|
|
News & Events
| 1/13/2012 - January is Crime Stoppers Month in Texas | |
January is "Crime Stoppers Month in Texas," so be sure to take a moment and thank any of the thousands of businesses, civilian volunteers, media and local law enforcement personnel for their combined efforts in combating crime. Crime Stoppers has created an effective method for solving crimes and helping citizens take back control of their neighborhoods. Through the courage and untiring determination of our civilian volunteers and law enforcement personnel, Texas is a better and safer place to live.
Texas is home to more than 150 certified Crime Stoppers programs, which are linked together by local hotline numbers and a statewide, toll-free Crime Stoppers phone number (1-800-252-8477 or TIPS). Since the original Texas program began in 1978, Crime Stoppers tips have led to the arrest of 170,000 individuals and the recovery of $1.2 billion in stolen property and illicit narcotics, all while helping reduce law enforcement hours. In addition to local Crime Stoppers programs, the Texas Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and the Top Ten Most Wanted Sex Offenders lists, operated by Governor`s Office Texas Crime Stoppers Council staff, help the Texas Department of Public Safety apprehend dangerous criminals. Recently the Texas Top Ten program has made two arrests to every one made by the U.S. Marshals Service`s nationwide Top 15 program, bringing 10 offenders to justice in 2011. Furthermore, the economy of Texas is boosted by the work of the Crime Stoppers programs. Healthcare costs, lives and tax dollars are saved by the apprehension of criminals and the seizure of illicit narcotics.
This is all accomplished with zero tax dollars, through the generosity of those who donate thousands of hours to this effort. Governor Rick Perry
| | | 4/26/2010 - |
Lewisville murders featured on ‘America’s Most Wanted’
Published: Friday, October 8, 2010 7:27 PM CDT
“America’s Most Wanted” spent the day in Lewisville last week, filming a segment on two recent Lewisville murders.
John Walsh, host of “America’s Most Wanted,” brought a film crew to Old Town in order to film a segment on Lewisville residents, Jose Fernando Corona and Yaser Said. Both are wanted for capital murder.
“Crew members and the host met with a Lewisville police detective and did a reenactment of the Corona murder in addition to interviewing other key people,” said Capt. Kevin Deaver. “We were contacted by the show to have a segment filmed. Right now we think Corona is down in Mexico. We’re hoping that someone will see the show and call about his where abouts. Right now we’re also working on a provisional warrant that will allow for his extradition from another country to U.S.”
On April 26, Lewisville resident Maria Corona, a 44-year-old mother of six, died from injuries caused by a chain saw.
“She was killed outside her home in the front yard,” Deaver said at the time of the crime. “We had some reports of witnesses hearing chain saws. Over 20 years in law enforcement and I`ve never seen anything like this.”
Maria Corona’s decapitated and mutilated body was found in front of her home on in the 1000 block of Shadow Wood Lane. A mail carrier discovered her body. Police believe she was killed between 11 and 11:10 a.m.
There were no witnesses who said they saw anyone outside with Maria Corona.
A bloody trail including hair and tissue led from Maria Corona’s body to her home. When police arrived on the scene, the front door was open and blood could be seen in the doorway. They observed two chain saws on the tailgate of a white pickup parked in the driveway. Both chain saws had blood and tissue matter on them and one was still running.
Carla Corona, the oldest daughter of the victim, arrived home while officers were still at the scene. She identified the victim as her mother, according to a police search warrant affidavit released. The affidavit stated that Carla Corona`s husband, Freddie Arellano, received a telephone call from Jose Fernando Corona a few minutes before he and his wife arrived at the home. In the conversation, Jose Fernando Corona said that he “had done it, he had killed her and was going to drag her body next door,” according to the affidavit. The call ended, and Arellano tried to contact the victim on the telephone, but was unable to reach her.
Maria Corona’s husband, 49-year-old Jose Fernando Corona is being sought by police in connection with the crime. He is believed to have fled the scene in a 2005 Toyota Sequoia with a Texas license plate 247-DVH.
On April 28, police reported that the Sequoia was found abandoned in a parking lot in Bedford. Detectives are currently seeking a warrant to search the vehicle. They learned that Jose Fernando Corona stopped at a Dallas car dealership on May 3 and took a gold 1991 Ford Ranger pickup with a regular cab and Texas license plate AA24004 for a test drive. He never returned and was last seen driving the pickup. Police do not believe that he is still driving the 1991 Ford Ranger.
Police said he has friends and family across the state and in Mexico. The Lewisville Police Department is still working with state and federal authorities to try to locate Jose Fernando Corona because they believe he has left the jurisdiction. Police have issued an arrest warrant for Corona, charging him with murder.
Jose Corona has no prior criminal history, but the couple had been having marital problems, according to family and friends of the couple. He faces 20 to 99 years in prison if convicted of the murder.
Corona is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs between 165 and 175 pounds. He has brown eyes, black hair and could have a mustache.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the Lewisville Police Department at 972-219-3640 or Denton County Crime Stoppers at 800-388-TIPS (8477) or the “America’s Most Wanted” tip line at 1-800-CRIME-TV. Callers can remain anonymous.
“The city has a vested interest in catching this man,” said James Kunke, community relations and tourism director. “The show is very successful in finding fugitives, and we want these fugitives to be caught.” DENTON COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS IS OFFERING A $5,000 CASH REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OF JOSE FERNANDO CORONA.
| | | 8/27/2008 - YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN`T HIDE | |
When Howard Ernest Pritt ran out on his $50,000 bail bond in 2002 and headed for parts unknown to Denton County authorities, he must have been certain that his new home would provide him with enough distance and obscurity to keep the law from ever catching up with him. The 48 year-old, former Lewisville resident had been indicted in January 2002 for three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child, involving sexual contact. Those charges involved a child under the age of 14. The alleged child molester ended up in the Asian country of Thailand. During the past six years he was considered one of the county’s most wanted fugitives. Efforts to locate him seemed futile and the case was getting cold. After all, how can you expect the police to find a guy who slipped out of the country and traveled several thousand miles to hide in one of the most populous places in the world? There’s not enough money in the county budget to send detectives to the far corners of the world to track down every fugitive who smuggles himself out of the country. However, there is a very successful program known as Denton County Crime Stoppers, in which anonymous tipsters can earn rewards up to $1000 for information that leads to the arrest of lawbreakers. In this case, a tipster in Nakhon, Ratchasima, Thailand, about 160 miles from Bangkok, alerted authorities by email that Mr. Pritt was living in the city of approximately 170,000 residents. Crime Stoppers went into action, sharing the info with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Denton County District Attorney`s Office and the Royal Thai police. The fugitive was apprehended and brought back to Denton County to stand trial on the charges, plus the additional charge of fleeing prosecution. Meanwhile, there’s a $1,000 reward waiting in Thailand for an alert and concerned citizen. It’s a small price to pay for justice!
| |
|
|
