Press Releases

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.

AUSTIN - DPS Director Steven McCraw released the following statement regarding the early release of video from Robb Elementary School.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Highway Patrol (THP) will be initiating two traffic safety campaigns during the holiday weekend looking for people violating traffic laws from Friday, July 1, through Monday, July 4.

AUSTIN – Human remains found in Midland County in 2013 have now been positively identified as Sylvia Nicole Smith following an extensive investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). A homicide investigation is now underway.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has added two fugitives to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Lists. Raynaldo Farias Tijerina, of San Antonio, is on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. Cecil Colby Smith, 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 Tijerina’s arrest and up to $3,000 for Smith’s. All tips are guaranteed to be anonymous.

Below are reference materials used by Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw during his testimony on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, before the Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans.

AUSTIN – Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Guadalupe Cano is back in custody following his arrest on May 13 in Robstown. No Crime Stoppers Reward will be paid.

AUSTIN – Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer, and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding drivers to celebrate safely as they enjoy their holiday. Today through May 30, the Texas Highway Patrol will participate in Click It or Ticket, as well as Operation CARE (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort). Click It or Ticket is an enforcement campaign that encourages people to wear their seat belts. Operation CARE is a specialized campaign in which Troopers look for drivers who are speeding, intoxicated or violating other laws. Troopers will also watch for drivers not complying with the state’s Move Over, Slow Down law.