A former justice of the peace who has been questioned in the recent killings of two Kaufman County, Texas prosecutors was arrested early Saturday, and is being held on a charges including making a terroristic threat.
According to The New York Times, the charges against the former official, Eric Williams, are not believed to be connected to the killings.
Williams’ bond has been set at $3 million.
Williams, 46, had not been publicly named a suspect or a person of interest in the case, but authorities did interview him and test him for gunshot residue on March 30, just hours after the bodies of the county District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, were found in their home in Forney, Texas.
Williams lost his position after being convicted last year of stealing county computer equipment. Both McLelland and Mark Hasse, a county prosecutor killed Jan. 31, were reportedly involved in Williams’ case.
According to The Dallas Morning News, investigators searched Williams’ home late Friday and “have obtained old cellphones, his computer and boxes of other materials.” Williams’ attorney, David Sergi, said Williams was cooperating with investigators and “vigorously asserts his innocence and denies any involvement” in the killings.
From the Times:
One person familiar with the specifics of Mr. Williams’s arrest for what authorities called a terroristic threat said the charge might be related to a call Mr. Williams made to a crime-tip hot line. The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person is not authorized to discuss the investigation.
