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| Sprawling County in Texas Seeks Clues to Prosecutors’ Deaths | Sprawling County in Texas Seeks Clues to Prosecutors’ Deaths |
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| KAUFMAN, Tex. — To scan the crime blotter of this largely rural county is to get a snapshot of life in small-town Texas. | KAUFMAN, Tex. — To scan the crime blotter of this largely rural county is to get a snapshot of life in small-town Texas. |
| Report of a dog bite on Grandview Drive. Report of cows loose in the 32000 block of Farm-to-Market 429. A stolen vehicle on Bradeen Drive. Donkeys on a property on County Road 4125. Reports of trespassers and abandoned vehicles, thefts and domestic disturbances. No one from Kaufman County, it turns out, sits on Texas’ death row. | Report of a dog bite on Grandview Drive. Report of cows loose in the 32000 block of Farm-to-Market 429. A stolen vehicle on Bradeen Drive. Donkeys on a property on County Road 4125. Reports of trespassers and abandoned vehicles, thefts and domestic disturbances. No one from Kaufman County, it turns out, sits on Texas’ death row. |
| But nothing about the county’s crimes has helped answer the question that perplexes and worries local officials and residents — why have two county prosecutors been shot and killed in the span of eight weeks? | But nothing about the county’s crimes has helped answer the question that perplexes and worries local officials and residents — why have two county prosecutors been shot and killed in the span of eight weeks? |
| The Kaufman County line is only about 20 miles southeast of Dallas, but it is a world away from the city’s neon-lit skyline. Kaufman County’s biggest city is Terrell, with a population of 16,000. There are fast-food restaurants clustered along the highways, men in cowboy hats who actually know how to ride a horse, and houses with backyards that can be measured not in feet, but acres. | The Kaufman County line is only about 20 miles southeast of Dallas, but it is a world away from the city’s neon-lit skyline. Kaufman County’s biggest city is Terrell, with a population of 16,000. There are fast-food restaurants clustered along the highways, men in cowboy hats who actually know how to ride a horse, and houses with backyards that can be measured not in feet, but acres. |
| But small is relative in Texas. | But small is relative in Texas. |
| Kaufman County — named for David Spangler Kaufman, a lawyer and politician in the 1800s who was the first Jewish Texan to serve in Congress — stretches and sprawls for miles and miles, and in its own way it is gigantic and complex as a result. | Kaufman County — named for David Spangler Kaufman, a lawyer and politician in the 1800s who was the first Jewish Texan to serve in Congress — stretches and sprawls for miles and miles, and in its own way it is gigantic and complex as a result. |
| Its land area is 780 square miles, bigger than New York City’s 302 square miles and only slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island’s 1,033. Within such wide county lines, there is a fair share of violence, drugs and other major crimes. In one week in late February, sheriff’s deputies responded to 625 calls, according to Sheriff’s Department data that was posted on Examiner.com. In a week’s time in mid-January, they responded to 683, including 10 burglaries and 25 domestic disturbances. | Its land area is 780 square miles, bigger than New York City’s 302 square miles and only slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island’s 1,033. Within such wide county lines, there is a fair share of violence, drugs and other major crimes. In one week in late February, sheriff’s deputies responded to 625 calls, according to Sheriff’s Department data that was posted on Examiner.com. In a week’s time in mid-January, they responded to 683, including 10 burglaries and 25 domestic disturbances. |
| But the killings of the two prosecutors have stunned residents and sparked a level of heightened security that seems out of place in a county that had two murders in 2011 and two in 2010. Local officials said they had no idea why anyone would target the two prosecutors, and what case, if any, the district attorney’s office had worked on that could have provided a motive. | |
| The district attorney, Mike McLelland, 63, and his wife, Cynthia, 65, were found shot to death inside their home in the Kaufman County town of Forney on Saturday. The authorities said that sheriff’s deputies had been called to Mr. McLelland’s residence shortly after 6 p.m. They would not say if there were any signs of forced entry, but shell casings from a high-powered .223-caliber rifle were found inside the house. Mr. McLelland was shot multiple times, officials said. | The district attorney, Mike McLelland, 63, and his wife, Cynthia, 65, were found shot to death inside their home in the Kaufman County town of Forney on Saturday. The authorities said that sheriff’s deputies had been called to Mr. McLelland’s residence shortly after 6 p.m. They would not say if there were any signs of forced entry, but shell casings from a high-powered .223-caliber rifle were found inside the house. Mr. McLelland was shot multiple times, officials said. |
| Two months earlier, on Jan. 31, one of Mr. McLelland’s lead prosecutors, Mark E. Hasse, 57, was shot and killed as he walked to his office at the county courthouse. He was gunned down in an employee parking lot in broad daylight, by one or two gunmen who got out of a gray or silver sedan, opened fire and fled. Witnesses told investigators that the gunman or gunmen appeared to have had their faces covered and were wearing black clothing and tactical-style vests. | Two months earlier, on Jan. 31, one of Mr. McLelland’s lead prosecutors, Mark E. Hasse, 57, was shot and killed as he walked to his office at the county courthouse. He was gunned down in an employee parking lot in broad daylight, by one or two gunmen who got out of a gray or silver sedan, opened fire and fled. Witnesses told investigators that the gunman or gunmen appeared to have had their faces covered and were wearing black clothing and tactical-style vests. |
| The killings have prompted a broad investigation by local, state and federal agencies, including the Texas Rangers, the F.B.I. and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Dozens of local officers and federal agents canvassed Mr. McLelland’s neighborhood on Sunday and Monday, interviewing neighbors. | The killings have prompted a broad investigation by local, state and federal agencies, including the Texas Rangers, the F.B.I. and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Dozens of local officers and federal agents canvassed Mr. McLelland’s neighborhood on Sunday and Monday, interviewing neighbors. |
| The county sheriff, David A. Byrnes, said there was no indication so far that the killings of the two prosecutors were connected. No physical evidence had been found linking the deaths. But many local officials and residents believe the shootings of two prosecutors in a matter of weeks seemed anything but random. Meanwhile, speculation has persisted in town about the involvement of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas prison gang. | The county sheriff, David A. Byrnes, said there was no indication so far that the killings of the two prosecutors were connected. No physical evidence had been found linking the deaths. But many local officials and residents believe the shootings of two prosecutors in a matter of weeks seemed anything but random. Meanwhile, speculation has persisted in town about the involvement of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas prison gang. |
| Mr. Hasse was killed the same day that two members of the white supremacist gang pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in federal court in Houston, and Mr. McLelland’s office had been part of an investigation that led to the indictments of more than 30 leaders and other members. | Mr. Hasse was killed the same day that two members of the white supremacist gang pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in federal court in Houston, and Mr. McLelland’s office had been part of an investigation that led to the indictments of more than 30 leaders and other members. |
| Last July, the first gang member to be convicted under a 2009 state law aimed at those who direct criminal street gangs was from Kaufman County. The gang member, James Patrick Crawford, was sentenced to two life sentences for his role in a 2011 shooting, and Mr. McLelland issued statements that he hoped Mr. Crawford’s conviction and sentencing would send a message to the group to commit their crimes elsewhere or face a Kaufman County jury. | Last July, the first gang member to be convicted under a 2009 state law aimed at those who direct criminal street gangs was from Kaufman County. The gang member, James Patrick Crawford, was sentenced to two life sentences for his role in a 2011 shooting, and Mr. McLelland issued statements that he hoped Mr. Crawford’s conviction and sentencing would send a message to the group to commit their crimes elsewhere or face a Kaufman County jury. |
| Investigators were also looking for any links to the death of Tom Clements, the Colorado state prison chief gunned down at his home in late March. The suspect, Evan S. Ebel, 28, who died in a shootout with Texas authorities March 21, also had possible ties to a white supremacist gang while imprisoned in Colorado. Court administrators in Fremont County, Colo., acknowledged on Monday that a clerical error had allowed him to be released from custody about four years early. | Investigators were also looking for any links to the death of Tom Clements, the Colorado state prison chief gunned down at his home in late March. The suspect, Evan S. Ebel, 28, who died in a shootout with Texas authorities March 21, also had possible ties to a white supremacist gang while imprisoned in Colorado. Court administrators in Fremont County, Colo., acknowledged on Monday that a clerical error had allowed him to be released from custody about four years early. |
| In a statement, Gov. Rick Perry said his prayers were with the McLelland family and all county residents. He said that his office had started the process of finding a successor to Mr. McLelland, and that he would make an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime, Brandi Fernandez, an assistant district attorney, was leading the office until a successor was named. She had led the prosecution of Mr. Crawford. | In a statement, Gov. Rick Perry said his prayers were with the McLelland family and all county residents. He said that his office had started the process of finding a successor to Mr. McLelland, and that he would make an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime, Brandi Fernandez, an assistant district attorney, was leading the office until a successor was named. She had led the prosecution of Mr. Crawford. |
| On Monday, sheriff’s deputies and constables monitored the two-story yellow-brick county courthouse and a courthouse annex building across the street. County officials and employees of the district attorney’s office were given security escorts, but the authorities declined to discuss the details. While life went on in Kaufman — men and women gathered for jury duty, people picked up their dry cleaning at Lott’s Cleaners opposite the courthouse — the fear of another attack remained a concern. | On Monday, sheriff’s deputies and constables monitored the two-story yellow-brick county courthouse and a courthouse annex building across the street. County officials and employees of the district attorney’s office were given security escorts, but the authorities declined to discuss the details. While life went on in Kaufman — men and women gathered for jury duty, people picked up their dry cleaning at Lott’s Cleaners opposite the courthouse — the fear of another attack remained a concern. |
| “I’m a human being,” said Bruce Wood, the county judge and top elected official. “I have family members that I love dearly. To say that we’re not concerned would not be truthful. But to walk around in fear? My life goes on, as it does the other elected officials.” | “I’m a human being,” said Bruce Wood, the county judge and top elected official. “I have family members that I love dearly. To say that we’re not concerned would not be truthful. But to walk around in fear? My life goes on, as it does the other elected officials.” |
| As Mr. Wood spoke to reporters on Monday morning in a room at the annex building — next to the parking lot where Mr. Hasse was killed — an armed and uniformed sheriff’s deputy stood to his right, and other deputies sat in chairs at the front doors. At the end of the news conference, the deputy followed Mr. Wood everywhere, close by his side. | As Mr. Wood spoke to reporters on Monday morning in a room at the annex building — next to the parking lot where Mr. Hasse was killed — an armed and uniformed sheriff’s deputy stood to his right, and other deputies sat in chairs at the front doors. At the end of the news conference, the deputy followed Mr. Wood everywhere, close by his side. |
| The authorities said that so far there was no indication that the shootings of either Mr. Hasse or Mr. McLelland and his wife were the work of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, which one hate-group expert described as probably the most violent of all white supremacist gangs in the country. A law enforcement official said that investigators believed the shootings were related, but appeared to be carried out by different people, perhaps from the same group. | The authorities said that so far there was no indication that the shootings of either Mr. Hasse or Mr. McLelland and his wife were the work of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, which one hate-group expert described as probably the most violent of all white supremacist gangs in the country. A law enforcement official said that investigators believed the shootings were related, but appeared to be carried out by different people, perhaps from the same group. |
Manny Fernandez reported from Kaufman, and Serge F. Kovaleski from Dallas. Jack Begg contributed research. | Manny Fernandez reported from Kaufman, and Serge F. Kovaleski from Dallas. Jack Begg contributed research. |