"Hemphill County Sheriff Nathan Lewis has let go of his Chief Deputy, Brent Clapp, as of Monday. . . Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Skip Hollandsworth: And you found yourself investigating to see if that story was true? Tom hadnt been on the football team for more than a month at that point. Sheriff's deputies arrested Nathan Lewis, Vale, after he crashed his Ford Ranger into the front yard of Roy and Judith Obermeier June 27. This screenshot of body cam video shows right front end damage to Carrie Harmon's car following the Jan. 6 wreck. "As of today, this case remains a questionable death investigation without sufficient evidence to conclude that Tom Browns death was attributed to a criminal act, an accidental death, or a suicide. This one isthe latest shared by Philip Klein and his team of investigators last night. . Skip Hollandsworth: Your report also says that Chriss whereabouts on November twenty-fourththe early morning hours of Thanksgiving Daywere unknown or uncorroborated. My husband did not do anything to Thomas. Lewis told me he later met with Hemphill County officials, who asked for his resignation. Caan requested the original audio statements Hemphill County deputies interviewed made to TCOLE investigators. Sheriff's . In February 2017, three months after Tom had vanished, his backpack was found sitting upright off Lake Marvin Road, a few miles north of town. But because the investigation into Toms death has not been officially closed, the attorney generals office says its obligated to maintain possession of Toms remains. So the door is always open at our office for any information, for anything that will bring resolution to this case. This is ridiculous., In a statement released to the public, Lewis wrote, I am very happy and humble for the great things weve accomplished in the three years as sheriff. Were the only people that have found anything. Sheriff. She said that despite all the time thats passed since Tom vanished, Im definitely more paranoid wherever I go. Klein has always said he believes Thomas was murdered. On February fourteenth, I said, Happy Valentines Day. Our theme music is No Hard Feelings by the Avett Brothers. Rachel Kading: I mean, the one that sticks out is, he told the sheriffs office at some point that two Hispanic people in town were responsible for this death and that it was connected to the Mexican Mafia, or to a cartel. Why? In the fall of 2016, Tom was still playing football for the Canadian High Wildcats. When they get out to wherever they were, they remove the blindfold, and Jones testifies that he sees out in front of car, the day after Tom Brown went missing, Tom Brown tied to a chair in front of the cop car. Duane Allen Christensen II, 41 of Minneapolis, MN 55412 for GM 3rd Degree DWI. I have asked them to come sit up here tonight cause I want you all to look into the white of their eyes. Lewis could have told the two boys to plant the backpack a third of the way down Lake Marvin Road. [SBM] Sheriff Lewis did announce recently he would not seek re-election in 2020 and when former Deputy Clapp announced he would run for the office, Sheriff Lewis endorsed him. But as Klein told the crowd all he had done to find out what had happened to Tom, he insisted, over and over, that he had found nothingnot a single piece of evidenceimplicating Penny, Chris, or Tucker. A few months passed. Todd Rowell (2021-Present) Sheriff Todd Rowell served 20 years with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office prior to being sworn in August 2021 to complete retired Sheriff Matt Lewis's remaining elected term. Lewis resigned as Hemphill County sheriff in November 2019. Stand by just a minute. (LogOut/ Chris is the stepfather, and, you know, probably one of the nicest men I think Ive ever met in my life, that has been so cordial. What was the question asked them? The Deputies serve all court papers. It led other deputies to question the documentation in Thomass case. There were dark, ugly stories that the countys young sheriff, Nathan Lewis, was involved in Toms disappearance. Rachel Kading: If they possessed Toms phone after his disappearance. In October, Thomas Brown's family filed a public records request with the Hemphill County Sheriff for information about the case. The TCOLE investigators were told there was documentation to support Sheriff Lewis claim that officers in his department received credit for numerous field training hours. The Hemphill County Commissioners Court will appoint a replacement. And that wasnt all, Klein said. Skip Hollandsworth specializes in long-form narratives. Lewis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022. Just before midnight, he said goodbye. Over the past 29 years, Klein said his company has investigated around 1,000 missing person cases with an 85 percent . If thats the opinion you want to have of me, then, I guess, so be it. He will only say this: This is kids playing around and they shouldnt have and they know it shouldnt happen, Klein said. Were getting the signal? Klein said he will open the book on the case and lay out the timeline of events plus answer questions. Skip Hollandsworth: In your report that comes out, scattered throughout the report, seem to be several questions about Toms own family, that they might not be telling everything they knew about what happened that night. I called a media spokesman for the attorney generals office. Read more from the Tom Browns Body Series: Chapter 3: Evil Has Come to Canadian, Texas. Klein said in the past there was evidence missed by the sheriff's team, including blood in Thomas's SUV and a shell casing from a . So the district attorney and the state attorney generals office actually considered indictments of multiple people. If a grand jury had been called, Kading possibly could have gotten more answers out of Toms family. . CANADIAN, Texas (KFDA) - The Hemphill County Sheriff in the swirl of controversy resigned today. In the months before his death, he unexpectedly had quit the football team and broken up with his girlfriend. Sheriff Lewis Tatum 298 Rosemont, Sulphur Springs 75482 HOUSTON COUNTY Sheriff Randy Hargrove Sr. 700 A South 4th Street, Crockett 75835 HOWARD COUNTY Sheriff . At the end of the report, it states Lewis was very apologetic for all the mistakes and trouble the training issue caused. J.K. Nickell is our editor and Paul Knight is our fact-checker. #961. And if she did have her sons phone, how exactly did she get it? Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards. Current News. Additional production on this episode by Harper Carlton and Patrick Michels. And hes like, Im gonna kill you. You know, hecocked the gun back. When I talked to Penny about all this a year ago, she told me it was the sheriffs department that had asked her to find the passcode. . The witness name was Chris Jones. . Chris Meek? According to 31st District Attorney, Franklin McDonough, the case was rejected for lack . Skip Hollandsworth: But in a lie detector test that Penny agreed to give, you wrote that she, quote, showed signs of deception on questions regarding Tom Browns location. What do you mean by that? And she did everything that she could think of doing to find him. If it was not a law enforcement officer that actually pulled the trigger, it was somebody thats connected close to law enforcement who was willing to help clean up a mess., I asked Klein why a law enforcement officer would want Tom dead. Lewis also said the consequences would be dire if he didnt transfer. The attorney generals office, however, did release a 249-page report that Kading had compiled about the case, which perhaps offered a few hints about what she was thinking. At the town hall meeting in October, thats exactly what Klein speculated. Hemphill County Sheriff's Office Investigation by News Channel10 on Scribd. Florida Sheriff Goes Nuclear on Neo-Nazi 'Motherf*ckers' Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood fumed that it was an "honor" to be included on the "hit list" of an . Of course, this is not the first time Klein has made such promises. "The Units first case was the result of a request for assistance from the Hemphill County Sheriffs Office in the case of Thomas Brown of Canadian, Texas," they said. What Chris is saying is that Lewis had told the teenager hed be killed if he didnt move to town and play for the Canadian Wildcats. Skip Hollandsworth: But youre not going to go public with it. Its crazy he can just say this stuff and people get to hear it., So, I asked Lewis, what did he believe happened on Thanksgiving eve? Rachel Kading: Whats unethical about it is that if you do not feel that the indictment is going to lead to a conviction at trial, you are really shorting the case. Almost a year later, Toms skull and a few of his bones were found at the end of Lake Marvin Road. Theres been a lot of stories. So, lets just say, a hypothetical. There are still so many secrets, and theres no guarantee a grand jury will dislodge new information. They also said Clapp, who was recently dismissed, has been reinstated to his former position. Lewis said this to TCOLE investigators about Thomass case: "We had this missing deal come up in November, Lewis said. Klein did tell me he was still seeking evidence to support the most recent of the many theories he has floated about the case. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. VALE - On Sunday night, Judith Obermeier wanted to find a good place in her yard to plant . Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. MARTINSBURG, W.Va. Berkeley County Sheriff Nathan . Sponsored Links. Tucker Brown: Im the fifth-generation person from Canadian. We have kept that very silent, and were going to kind of go through that tonight. Which, impossible. Let me tell you this. Rachel Kading: So, I dont know if the general public is really familiar with how polygraphs work, but theres usually a battery of questions. Before I left Canadian, I drove by some of the towns landmarks. He said Lewis put him in the back of a police car and handed him a pair of goggles. Well, what do you want to do next with your life? Rachel Kading: Yes, we looked into every story. "It is with great disappointment that the city of Merriam Woods announces the formal removal of Nathan Lewis as Chief of Police," City Attorney Joe Allen said in a statement. I hear your pain. Thats like a movie, he said. Box 233 Lowville, NY 13367-0233 Telephone: (315) 376-3511 Fax: (315) 376-5232 Livingston County Sheriff's Department Lewis said he never heard from her. Acrimonious relationships, he replied. OVER THE PAST nearly two months, I've filed a handful of public information requests with 31st District Attorney Franklin McDonough's office and the Texas Rangers, attempting to determinefirst, what criminal complaint had been lodged against Hemphill County Sheriff Nathan Lewis that led to his investigation by the Texas Rangers, and more recently, what the result of that . Why, Kading wanted to know, would Penny ask for the phones password unless she had the phone in her possession all along? Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. Skip Hollandsworth: So up in Canadian, as we speak, right now, half that town thinks he was murdered. MARTINSBURG Another step taken before he officially assumes office on Jan. 1, Berkeley County Sheriff-elect Nathan Harmon took his oath of office in front of a federal judge Thursday afternoon. You were certain of that? Find agency contact information, phone numbers, addresses and more. Penny said Kading hadnt paid her a visit either. It showed no signs of damage from rain or ice storms, which meant it had to have been planted shortly before the search began. Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards. Deputies say his family is "concerned for his well-being," but he is . Philip Klein: Where I want the public to see that these people had nothing to do with the disappearance of Tom. Clapp also said it wasn't quoted, outside the realm, of Lewis fabricating a document because he manufactured a supplement for a missing person a year and a half after it happened. Furious with Klein, some members of the audience let loose. Love you. On May seventh, You were honored today at church for Senior Sunday. Penny tried to read one more. Nevertheless, he decided to quit anyway. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. And one of the biggest rumors now making its way through town was that the private investigator Phillip Klein had new evidence linking Lewis to Toms murder. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? After it was announced that a grand jury would be convened, I called Toms friend Christian Webb. She knows so much about whats going on.. LEWIS, SHAQUILLE JORVOUSA : Booking #: WPJAIL0000029329: Booking Date: 09-07-2022 - 12:46 am: Charges: POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY - FELONY CONVICTED FELON IN POSSESSION OF FIREARM Possession Of A Firearm Or Carrying Of A Concealed Weapon By A Person Convicted Of Domestic Abuse Ba: Bond: $50000.00: View Profile >>> Hampton, GA. Marcus Hill. Before going any further, Klein made a point of introducing them. So it was decided that we would not do the grand jury for that reason, and we would just continue to work on the case. His response was vague. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. According to the KCSO, Nathan Massotti, 17, of Elkview, was last seen Tuesday, Feb. 28 around 9 p.m. on Chapps Fork Road in Kanawha County. A Steuben County man is dead following a snowmobile accident Saturday in Lewis County, east of Watertown in northern New York. Im sorry I have to show you corruption in your city. Every victim is important, and this case is no different than that. And former deputy Pyne Gregory has a gun to Tom Browns head. We had the peer reviews with the Rangers. Sheriff Lewis continued, explaining to the family that after locating the vehicle, police had taken search dogs to the scene, the dogs were able to lock on to Toms scent following it for a mile east, toward the banks of the Canadian River . Various citizens would be subpoenaed to testify under penalty of perjury. Perhaps because the pandemic was surging at the time, Kading stayed for only a few days. Just going to keep teaching school and doing whatever I can to bring answers for Thomas. Further, the legal standard at trial of beyond a reasonable doubt, that Mr. Browns death was the result of an intentional, or unintentional, criminal act, is not supported by any evidence collected at this time. Its very hard for me to think about., Christian also told me something I wasnt expecting. The TCOLE is responsible for verifying that officers fulfill their continuing education requirements, and the officers informed Lewis that the agency would be investigating allegations that he had committed document fabrication by submitting reports that falsely detailed training hours completed by three deputies and himself. . Not Philip Klein. . We have theories, obviously. Deputies went to the Golden Springs area around 6 p.m. and found . If you go through a grand jury and you have an indictment, but you dont have enough to convict somebody at trial, its just not ethical to do that. Rachel Kading: No; its irresponsible to do so. Someone else claimed they saw her driving down Main Street, past the Justice for Tom signs. Were they convinced that another story line might emerge? Skip Hollandsworth: Theres got to be an answer. West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. In the months that followed, every time I called my sources, I was told that the grand jury had been delayed. I want to help people in the way that he wasnt helped, she said. Updated: Nov 13, 2019 / 02:26 PM CST. You had multiple indictments that could be made. Part of the town thinks it could be an accidental death. He said he was trying to get a confession, either from one of the boys who had allegedly killed Tom in the high school parking lot or from one of the men the boys had called to ask for help. 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