Police Accountability in Texas
Texas Police Misconduct and Corruption Reports are now available to the public through public records requests
Police Officer Who Fled to China After Wife’s Murder Arrested 21 Years Later
Ludimila Hiers was found dead in her South Carolina home in March 2005.
Her husband, Dan Hiers Jr., is accused of fleeing to China; he was recently returned to the custody of U.S. officials after 21 years.
A former South Carolina police officer wanted in connection with the murder of his wife and a sex crime involving a minor is in custody more than two decades later.
He disappeared soon after his wife, 24-year-old Ludimila Hiers, was found dead in her Goose Creek, S.C. home in March 2005.
At the time of Ludimila’s killing, Dan was under investigation for allegedly committing lewd acts against a child under 16.
Officer Dan Hiers is the worst of the worst
His license was suspended in 2004 following those accusations; however, and he was arrested in November 2004, and he was then released on bond. He allegedly failed to show up for a scheduled surrender on additional charges the following month.
Months later, on March 15, 2005, Ludimila was found dead after what authorities said was a fatal shooting carried out by Dan, according to the release, which alleges he shot her in the back of the head as she slept.
At the time of his apprehension last week, he had an outstanding USMS warrant against him on allegations of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution; a warrant from Dorchester County, S.C. on allegations of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and a warrant from Goose Creek, S.C. on allegations of murder.
Liberty County Deputy Constable arrested for public intoxication and unlawful carry of a weapon in a bar
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Off-duty deputy Jared Oliver with Liberty County’s Constable Pct. 4 was arrested for being publicly intoxicated while also having a loaded gun.
Police Officer Leaves Dog In the Heat to Die
FAIRFIELD, Texas — A Fairfield Police officer has been fired and charged after the death of a K-9. K-9 Farock, a German Shepherd with the Fairfield Police Department, died on June 12 from a heat-related illness, according to a June 26 statement from the agency.
The officer, a two-year member of the Fairfield Police Department, surrendered and was booked into jail on the third-degree felony charge.
Cases tied to a Houston police officer fired over a racist video include murder, robbery and DWI
HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston police officer who was fired after posting a racially charged and profanity-laced video on social media was involved in dozens of misdemeanor and felony cases.
This week, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed it is issuing Brady notices in approximately 175 cases involving former officer Ashley Gonzalez. Seventy-five have been filed in pending cases. Another 100 are going out this week, the DA’s office says.
Police officer sentenced to 300 days in jail for abusing his authority
CEDAR HILL, Texas – A former Cedar Hill police officer was sentenced to 300 days in the Ellis County Jail after a jury convicted him of official oppression stemming from his conduct during a 2024 traffic stop, according to the Ellis County and District Attorney’s Office.
Donald Najee Mercer, of Dallas County, was convicted of a misdemeanor offense and was ordered to serve jail time after jurors rejected probation.
College Freshman John Mendoza Jr. was killed in a police shooting by Deputy Kevin Tippit
Brazoria County – The name of the officer is Brazoria County Deputy Kevin Tippit the deputy involved in the shooting. The records indicate he has worked for the Brazoria C ounty Sheriff’s Office, first as a jailer in 2023, then as a peace officer since.
According to authorities, the incident began shortly after midnight on June 1 when a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle near FM 2004 and This Way Street. Investigators say the driver, Mendoza, did not stop, leading to an alleged short pursuit that ended at a residence in the 100 block of Indian Warrior Trail. During the encounter inside the garage, the deputy fired his weapon, striking Mendoza. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Police Officer fired, rehired, fired, and rehired again
Personnel records show HISD terminated Officer Christopher Lamar Harris before being terminated by Aldine ISD. TSU still hired him.
HOUSTON — A police officer currently patrolling the campus of Texas Southern University was previously fired from one law enforcement agency, rehired by another and then terminated again after an internal investigation uncovered misconduct, according to records.
About 14 months later, Harris was hired by the Aldine Independent School District police. While assigned to Drew Academy, records show Harris admitted to having sex numerous times on a school campus with a subordinate officer. Investigators said one encounter happened minutes before the first school bell rang and was captured on video recorded by Harris.
Lee County Sheriff Garrett Durrenberger Has Lost Drivers License After DWI
Giddings, Texas – Sheriff Garrett Durrenberger, Lee County Sheriff, was found passed out in his personal vehicle. Sheriff Durrenberger admitted to having four beers.
Sheriff Durrenberger has no driver’s license and now faces a transportation problem to fulfill his duties as sheriff.
Disgraced Former Houston Police Chief Police Troy Finner Hired As Police Chief In Missouri City
Missouri City, Texas – Former Houston Police Chief Troy Finner was hired as Missouri City Police Chief nearly 2 years after he retired from HPD.
Finner retired amid an investigation into thousands of sexual assault cases that were suspended rather than investigated.
Missouri City officials said they were aware of Finner’s circumstances surrounding his departure from HPD, but the decision was based on his experience and ability to lead.
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The trial of a Missouri City officer involved in a crash that killed 3 people in 2024 is underway
MISSOURI CITY, Texas — Fort Bend County Courthouse, video from the crash and of the victims was shown for the first time in this deadly 2024 case.
Investigators say former Missouri City Police officer Blademir Viveros was responding to a robbery when his cruiser crashed into a car driven by 16-year-old Mason Stewart.
His mom, Angela, was in the passenger seat as they celebrated his 16th birthday. Both died in the crash.
Police Officer Steals Female Officer’s Phone to Copy Her Nude Pictures
Edinburg, Texas – A former officer with the Edinburg Police Department is facing criminal charges after investigators say he accessed a fellow officer’s phone without permission and photographed private images.
Investigators say the incident happened in January 2026 when a vehicle stalled in Edinburg, and the officer stopped to help the driver. While she was assisting the motorist, Guzman allegedly entered her patrol vehicle, accessed her iPhone, and searched through her photos.
Authorities say Guzman located private images showing the officer’s breasts and buttocks and used his own phone to take photographs of those images from her device.
A police officer was issued a suspension for an untruthful response to searching a suspect’s phone
A San Antonio police officer was suspended because he contradicted himself about the moments he covered his body camera while looking through a suspect’s phone.
Investigators began reviewing a complaint from his chain of command alleging he gave conflicting explanations for why his body camera was covered while he looked through a suspect’s cell phone.
A police officer and his son hit speeds of 130 mph drag racing
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – An off-duty Houston Police Department officer was arrested and charged with child endangerment after allegedly engaging in drag races with a child in the car, court records show.
Documents allege Officer Giovoinni-Quinn Gumataotao was racing at speeds exceeding 130 miles per hour and was taken into custody by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
When Gumataotao was stopped, deputies found out there was an 8-year-old inside the car with him, documents show.
The Texas DPS Regional Director had a relationship with the defendant and tipped off the sex trafficking case
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A revelation emerged Thursday in the ongoing sex trafficking case against Amanda Talbert and Noraier George Manassian: the person who first tipped off investigators was having a sexual relationship with one of the defendants.
“The DPS agent was close friends with the TABC agent, tipped him off to this case, but never disclosed to us that that tipster, that DPS agent, that supervisor for DPS, was having a sexual relationship with the defendant, Amanda Talbert, and had a long-term relationship. There was money exchanged.”
Texas DPS hit with $1.6M jury verdict in race discrimination, retaliation lawsuit.
Jurors found that plaintiff Jerald Sams was harassed by DPS because of his race and that the agency knew, or should have known, about the harassment but failed to take prompt remedial action. The jury made the same findings for plaintiff Jari McPherson, concluding he was also harassed because of his race and that DPS failed to act despite having notice.
The combined total of all damages awarded exceeded $1.6 million, according to court records. The verdict was filed Jan. 29 in federal court.
Texas DPS trooper indicted on aggravated assault charge in connection with 2023 shooting.
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper has been indicted on an aggravated assault charge in connection with a shooting in 2023.
A special grand jury indicted Jason Tye on a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant with a deadly weapon, according to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
“Garza is a continued danger to the residents of Travis County as well as the law enforcement officers sworn to protect and uphold the law,” Robert Leonard, executive director of CLEAT, said. “We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again… the revolving door of justice is placing our law enforcement officers in great danger, and this is being perpetuated at an unprecedented level by Garza and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.”
Fayette County Deputies Arrived With Weapons Drawn on a Man- County Facing Federal Lawsuit
La Grange, Texas – A Texas man says a routine walk through La Grange turned into an armed standoff, jail confinement, and a federal civil-rights lawsuit after Fayette County deputies responded to two 911 calls reporting nothing more than a person legally carrying a firearm.
Jayce Gilliam filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on December 30, 2025, naming Fayette County, Deputy Seth Daniel Nagel, and Sergeant Ron Naumann over what happened on July 13, 2024. The filing states Gilliam was walking near 680 East LaFayette Street with a rifle on a sling and a concealed handgun when law enforcement arrived, even though he was holding only a camera and never touched or pointed either firearm.
Bellaire police internal affairs log
Bellaire, Texas – Police Department Internal Affairs Log of rogue cops
Questions remain – Brookshire police chief resigns amid two internal investigations
BROOKSHIRE, Texas – Brookshire Police Chief James Hines resigned overnight as the department faces two internal investigations.
The department is currently under scrutiny in two separate investigations involving employee conduct, one of which includes a captain.
In early June, an officer was caught on cellphone video chasing a group of stray dogs and fatally shooting one.
A second internal investigation involves Captain Miller, who is accused of hitting a 12-year-old boy riding an electric scooter.
The boy was injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment. The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. No additional details have been released.
Sheriff Garrett Durrenberger of Lee County was arrested for DWI
Sheriff Garrett Christian Durrenberger of Lee County was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Sheriff Durrenberger is the grandson of Washington County Judge John Durrenberger and the son of Bank of Brenham President Gary Durrenberger of Brenham.
Durrenberger has been the Lee County sheriff since July 2023 and was reelected in 2024.
Horny Female Police Officer Didn’t Get Laid So She’s Given Everyone a Ticket Today
A horny police officer in Houston is under investigation after posting on social media about writing “everyone” a ticket because she didn’t get any sex the night before.
The viral video shows Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Deputy Jennifer Escalera sitting in a squad car in her uniform with her nameplate visible, taking out a pen and writing on her notepad … with an on-screen caption, “Didn’t (sic) get cracked last night so everyone is getting a ticket.”
She frequently posts about being a cop on TikTok, including “Get Ready With Me” videos of her getting ready for work by putting on makeup, then grabbing her uniform, gun, and utility belt from her closet.
Officer Megan Davis arrested for DWI – Chief White hired her at the Prairie View police department
Prairie View – Officer Megan Davis was a no-show for work at the Texas University police. She was arrested for DWI.