Press Releases

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) encourages everyone to drive safely as they celebrate the unofficial end of summer over the Labor Day weekend. In an effort to reduce crashes, the Texas Highway Patrol will be increasing enforcement from Sept. 2 through Sept. 5, looking for people not wearing their seat belts, speeders, people driving while intoxicated and drivers who fail to follow the state’s Move Over, Slow Down law, among other traffic violations.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) commissioned 45 new Texas Highway Patrol Troopers from recruit class A-2022 during a graduation ceremony on Friday, August 26. The department was honored to have Texas Governor Greg Abbott give the keynote address.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announces the retirement of Central Texas Regional Director Todd Snyder and Texas Ranger Assistant Chief Brian Burzynski. These two retirements created vacancies which are being filled through promotions. These promotions were approved by the Public Safety Commission during its meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25. This includes current Criminal Investigations Division Major Vincent T. Luciano II promoting to Regional Director for the Central Texas Region in San Antonio, and Texas Ranger Major Corey Lain promoting to Assistant Chief of the Texas Rangers Division.

AUSTIN – The Texas Public Safety Commission (PSC) along with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw presented two Adolph Thomas Distinguished Service Awards, four Lifesaving Awards and a Unit Citation to department personnel at the PSC meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25, at DPS Headquarters in Austin. Two Director’s Awards were presented to partner agency members at the meeting and additional department personnel were recognized for awards recently received from outside the agency.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has added two men to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Lists. Erick Martinez, of Dallas, is on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. William Eugene Bird, of Austin, is on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders List. Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $7,500 for information leading to Martinez’s arrest and up to $3,000 for information leading to Bird’s arrest. All tips are guaranteed to be anonymous.

AUSTIN – Three of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted offenders are back in custody following their recent arrests. Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Rodney Hunter, of Waco, was arrested August 9 in Waco. Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Thomas Naranjo, of Houston, was arrested August 10 in Houston. Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Bruce Clifton, of El Paso, was arrested August 15 in Mesilla Park, N.M. A Crime Stoppers reward will be paid in Clifton’s arrest.

EL PASO – On August 9-11, 2022, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Highway Patrol (THP) and Criminal Investigations Division (CID) in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), and El Paso Police Department (EPPD) conducted a surge operation focusing on crime suppression in El Paso. The joint operation involved the arrests of wanted fugitives, drug offenders, human smugglers and those operating stash houses. Investigations also led to the apprehension of numerous undocumented non-citizens.

AUSTIN – As the new school year nears, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reminds drivers to use extra caution in and around school zones and neighborhoods. This includes knowing the Texas laws about driving near stopped school buses and not using cell phones when you’re behind the wheel. It also means utilizing the many safety resources available to parents, school staff and students.

AUSTIN – Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Humberto Carreon Acosta is the Featured Fugitive for the month of August. The reward for information leading to his arrest is increased to $4,000 this month if it comes from tips.

AUSTIN – Three of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted offenders are back in custody following their recent arrests. Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Cameron Bishop, of Greenville, was arrested July 14 in Commerce. Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive John Havener, of Abilene, was arrested July 24 in Durant, Okl. Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Arthur Stevenson, of Fort Worth, was arrested July 27 in Fort Worth. A Crime Stoppers reward will be paid in Bishop’s arrest.

AUSTIN – On July 25, 2022, capital murder suspect José Baldomero Flores III pled guilty in a Bexar County courtroom in the killings of two women, Heather Willms and Esmeralda Herrera. Flores, 41, was sentenced to two life sentences to run consecutively and one charge of arson. The sentencing closes a Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program (UCIP) case nearly two decades old.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has added two fugitives to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Lists. Tanner Cole Lermon, of Lubbock, is on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. Blaine Brandon McReynolds, of Dallas, is on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders List. Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to each of their arrests. All tips are guaranteed to be anonymous.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) graduated six new K-9 teams earlier this month, as the inaugural class for the Texas Highway Patrol Canine Tracking Operations Program. These teams will be strategically located in the border regions to track individuals who may otherwise not be found.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking information in the 2002 slaying of Dannarriah Finley, 4, of Orange. An increased reward of up to $6,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible if the tip is received before the next featured cold case is announced. A $3,000 reward for information leading to an arrest is routinely offered on all cases on the Texas Rangers’ Cold Case website.

AUSTIN – On July 8, 2022, Shelley Susan Thompson-Lemoine, 41, of Freeport, was arrested at the parole office in Angleton by the Texas Rangers and detectives from the Cleveland Police Department. Thompson-Lemoine now faces Capital Murder charges for the deaths of Antonio and Luz Rodriguez in 2005. Bond is set at $1 million dollars.