NEWS
‘Plea won’t stop search for Caleb,’ DA, investigators reflect on the path to trial
On Tuesday afternoon when Ricky Dale Howard plead guilty to sexual exploitation of a child in federal court the local prosecutor and investigators breathed a small sigh of relief.
While it may not have been the justice they were seeking revealing the location of missing teen Caleb Diehl they say it was the “absolute right thing” and they won’t stop the search for the 18-year-old.
Friday morning after weeks of trial preparation and a whirlwind two days in court, 97th District Attorney Casey Polhemus, DA Investigator Chris Hamilton and County Judge Kevin Benton, a retired investigator, took a few moments to reflect on the trial’s result, its impact on the families and them.
They all say it was good people doing their jobs that got them here.
The trial of Howard on four child pornography charges opened Monday with jury selection following by witness testimony. That night a juror was injured in a freak accident and U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor declared a mistrial Tuesday morning. A short time later Howard elected to plead guilty to one count of production of a child pornography involving the missing victim, believed to be Caleb Diehl.
The sentencing hearing will be at 9 a.m. on Oct. 27 when he could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Polhemus, 97th District Attorney, said the plea was the culmination of the cooperative effort between the DA’s office and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District, Wichita Falls division.
Per the plea agreement the U.S. government will move to dismiss at sentencing any remaining federal counts and indictments the defendant has not pled guilty to.
The DA agreed to dismiss a series of four currently indicted cases once Howard is sentenced. Polhemus added it does not affect any future cases and the missing person investigation into Caleb Diehl is “open and active.”
The outcome
Settled into the office of the DA, all three appeared glad a hectic week was coming to an end. Polhemus said they certainly felt the plea bargain was appropriate. Both Benton and Hamilton agreed noting it was the maximum offense.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
A bubble truck began the 2025 Bowie Public Library’s summer reading program, “Color Our World,” with free programs continuing through July 22.
Summer reading is open to children ages 0-12 and these free programs will be at the Bowie Community Center at 10 a.m. every Tuesday in June and July excluding July 1. Children will be given a reading log to bring with them to each program. Each child also receives a book at the end of the series.
June will be filled with artsy projects. On June 10 there will be bubble painting and baking soda painting and June 17, noodle and pom picture frame art. On June 24 they will make beaded wind chimes.
July 1 will have movie day at the library. This is the only program not to be at the community center.
July 8 enjoy fruit loop sand art, followed by a glow in the dark paint party with Alicia Betts on July 15. The summer reading series concludes with the popular Creature Teacher bringing a variety of animals for all to enjoy on July 11.
Former 97th District Attorney Casey Hall has filed an appeal in her May 13 conviction for misuse of Montague County grant funds.
The appeal was filed with the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth on May 15, the day after her sentencing where the jury found her guilty of misapplication of fiduciary property and theft by a public servant. The trial had been moved on a change of venue.
On May 14 Hall’s sentence was decided by the same jury and it sentenced her to one year in state jail for the misapplication charge and six years probation for theft by a public servant.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Following approval of the Bowie City Council this past week for construction of new pickle ball courts at Pelham Park, the countdown to a public hearing and the bid process begins.
Ward Wallace, chairman of the 4B Economic Development Corporation, made the presentation to the city council outlining the proposal to build four covered courts in an area west of the Bowie Knife and south of the soccer fields. Along with the courts there will be parking and a portion of the walking trail will be redone. All the new additions also will be handicap accessible.
The 4B board’s request was to spend up to $1.2 million of 4B sales tax funds for the entire project, however, Wallace said they did not anticipate it would be that high as the estimates are running around $880,000.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
The red outlined portion on the lower right of the map shows the future location of the pickleball courts near the Bowie Knife. (Courtesy 4B Board)
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