face towards the end of July. Her right ear dissolved by a caustic liquid and her left ear was partially consumed. She has since recovered and has been adopted by a new family.
Animal Care Services
Aug. 20, 2015:
Former Baylor transfer found guilty of rape Sam Ukwuachu, a one-time All-American who transferred to play football at Baylor University, has been convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow student athlete in October 2013.
Jerry Larson, MBO / Associated Press
Aug. 8, 2015: Suspect charged with capital murder in death of 6 children, 2 adults David Conley was charged with multiple counts of capital murder after reportedly killing his ex-girlfriend, Valerie Jackson, her husband and six children, including his own son, one by one in the head.
Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle
July 20, 2015: S.A. nurse shoots and kills lover Maraliz Medina, 28, was charged with fatally shooting her lover, Rodolfo Espinosa, 31, after a confrontation in their west side home in San Antonio. According to police, the two were involved in an argument that turned physical. A 10-year-old child was also in the home at the time of the murder, but was left unharmed.
July 17, 2015: Six jailed for gang raping Waco teen Six men, ranging in age from 19-21, were sentenced to prison for participating in a April 2014 gang rape of a 15-year-old girl. Douglas Demond Canada (pictured above), Da'Juan Oshea Degrate, Day'tron Derrell Smith, Lamont Tray Davis, Cory Darnell Hall and Devoric Javon Evans were each sentenced after pleading guilty to counts of sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. Prison terms range from 15-25 years.
McLennan County Sheriff's Office
July 3, 2015: Man charged again with having sex with horse Cirilo Castillo Jr., a 45-year-old Alamo resident with a history of performing sexual acts on horses, was found injured in a barn in Edinburg on Feb. 17, 2015, when the barn's owner fed her horses. Investigators believe a horse kicked Castillo as he tried to perform the sex act, causing the injury. According to reports, Castillo has served previous sentences for sexual incidents involving horses.
Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office
June 21, 2015: Former MLB player found dead in apparent murder-suicide
MLB Network analyst and former baseball player Darryl Hamilton was found dead in the entryway of his Pearland home. He was supposedly shot and killed by Monica Jordan, 44, who killed herself moments later. Her body was found in a separate part of the home.
D. Ross Cameron/AP
May 17, 2015: Biker shooting at Waco Twin Peaks A bloody shooting between rival biker gangs outside a Twin Peaks restaurant left nine dead and 18 injured in May. According to reports, bikers met at the restaurant to discuss bikers' rights, and they did not expect violence. The shooting took place after two fights broke out inside the restaurant. The McLennan County Sheriff's Office arrested and charged 177 men and women in connection to the shooting, and held the defendants on $1 million bonds.
Rod Aydelotte, MBO / Associated Press
May 12, 2015: Boxing legend Tony Ayala, Jr. overdoses The controversial boxer from San Antonio was found dead at his Zarzamora Street Gym, near a syringe filled with apparent narcotics. An autopsy report later revealed that Ayala died from heroin toxicity and an enlarged heart. In this photo, friends and family of the troubled boxer attend the funeral dressed in black tee shirts emblazoned with the logo of Zarzamora Street Gym where Ayala spent his time training.
Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News
May 3, 2015: Shooting at Muhammad cartoon contest In Garland, Elton Simpson of Phoenix, Arizona and another man opened fire during the "Muhammad Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest," an anti-Islam event, at the Curtis Culwell Center. The event was reportedly hosting a contest for the best cartoons depicting Muhammad. The shooting wounded a security guard, and police officers shot and killed Simpson at the scene
Ben Torres/Getty Images
March 26, 2015: Spring Breaker found dead Killeen man Jordan Britten, 20, was found dead in a marshy area near South Padre Island during the aftermath of the busy Spring Break period days after he was reported missing. He was found partially nude in a field less than a mile from where he was last seen. An autopsy report released months later revealed that his accidental death was caused by died of immersion hypothermia and drowning due to acute drug intoxication.
Courtesy
March 17, 2015: Decapitated body found near South Padre Island Franklin Rodriguez Palacios Paz, 30, was found floating a bay off the island in May. He was found decapitated and mutilated by fisherman, who then called authorities. Four men, Aaron Rodriguez Medellin, 22, Nestor Manuel Leal, 18, Fernando Luna Rodriguez, 35, and Eduardo Luna Rodriguez, 24, were found guilty of the murder in June 2015. Authorities gave no motive for the murder.
Paul Franklin/Getty Images
Feb. 22, 2015: Fort Hood soldier goes on shooting rampage Spc. Ata-Se Giffa died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Feb. 23 at his off-post residence in Killeen, after shooting and killing his wife and two others. A Killeen police spokesman said the off-post killings were seen as a "domestic incident."
Courtesy
Jan. 28, 2015: Transgender woman found dead Ty Underwood, 24, a transgender woman, was found shot to death at her home in Tyler, a town in East Texas. According to authorities, the death was a "senseless murder." Police later charged Carlton Ray Champion Jr., 21, with first-degree murder.
SAN ANTONIO — Investigators are scouring the city for any clue that could lead them to the body of a 25-year-old woman that was stolen from a funeral home on the Northwest Side last week.
San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Javier Salazar said officers were dispatched to the Mission Park Funeral Chapel North facility, 3401 Cherry Ridge Drive, on Aug. 16 after workers found a casket that had been holding the remains of Julie Mott empty.
Mott died on Aug. 8 from cystic fibrosis, according to Mission Park Funeral Chapels owner Robert Tips.
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Tips, a personal friend of the Mott family, said funeral services for the woman were held on Aug. 15, which would have marked her 26th birthday.
After services concluded, the casket holding her body was moved into a hallway where it awaited transfer for cremation, he said.
The next day, however, workers found the casket empty, he said, adding that the funeral home is offering $20,000 for information leading to those responsible.
“We just want our daughter’s remains returned so we can have some closure to our grief,” said Tim Mott, Julie’s father.
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Salazar said investigators believe the theft happened sometime between the conclusion of Mott's funeral services at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., when staff locked up the facility.
“In my 22 years in law enforcement this is the first time I have ever heard of this happening,” Salazar said.
While Salazar said police are looking into several leads, officers have not yet confirmed whether they have identified a suspect.
“It would be speculation to even assume that it was just one person. It could have been two or several,” he said. “Until we get that crucial piece of evidence leading us to just the right person or people, we just won’t know.”
Tips said authorities believe the individual responsible for the theft may have an ideological opposition to the cremation process, as opposed to traditional burial.
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“We feel very strongly that there’s a difference of opinion there,” he said.
Salazar said the case is currently being investigated as abuse of a corpse, a Class A misdemeanor, but more charges could follow as authorities continue to gather more information.
Police are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mott's remains to call investigators at 210-225-TIPS.
mdwilson@express-news.net
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