County Update

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> ********** Message #1 **********

> From: delord@...

> To: leo-union@..., CLEAT NEWS

> Subject: Probationer charged with killing HCSO deputy

> Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 08:55:55 -0600

>

> Dec. 5, 2000, 11:20PM

> Probationer charged in deputy's death

> Police officer's son also in custody

> By S.K. BARDWELL

> Copyright 2000 Houston Chronicle

> A 22-year-old probationer with a history of armed robbery, theft and

> evading arrest has been charged with capital murder in the shooting death

> of a County deputy Monday.

> Gene Will, of the 5800 block of Tidwell, remains jailed without

bail

> in the death of County Sheriff's Deputy Barrett T. Hill.

> Another suspect, the son of a Houston police officer, was also charged

> Monday in connection with the incident. Alan rio, 22, of the

> 2300 block of Deasa in Spring, remained in custody Tuesday in lieu of a

> $50,000 bond on a theft charge.

> Hill, 38, of Spring, joined the Sheriff's Department in 1997 as a jailer.

> He was in his final phase of training to become a patrol deputy when he

was

> killed while he and his training officer chased two theft suspects through

> some woods in north County early Monday.

> After the shooting, Hill's attacker stole a car at gunpoint and fled. Will

> was arrested in the stolen car in Brenham a few hours after the incident

> and was jailed after being treated for a gunshot wound to the hand.

> Hill's service weapon hadn't been drawn when his body was found Monday.

> Sheriff's Department Maj. said Will probably shot his own hand

> while struggling with the deputy.

> Hill was shot in the face, chest and hand, said. He was wearing a

> bullet-resistant vest.

> In November 1995, Will was charged with unauthorized use of a motor

vehicle

> and evading arrest. He was given two years' probation with deferred

> adjudication, but the sentence was revoked in May 1997 when he was

arrested

> for aggravated robbery, court records show.

> After that conviction, Will was sent to boot camp, then placed on eight

> years' probation, again with deferred adjudication of guilt.

> said after his arrest for the capital murder of Hill on Monday, Will

> expressed concern about his probation being revoked.

> rio has given detectives a statement acknowledging he and Will were

> taking auto parts from vehicles in the parking lot of an apartment complex

> in the 900 block of Dunson Glen when Hill and his training officer spotted

> them, said .

> rio also has a lengthy criminal history, which includes theft,

robbery,

> auto theft and making terroristic threats. rio's father,

> rio, has been a Houston police officer since 1993 and is assigned to

> the Northeast Patrol Division. Alan rio's older brother,

> rio III, was on the Houston Police Department payroll as a part-time

> aide for two months last year.

> Detectives who executed a search warrant at the apartment Will shared with

> his girlfriend, Venegas, arrested her for possession of a

controlled

> substance after finding some prescription codeine tablets in her

> possession. Detectives said they think Will and rio had taken some of

> the narcotic before the shooting occurred Monday.

> Venegas remained in the County jail Tuesday. Her bail was not

> disclosed.

> Also seized from the apartment were dozens of auto parts, all believed

> stolen, and tools used to break into and steal vehicles, said.

> Children's Protective Services of County was called to the

> apartment, and CPS spokeswoman Judy Hay said the agency took emergency

> custody of Venegas' two sons, ages 4 and 7 months.

> Hay said the children, who were in foster homes Tuesday, were physically

> fine, but the apartment was dirty, and guns and drugs in the home were

> accessible to the children.

> said the three suspects provided no evidence of legitimate jobs and

> may have lived on the proceeds of autos and auto parts Will and rio

> stole and sold.

> Detectives believe Will and rio were members of a larger group that

> deals in stolen autos and auto parts.

> rio, said, gave " a pretty self-serving statement " to detectives

> listing a lot of associates but without providing last names or addresses.

> said homicide detectives gave a copy of rio's statement to

> auto-theft detectives, who will interview rio again about his

associates.

> " We'll throw out a net and see who falls into it, " said. " Deputy

> Hill's death was our main concern, obviously, but if there's a theft ring

> out there, we want to shut that down, too. "

> Hill was described by fellow officers Tuesday as a happy, positive person

> with a good sense of humor. Co-workers said he was devoted to his wife,

> , and two daughters, Lacy, 18, and Whitney, 8.

> Rick Hartley, executive director of the 100 Club, an organization that

> collects donations for dependents of peace officers killed in the line of

> duty, said the organization gave Hill's family $10,000 Tuesday to assist

> them with their immediate needs.

> The money comes from the organization's Survivor's Fund, and Hartley said

> letters are being sent to the club's 12,750 members asking them to help.

> Donations to the 100 Club Survivor's Fund may be mailed to 2603 Augusta

> Drive, Suite 840, Houston, Texas 77057-5638, Hartley said. He said 100

> percent of the money sent to the Survivor's Fund goes to the survivors of

> law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

> Services for Hill have been scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday at Spring Baptist

> Church, 1027 Spring-Cypress Road. Visitation will be at Klein Funeral

Home,

> 16131 Champions Forest Drive, from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday.

>

>