Reporter-News Archives Friday, October 31, 1997 Area news roundup Two accident victims critical Two people remained in critical condition Thursday at Hendrick Medical Center after recent area traffic accidents. Michael Smith, 18, of San Angelo, was injured early Tuesday morning in a one-car accident near Lake Sweetwater. Smith was hanging out of a window when the vehicle in which he was riding careened out of control and traveled into dense brush. The brush pulled Smith from the vehicle, according the investigating officer. Billie Newman, 64, of Millersview, was injured Nov. 20 in a two-vehicle accident near Albany. Her husband, Billy, was driving when his vehicle collided with a truck that failed to yield right-of-way. Corrections officer pleads guilty BIG SPRING -- A former federal corrections officer pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a prisoner Thursday in Lubbock federal court. Darron Humphries was arrested Aug. 21 at his job at the all-male Federal Corrections Institution here. The original charge against Humphries was aggravated sexual abuse of an inmate. "He pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact, a felony which carries a punishment of up to three years in prison," Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Pierce said. Pierce said she and Humphries' attorney are recommending an 18-month prison sentence for the former guard. Federal Judge Sam Cummings will probably sentence Humphries within the next two months, she said. "He will have to serve his time in prison, not a half-way house," Pierce said. "Also, he will never again be able to serve in any area of law enforcement." Humphries was placed on "home duty" status, still receiving pay, after his arrest by representatives of the Inspector General, Department of Justice, and FBI. "I understand he has resigned since then," Pierce said. Brownwood woman faces murder charges BROWNWOOD -- A 33-year-old Brownwood woman faces murder charges as a result of an alleged domestic violence incident Wednesday in which Jodie Banks, 40, a longtime Brownwood resident was killed. Banks was taken to Columbia Brownwood Regional Medical Center about 11:30 p.m., suffering from stab and slash wounds to his neck and chest, Brownwood police said. He died from a loss of blood shortly after his arrival. Teresa Whitfield was charged Thursday with murder, and remained in the Brown County jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. Banks and Whitfield reportedly had lived together off and on since she moved to Brownwood late last year. Police Sgt. Dennis Weatherman said, "There had been reports of family violence between both of them and last night both of them were at the residence and both of them were drinking." The knife used in the assault has not been found, police said. Wednesday's homicide was the first murder in Brownwood in more than 13 months. The last victim was a clerk at a convenience store, killed in an apparent robbery on Sept. 19, 1996. Fisher County commissioners approve funds to repair fire truck ROBY -- Fisher County commissioners voted to spend about $1,200 for a new engine for the Rotan-based rural fire truck. The 1965 truck is in good shape except for the engine, Rotan Fire Chief Perry Thomson said, adding that the potential for grass fires makes repairing the truck a priority item. Grass fire burns land near Roscoe ROSCOE -- A grass fire cut a path 1-1/2 miles long and a half mile wide through farmland southwest of here Wednesday night. Three fire departments worked to control the blaze, which began near County Roads 130 and 105 about 5:30 p.m. Heavy equipment was used to create a fire break. Firefighters were at the scene four hours and were called back several hours later when fires began again. Sweetwater and Loraine firefighters assisted the Roscoe crew. Roscoe fireman James McFaul said the cause of the fire was probably a cigarette thrown from a vehicle. Nolan County remains under a burn ban due to dry conditions. Defendent sentenced in Hamlin murder HAMLIN -- A Hamlin man has accepted a 35-year prison term in a plea bargain involving a murder that was disguised as a traffic accident. Kenneth R. Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty before 259th District Judge Quay Parker to murdering Aretta Jean Bolden Patterson, whose body was found in her wrecked vehicle on Park Road last Dec. 23. Investigators found Patterson's car smashed against a rock wall near the road, but were suspicious of foul play immediately because her injuries did not appear to be serious. An autopsy subsequently revealed that she had been strangled, District Attorney Gary Brown said. Johnson has been in Jones County Jail since shortly after the incident and will have to serve at least 17-1/2 years of the sentence before he is eligible for parole, Brown said. A grand jury indicted Johnson in February for capital murder. Brown said he agreed to the plea bargain because a capital murder trial would have cost Jones County at least $25,000, and an appeal of a guilty verdict would cost even more. In agreeing to the plea bargain, however, Jones waived his right to appeal and in all likelihood will have to serve 24-25 years of the 35-year term before he is released, the prosecutor said. Hamlin leaders encouraged by TYC visit HAMLIN -- Hamlin area leaders said they feel encouraged by the visit earlier this week of representatives from the Texas Youth Commission. The TYC team spent two hours Monday reviewing the proposal package and the site being offered for construction of a juvenile detention facility. Hamlin was the first stop on the committee's swing through West Texas and the Panhandle. "We feel very good about the visit," said Ricky Taylor, director of the Hamlin Economic Development Corp. "We showed them the site ... made our oral presentation and fielded their questions. We feel good about our proposal and our chances of being selected for the facility." The site visit team included TYC Executive Director Steve Robinson and board member John W. Odam of Houston. "This proposal has attracted attention due to the fact that it is a regional effort," Taylor said. The proposal package was submitted by entities from four counties and eight communities and has since received support from Abilene and Snyder. Original applicants were Jones, Fisher, Stonewall and Haskell counties, as well as entities from Aspermont, Anson, Haskell, Hawley, Roby, Rotan and Stamford. The group is offering a site south of the Stamford highway and east of Moore Elevator. Merkel patrolman fired MERKEL -- A Merkel patrolman was fired Wednesday after the police chief received numerous complaints about the officer. Mike McLeod had been on the force since 1995 and prior to his promotion, was a reserve officer for a year. "It wasn't any one complaint or any one person," said Police Chief Bob Jones. "Just numerous complaints. "It's just little things stacking up here and there." Jones would not elaborate on the nature of the complaints, which had been filed over the last several months, except to say most were similar. McLeod's dismissal comes two months after another officer, Mansel Gilmer, was fired for insubordination. Second candidate announces for Precinct 2 position MERKEL -- A second Merkel man has committed to running for the Taylor County Precinct 2 commissioner's seat next year. Announcing his intention Thursday was David "Buster" Tarpley, 44, a farmer and rancher. He will be seeking the post being vacated by Don Dudley, who is retiring. A lifelong Merkel resident, Tarpley graduated from Merkel High School in 1971 and attended Angelo State, Tarleton State and Texas Tech universities. "I think I can do a good job and be a hands-on commissioner similar to Don," said Tarpley. "Maybe not as good as Don, but we'll do the best we can." Tarpley, who will run as a Democrat, is president of the Farmers Co-Op board in Merkel. He formerly worked as a sales representative for a lawn and garden/animal health distributor. Tarpley joins Nowlin D. "Corky" Cox, a retired educator from Merkel, in the race. Filing begins Dec. 3. The election is in November 1998. Fire victims identified BRECKENRIDGE -- The two people found burned to death last weekend just north of the Stephens County line have been identified as Jerry Murley, 42, and Robin Martelle, 44, both of Grand Prairie. Bodies of the couple were found in the charred remains of a camper trailer west of Eliasville, according to Young County Chief Deputy Gary Barnett. He said the two were engaged to be married and had traveled to their deer hunting lease to set up camp for the beginning of the hunting season the following Saturday. Medical and dental records had to be used to identify the victims. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Barnett said. Unruly inmate subdued CROSS PLAINS -- Area lawmen converged on Cross Plains on Thursday to help subdue an unruly inmate who was endangering other inmates on a prison bus. At 10:17 a.m. the driver of a Texas Department of Criminal Justice bus traveling on Highway 36 west of Cross Plains radioed for assistance. The Callahan County dispatcher directed the bus to the DPS office in Cross Plains. There, Callahan County Deputy Sheriff Tim Sanders, DPS Trooper Don Gosnell and Police Chief Ed Duncan boarded the bus and assisted prison guards in isolating the offender and subduing him. Three other officers en route to the scene were called back. The prisoner was placed in "full restraint" -- handcuffs, belly chain and leg shackles -- for the remainder of his eastbound trip to an undisclosed facility. Drivers and guards on the prison buses are separated from the prisoners by steel bars and mesh. No one was injured in subduing the prisoner.   Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: Enter their email address below: texnews.com Reporter OnLine Local Sports Texas Sports Copyright ©1997, Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications