Weird stuff has been happening in the quiet County of Kaufman the past two months.
On January 31st an Assistant District Attorney, Mark Hasse was murdered in broad daylight across the street from the county courthouse. Schools were put in lockdown for the day. Many in Kaufman were shocked at this brazen attack on our judicial system. National news media swarmed the area. Texas Rangers, FBI, US Marshalls, Sheriffs and a host of agencies descended on Kaufman to find who was responsible.
Two months later on March 31st, the night before Easter Sunday, our District Attorney and wife were shot and killed in their home near Forney. I, like everyone else in the area, was stunned. Our homes seemed more vunerable than ever. These type of events are what you read about in Mexico in the cartel wars, not in sleepy Kaufman County. I couldn't sleep that night.
This was an assassination pure and simple. Regardless of the killer's motives, anytime someone murders an elected official they are committing an act of revolution against the will of the people. Once again law enforcement poured into the area. People were and are afraid. Most spoke about the tragic events in hushed tones as if expecting further retribution from the unknown assailants.
The media immediately focused on the Aryan Brotherhood. I found this ridiculous at the time because I've lived in Kaufman County for 16 years. I know a lot of people. No one I know had ever heard of any Aryan Brotherhood operations in the county. Sure, there may have been a lone member out there in rural areas. But they usually keep low profiles. We have our serious issues in Kaufman County but I resented the untrue and unfair depiction of Kaufman County as a "hotbed for Aryan Brotherhood" as stated in The Daily Beast.
So now everything has gotten weirder. Arrests have been made of a former Justice of the Peace and his wife in connection to the murders. Details are still forthcoming but it seems Law Enforcement has evidence of terroristic threats made by the former JP. Not sure what the wife's connection is yet. Everything is still hazy and I'm sure a clearer story will emerge in the next few days.
Apparently this all stems from a case that happened two years ago when the JP was convicted and removed from office for stealing computer monitors from the county courthouse. It was a strange case then and seems even stranger now. The DA and the ADA prosecuted the case vigorously. From the stories being told it seems that losing his job, law license and healthcare was enough to trigger a murderous response from the former Justice of the Peace.
Strange days in Kaufman County. Seeing CNN and local media trucks is surreal. Seeing a small of law enforcement officers everywhere is both comforting and unsettling for communities used to peace and tranquility. Hopefully they got the right guy and that Kaufman County is safe again.
UPDATE: The wife has confessed. She has confessed that her husband killed all three victims and she also was involved. Story gets weirder by the minute. Stay tuned.
