While media reports of the recent killings of two Kaufman County, Texas prosecutors have been filled with references to the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas prison gang, two media outlets on Tuesday reported that officials investigating the murders are following other leads.
According to a federal law enforcement source who spoke with The Los Angeles Times, investigators are eyeing a former local official who lost his job in a corruption probe. The ex-official was arrested for alleged possession of stolen property, unsuccessfully tried to work out a plea deal, and later lost his job. Since losing his job, according to the Times’ source, the man has made threats against the two men who prosecuted him, Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse and District Attorney Mike McLelland. Both have been shot dead in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, CNN reported on-air on Thursday afternoon that investigators were taking a closer at local public corruption cases in Kaufman County. The network spoke the lawyer of a man who was convicted in one particular case — CNN did not provide his name — who was convicted last year and is currently serving probation. According to the man’s lawyer, investigators called his client Saturday night, hours after McLelland’s body was found, and set up a meeting at a Denny’s restaurant in Kaufman, Texas. Investigators asked to take a swab of the man’s hands to test for gunpowder residue and, according the man’s attorney, he cooperated voluntarily.
It is unclear if the Times and CNN reports referred to the same man.
