NEWS
SO, DA receive funding for cell phone forensic lab, digital fingerprinting system
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Montague County Commissioners approved a request Monday to join four programs that can assist in crime-fighting for the sheriff’s office and within the 97th Judicial District.
Staff from the sheriff and District Attorney offices made the presentation requesting funding to access a trio of cell phone forensic tools and a biometric identification system helping bring needed modern technology into criminal investigations.
District Attorney Casey Hall and DA Investigator Chris Hamilton, along with Chief Deputy Jack Lawson and Deputy Ethan Romine made the presentation to set up their own forensic lab for cell phones.
Hamilton opened by telling commissioners investigations into major crimes have changed in recent years and the importance of accessing digital evidence such as material from a cell phone is vital. The sheriff’s staff has done some training in this area, but most suspects won’t share their passcodes so the investigators have to move up to the state or federal levels to get help to access them. And while both are willing, the backlog is vast up to a year or year and a half, which can stall out a case.
“I pulled a few strings to get a phone to ICAT and the Wichita Police helped in the Helms murder, Wise County also helps, but those departments can’t do it all the time,” said Hamilton.
The officers would like to utilize programs that are available to help unlock cell phones and decipher their data whether it be actual calls, texts, messages, search history or location data.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
City of Bowie officials were on hand to inspect the emergency electrical generators that were delivered last week.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris and City Manager Bert Cunningham inspected one of three emergency electrical generators purchased as part of an ongoing Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant. They also talked with Jay Evans, head of the city electric department, and Jerry Sutton, director of the water treatment plant about the next step for installation of the generators.
This grant provides funding for one 150 kW and two 250 kW generators for use at the water treatment plant.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
City Manager Bert Cunningham and Mayor Gaylynn Burris talk with the electric and water department staff about the new generators. (Photo by Cindy Roller)
No action was taken on a legal issue after members of the Bowie City Council met in a called closed session at 4 p.m. on July 12.
City Secretary Sandy Page said the council met for almost one hour for “consultation with attorney – Midwest Waste Services LLC vs. City of Bowie.
This lawsuit goes back to August 2019 when Midwest sued the city for its action requiring those who receive city water outside the city limits to use the designated waste collector, which is Waste Connections. This was shortly after the city signed a new long-term contract with WC.
The suit was dismissed in June 2020 on two points in the suit, but City Manager Bert Cunningham said a third point remained in mediation.
The Department of Public Safety has provided information on an auto vs. motorcycle accident that reportedly occurred on July 4.
James Lee Hilton, Nocona, was driving a 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Daniel Parra, Chico, was driving a 2018 Ford Fiesta. Both vehicles were north on State Highway 101 outside Sunset with the motorcycle behind the car.
Parra was attempting to turn left on Farm-to-Market Road 2265 when the motorcyclist attempted to unsafely pass to the left states the report. The bike struck the left side of the Fiesta. Both vehicles came to rest off the roadway on the northwest corner of SH 101 and FM 2265.
Hilton was transported to Denton Medical City with
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