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TEMPLE (June 28, 2011)—Rookie Temple Police Officer Jacob Tatum who was on his third
day on the job, is credited with saving the life of a 1-year-old girl who was choking on a barrette.
Tatum was on patrol with field training officer Jason Gilpin at around 10 a.m. Sunday when
police received the report that the infant was choking at the Wildflower Villas Apartments
at 5227 West Adams Ave.
Tatum and Gilpin were already at the complex on an unrelated matter and were able to find
the apartment where the child was choking.
Tatum was able to dislodge the barrette and the infant began breathing.
She was taken to a local hospital where she was treated and later released.
WACO (March 17, 2011)--A prominent Waco businesswoman remained behind bars Thursday after her arrest Wednesday afternoon on warrants charging capital murder and attempted capital murder in the Oct. 8, 2008 shooting death of her husband Joe Sturdivant, 68, the owner of Sturdivant's Automatic Transmission Service.
Officers took Joyce Sturdivant into custody at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the business.
Her bond was set at $1 million.
"She wanted this guy dead for a while." special prosecutor Guy Cox said Wednesday night, hours after a McLennan County Grand Jury indicted Joyce Sturdivant on the two charges.
Cox said Thursday Robinson police had more than enough evidence to indict Joyce Sturdivant, but said the case languished for nearly two-and-a-half years.
When Abel Reyna succeeded longtime District Attorney John Segrest, he assigned Cox to the case and six weeks later, Sturdivant was indicted.
Cox says police gave him a detailed PowerPoint presentation with evidence proving Joe Sturdivat's death could not have been a result of a break-in.
“In my 34 years of practicing law, this is one of the finest cases I've ever seen investigated,’ Cox said Thursday.
Friend Fred Deleon, who owns a business across the street from the transmission shop, doesn’t believe the accusations, however.
"I don't believe for one minute that she has any involvement in what's going on,” he said Thursday.
Other friends with whom News 10 talked Thursday said Joyce Sturdivant never had a problem with money and question claims she killed her husband in order to collect his life insurance.
Joyce Sturdivant called police just after 5:20 p.m. on Oct. 8, 2008 to report she had found her husband lying in a pool of blood at the couple's residence in the 3100 block of Highway 77 South in Robinson.
He had been shot in the head and back while asleep in his bed, police said.
The Sturdivants had six dogs that Cox described as “very aggressive and very vocal.”
“We think if someone came into the house, two of the dogs were in the house and they would have gotten Mr. Sturdivant up. He never woke up. He was shot in bed,” Cox said.
In September 2007, the Sturdivant's were attacked and robbed inside their home off South Robinson Drive.
No arrests were made in the robbery and at one point early in the murder investigation. It appeared that burglary or robbery might have been the motive for the deadly shooting.
Sturdivant's wife told police that when she returned home a few days after her husband's death, she discovered a diamond-incrusted butterfly brooch was missing.
Cox, however, rejected robbery as a motive for the killing.
"We know that she hired some people to kill her husband." Cox said.
Cox said the two men, including one from Waco, accepted payment from Sturdivant about a month before the October murder, but never acted on her request.
Police weren’t talking much about the investigation.
"There has been much speculation by friends and family regarding this case," Chief of Police Rusty Smith said.
"As much as the Robinson Police Department would like to give specific answers to their questions, Joyce Sturdivant has her right to a trial and any discussion about what occurred is not judicious at this time," he said.
Donna Webb has known Joyce for at least 40 years.
"She loved Joe, she really loved Joe." Donna Webb said, shaking her head at the day's developments.
"She couldn't...I can't...No." Webb said.
Reached by phone Wednesday night, Jason Darling, Sturdivant's attorney said he was a "little surprised" that his client had been indicted.
He said Sturdivant, "wasn't expecting" the indictment or the arrest.
The Sturdivant Family has owned and operated Sturdivant's Automatic Transmission, located near South 18th Street and Clay Avenue since the late 1960s.
In addition to being a business owner, Joe Sturdivant was also an avid stock car racer, frequently competing on the local race circuit.
ROBINSON -- The Robinson Police Department arrested 65-year-old Joyce Sturdivant Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. at Sturdivant's Automatic Transmission Service located at 621 South 18th St. in Waco.
Mrs. Sturdivant has been charged with Capital Murder and Attempted Capital Murder for the October 8, 2008 murder of her husband, Joe Sturdivant.
The Robinson Police Department received a call from Joyce Sturdivant at 5:23 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, indicating her husband was lying in a pool of blood at their residence, which was located in the 3100 block of highway 77 South in Robinson. Detectives later discovered Mr. Sturdivant was shot in the head and back while in his bed.
Sturdivant, a businessman, was 68 years at the time of his murder.
At the time, Joyce Sturdivant said someone came into their home and shot her husband, and also stole a butterfly broach.
New information was uncovered recently that led to Wednesday's indictment and arrest.
Prosecutors told News Channel 25 they believe Joyce Sturdivant hired two hit men to kill her husband a month earlier. She allegedly paid them, but they didn't complete the job.
The indictment says she then killed her husband.
Joyce Sturdivant is now charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder.
The McLennan County Grand Jury handed down an indictment early Wednesday which resulted in Joyce Sturdivant's arrest. Because information presented to the grand jury has been sealed, no additional information discovered during the investigation of this case will be discussed or disclosed.
"There has been much speculation by friends and family regarding this case," said Chief of Police Rusty Smith. "As much as the Robinson Police Department would like to give specific answers to their questions, Joyce Sturdivant has her right to a trial and any discussion about what occurred is not judicious at this time."
Robinson Police Department Upgrades To Mobile Data Terminals
ROBINSON, Texas (December 22, 2010) – The Robinson Police Department will now have Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) mounted on the inside of every patrol car. The MDTs will allow officers to check vehicle registration, Driver’s License information, wanted checks and allow confidential conversations between officers and dispatch without using a radio.
Rusty Smith, Chief of Police, said there were different reasons for installing the MDTs. “The number one purpose for putting these in is officer safety,” Smith said. The new system allows automatic vehicle location devices. This will also help the dispatcher to send the right unit to the right call by knowing where all of the Robinson police units are located at all times.
This same system is also being used by various law enforcement agencies in the state of Texas. The Border Patrol utilizes the MDTs to track vehicles coming across the border. This helps identify drugs and other illegal items. “The Fusion Center is encouraging the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to start using the system,” Smith said. “More officers using the same system allow better communication through the agencies.”
The Robinson Police Department completed their MDT training in two sessions on Monday. In the future, other features will also be added such as in-car printers and electronic ticket citations.
Robinson Police Lieutenant Graduates College After 30 Years
Kaci Flores Public Information Director (CITY OF ROBINSON RELEASE)
ROBINSON, Texas – December 16, 2010 – Lieutenant Tracy O’Connor will graduate from Tarleton State University this weekend after completing the 12 hours he needed to graduate in 1979. O’Connor has been with the Robinson Police Department for 20 years and had the opportunity to return to school in August 2009.
The lieutenant enrolled in Tarleton State University in the fall of 1976 and quit his senior year in the spring of 1979, lacking only one semester to obtain his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. “Life got in the way and I became distracted,” O’Connor said. In 1987, he began a career in Law Enforcement and started working for the City of Robinson in 1990.
O’Connor enrolled in college for the second time in 2009 with the support and encouragement from his wife and peers. He said, “My wife, Diana, has been encouraging me to go back to school for the last 18 years and without her it wouldn’t have been possible.” The Chief and City Manager allowed O’Connor the flexibility to attend college while still working.
After meeting with an Admissions Counselor at Tarleton, O’Connor changed his major to Criminal Justice with
ROBINSON (September 30, 2010)—The man whose body was found late Saturday night on an Interstate 35 access road in Robinson has been identified as Francisco Javier Saldana Flores, 25, of Guana Juato, Mexico, police said Thursday.
Family members identified Flores, who was an illegal alien who had been living in Sulphur Springs, police said.
Robinson officers were sent to the interstate access road just south of Loop 340 at about 10 p.m. Saturday after a passing motorist reported that a man was lying in the roadway.
Police said Thursday Flores and two friends had gone to a wedding and were returning home when they pulled over and got out of the vehicle.
What happened after that isn’t clear, although police said Thursday Flores did not appear to have been beaten.
Investigators are interviewing the two friends with whom Flores was traveling and are awaiting autopsy results, which they hope will shed some light on the cause of the man’s death, police said.
Police searching for 2 men involved in robbery and stabbing Posted:
Aug 03, 2010 7:37 AM CDT
by Louis Ojeda Jr.
ROBINSON - Police are looking for two men involved in the stabbing and robbery of an owner of a local business Monday evening in Robinson, just south of Waco.
Robinson police responded around 10 p.m. to a call of an Aggravated Robbery at Excel Autos, located at 807 South Robinson Drive.
The owner of the business, Ray Easley, told officers he was attacked by an unknown man who then fled the scene in a vehicle with another man.
Easley was transported to Hillcrest Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The suspect is described as a black male, between 28 and 30 years of age, about six-feet-tall, with a thin build. The second suspect, who remained in the vehicle during the incident, is described as a white male in his 20s.
Police say the two fled in a mid to late 1990s model white Toyota pickup truck, possibly a T-100, with black wheels, a dent on the right side, and unknown stickers on the back window.
Anyone with information on this incident or the suspects' whereabouts is asked to contact the Robinson Police Department at 254-662-0525or Crime Stoppers at 254-753-4357.
sXCZ
Robinson Police Actively Serving Local Warrants
City Manager Robert E. Cervenka recently audited several city services and has discovered that there is over a million dollars in outstanding local warrants for citations issued by our police officers. In an effort to resolve these outstanding warrants, the Robinson Police Department is now actively trying to locate these offenders in an effort to have the warrants properly addressed.
In the past the Robinson Police Department has had officers attempt to serve local warrants but no money was allocated to the overtime required to make this happen on a regular basis. Under the direction of Chief Rusty Smith, Robinson Police Department officers are once again attempting to actively bring offenders to justice. This time the money collected from the offenders should offset the money it takes to operate the project.
When someone is issued a citation and the person fails to properly address the matter with the court, they, in essence, are disrespecting the criminal justice system. “The only recourse for holding them accountable is for the court to issue a warrant for their arrest and for police officers to actively serve these warrants, “ Chief Smith commented.
While this may appear to be a tough approach to the problem of people having warrants issued for their arrest, Chief Smith said the problem was magnified because the violator failed to take care of their responsibility. “What we’d like to see is for violators to take care of their citations in a mature and prompt manner. Having to locate and apprehend people with warrants is time consuming and a drain of the tax dollars the public has entrusted to us.”
Most local warrants can be handled by the municipal court before an officer attempts to serve a warrant. However, if a person receives a citation and doesn’t take care of the citation and if a warrant was later issued for the violator because they did not properly handle the process through the court system, police officers are then commanded through a court ordered warrant to apprehend the person.
To help prevent from being arrested, citizens who have previously received a citation, have failed to take care of the citation, and have had a warrant issued for their arrest should contact the Robinson Municipal Court immediately. They can reach the municipal court by calling (254) 662-1415 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. The municipal court is open two Saturdays a month between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. To find out if the court will be open on any specific Saturday, citizens should contact the court during regular business hours.
ROBINSON -
When police burst into a home in
Robinson, in search of drugs,
the owner wasn't home, but his
dogs were. Robinson is about ten
miles southeast of Waco.
According to
police, that's when "Sissy," an
adult pit bull, attacked an
officer participating in the
search, giving him no choice but
to defend himself.
"He actually
backed off a little bit and gave
that dog the opportunity to come
outside the house and didn't
happen," said Chief Rusty Smith,
of Robinson Police. "The dog
charged him again and at that
time he had to take the dog
down."
Wanted for
months on various charges by at
least four local law enforcement
agencies, 42-year-old Kelley
Wood was arrested for possession
of methamphetamine and evading
arrest by Bellmead
police Wednesday night.
But before
he was arrested he erected a
sign on the roof of his Robinson
home admonishing police for
killing his dog during their
search. The four-foot sign was
made from a bed cloth, with the
spray painted words, "Robinson
Police killed our Sissy for
weed? Bet yall's mamas real
proud."
Up for less
than a day, neighbors like Karen
Cromer have already taken
notice.
"Well, I
think that's kind of
ridiculous. I mean that just
brings attention to the fact
that if they did have drugs in
the house, that just lets the
whole neighborhood know."
Cromer also
sides with police regarding the
incident with Wood's dog.
"I feel sorry
that the dog was killed, but if
the police officers were doing
their job, I mean police can't
stand by and have the dog attack
them."
A driver who
slowed to check out the strange
sign said he agreed.
"If it's like
a Chihuahua or something then,
you know that's no need to kill
the dog. But if the dog was
trying to attack the officer and
he feared for his life I think
it's probably the right thing to
do."
Robinson
police say the amount of drugs
they discovered during the raid
will be more than enough to add
even more charges for Wood.
Despite
that, Chief Smith says nobody
wanted to have to take a pet's
life, especially the officer who
pulled the trigger.
"The officer
likes dogs. [He's] very
sympathetic towards dogs'
concerns, and the fact that he
had to put the dog down was very
traumatic for him, and it's
still bothering him today that
he had to do that."
Wood remains
behind bars in the McLennan
County Jail while further
charges are pending.
Robinson Police Department
Takes
Another Professional Step
Forward
The largest
number of
unsolved crimes
in Robinson is
the theft of
property. In an
active step
toward locating
stolen property
and bringing
thieves to
justice, the
Robinson Police
Department has
turned to
LeadsOnline.
LeadsOnline is
the nation's
largest online
investigation
system for law
enforcement,
providing rapid
electronic
access to
transactions
from thousands
of reporting
businesses
including scrap
metal
processors,
secondhand
stores, Internet
drop-off stores,
and pawnshops
across the
country, as well
as critical
information from
eBay listings
for criminal
investigations.
LeadsOnline’s
cross-jurisdictional
reporting and
investigation
system solves
cases in
literally
seconds – from
burglary to
homicide.
LeadsOnline is
the versatile
state-of-the-art
crime fighting
tool preferred
by thousands of
law enforcement
agencies across
the country.
These agencies
use LeadsOnline
to automatically
collect
transaction
records from
reporting
businesses,
enabling
criminal
investigators to
instantly access
cross-jurisdictional
information to
clear countless
cases each year.
Agencies small
and large choose
LeadsOnline
because the
secure,
easy-to-use
service greatly
enhances the
effectiveness of
investigations,
saving staff
hours and tax
dollars. Several
local law
enforcement
agencies use
LeadsOnline
successfully.
There is more
good news for
tax payers.
LeadsOnline
subscription
costs are being
paid from
restitution
funds held by
the police
department. In
other words,
money previously
awarded by
district and
federal courts
to the Robinson
Police
Department as a
result of
recovered cash
and property
owned by
criminals is
paying for this
year’s
LeadsOnline
usage.
“I just love it
when the bad
guys help the
guy guys catch
more bad guys,”
said Chief
Rusty Smith
of the Robinson
Police
Department.
Restitution
funds cannot be
used for
budgeted items
and using these
funds to
subscribe to
programs such as
LeadsOnline is
why courts
designed the
restitution
program.
Last year Chief
Smith used
restitution
funds to
purchase more
secure weapon
holsters for
officers of the
department.
“While we do not
often receive
restitution
funds, I’m very
glad when we can
purchase better
police equipment
without using
tax dollars,”
Chief Smith
commented.
While
LeadsOnline is
an excellent
investigation
tool, it can
only succeed
when citizens
report property
theft. And
perhaps as
important as
reporting
property theft
is recording
serial numbers.
Criminal
Investigation
Division Lt.
Jeff Lewellen
says, “We often
have stolen
property
reported but the
owner has no
idea what the
serial number
is.” The police
department asks
that everyone
record the
serial number
from all
property that
has one and then
store this
record in a safe
place.
The Robinson
Police
Department ask
that citizens
call them any
time something
is stolen.
Reports can be
made 24/7 by
calling (254)
662-0525
.
Robinson
Police Department
(254) 662-0525
www. robinsonpd.org
01/29/2010
Robinson Robber Caught
Eleven days after the Subway Sandwich Shop in
Robinson was robbed at gunpoint the Robinson Police
Department knows who robbed the store and where he
is.
Wednesday afternoon,
July 2, 2008 , a white male robbed a pizza
restaurant in Bellmead. A vehicle description was
quickly given out by the Bellmead Police Department
and soon thereafter units from the Bellmead Police
Department and Lacy Lakeview Police Department
stopped the vehicle on IH-35 near mile marker 350.
Two people were taken into custody by the Bellmead
Police Department for the pizza restaurant robbery,
including a 25 year old white male.
The 25 year old male was later interviewed by Lt.
Tracy O’Connor of the Robinson Police Department
confessed to having also committed the robbery in
Robinson on June 21.
The man is reported to live in the Garland
area and was familiar with Robinson from a previous visit to the
community. The suspect admitted to using a 9mm
semi-automatic handgun in the Robinson robbery and
said he committed the armed robbery because of his
desperate financial situation.
The Robinson Police Department will obtain warrants
for the suspect first thing Thursday morning.
Because this is an ongoing investigation, the amount
of money taken in the Robinson robbery has not been
release, although the amount taken was relatively
small.
Chief Rusty Smith of the Robinson Police Department
said that interagency cooperation is responsible for
this capture. “Seeing Bellmead, Lacy Lakeview, and
the Robinson Police Department’s all work together
is what professional law enforcement is all about.
Everyone did a great job in jointly bring these
cases to a close,” commented Chief Smith.
Robinson – Saturday afternoon was just
another hot sultry day for most people in Robinson. But for
the store clerk and witness at the Subway sandwich store on
North Robinson Drive, this Saturday afternoon would turn
down right dangerous.
At about June 21, 2008 , an armed man entered the
Subway and took a small amount of cash from the store clerk. A
witness inside the store offered his wallet to the robber but
the robber was interested in a bigger haul.
Chief Rusty Smith said that the
man entered the store and walked toward the witness first.
“After telling the witness he wasn’t interested in the witness’
wallet, the robber walked toward the checkout area of the store
and demanded all their cash,” said Chief Smith.
The robber then raised what
appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol toward the ceiling of the
store and fired one round. “The spend cartridge fell to the
ground but no bullet hole was located inside the store. It is
our belief that the robber must have shot a blank round from the
pistol,” noted Chief Smith.
The robber was described as a
white male with a dark tan who is about 5’09” to 5’10” tall,
weighs about 160 pounds, and was wearing a dark baseball cap,
dark cargo pants, and a short sleeve tan colored shirt covered
by what appeared to be a bullet resistant vest.
A K-9 unit from the Lorena Police
Department was able to locate a scent leading from the front
door where the robber entered and exited the business and toward
the rear for the business, where witnesses last saw the robber
walking. The K-9 tracked the scent about a half a block to a
parking area where the scent abruptly ended, leading Chief Smith
to speculate that the robber may have left the area in an
unknown vehicle.
This is the second time Subway
has been robbed in Robinson. The first time this occurred was
when the business was first established but that was in another
location.
Anyone with information regarding
the identification of this robber is asked to contact the
Robinson Police Department by calling (254) 662-0525. Caller
wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (254)
753-HELP.
The Robinson Police Department honored several
officers, staff, and local citizens at its second
annual awards program on Tuesday,
May 27.
As with the
first awards program, this year’s awards honored both police
officers and citizens. Throughout the year, police department
employees and local citizens go the extra mile to serve the
citizens of Robinson by providing exceptional service to and
through the Robinson Police Department. The awards program is
designed to bring community awareness of those exhibiting
exemplary service and to honor the recipients.
A
committee from within the Robinson Police Department continues
to develop Chief Rusty Smith’s idea of acknowledging excellent
police service through this awards program.
Telecommunicator Jessica Dumesnil, Officer Patrick
Carey, and Lt. Jeff Lewellen were all honored with
the Life Saving Award for their participation in the
life saving event of a Robinson man in January 2007.
Cpl. Brent Ewing was honored with the Distinguished
Service Award for his outstanding service to the
community in such programs as the Citizen Police
Academy Coordinator, as the organizer of several
Neighborhood Watch programs, for organizing
the local National Night Out program, for his
initiating the Shattered Dreams program, and for his
example of professionalism as a police officer.
Junior High School Principal Barry Gann was honored
with the
Distinguished Service Award for his efforts that led
to his finding a lost citizen that had been missing
for 16 hours in temperatures that were dangerous to
him and the lost person.
Thirty students, a school sponsor, several corporate
sponsors, and a citizen were al honored with the
Community Service Award for their assitance in the
Shattered Dreams project.
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Laura White, Animal Control Officer since 2003, was
named City of Robinson Employee of the Year for 2007 at
the annual Employee Appreciation Banquet. Ms. White was
cited for her hard work, cheerful attitude and
dedication to duty. Ms. White is the first police
department employee to be awarded the Employee of the
Year title. The award is voted on by all city employees.
City employees and their families were
treated to a catered dinner that included a surprise
visit from Santa Claus. Entertainment was furnished by
the Robinson High School Show Choir conducted by Stacy
Porter.
Mayor Bryan Ferguson presented five year
service awards to Kevin Vranich, Melissa Leavelle, David
Myers and Rebecca Merchant. City Secretary Linda Vranich
received a 20 year service recognition.
Two
assaulted in home in Robinson
Just before 5:00 a.m. Friday, September 28, the Robinson
Police Department received a telephone call from a
resident in the 3100 block of South Robinson Drive. The
caller said they had been attacked inside their home.
Police officers arrived at the residence
a few minutes later to discover two people had been
assaulted by an unknown male. Both victims were
transported to Providence Hospital where they were
treated for undetermined injuries that are believed to
be serious but not life threatening.
The suspect entered the residence
through a window and attacked a female before turning to
a male resident and attacking him. While it is believed
that the suspect is a male, no other identification is
available.
Robinson Police officers called in a
tracking dog but were unable to find a scent of the
suspect. DNA samples believed to be from the suspect
were taken from the victims and will be compared to DNA
samples in CODIS (COmbined DNA Index System).
There is no indication of the suspect’s
motive and there is no indication that this was or was
not directed toward the victims through a prior
acquaintance.
Robinson Police Department is asking
anyone with information that would identify the suspect
in this case to call the Criminal Investigations
Division at 662-0525. Caller who wish to remain
anonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (254)
753-HELP (4357).
09-27-07
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (ENS) TO BE
IMPLEMENTED IN THE HEART
OF TEXAS REGION
The Emergency Notification System (ENS)
project was selected by the Heart of Texas Council of
Government (HOTCOG) Emergency Preparedness Advisory
Committee to enhance preparedness in the Heart of Texas
six-county region. The project is funded through a Homeland
Security grant from the Governor’s Division of Emergency
Management.
ENS, a combination of database and
Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping technologies,
delivers emergency notifications to citizens via telephone.
This system enables the user to select a precise geographic
area to notify residents of potential danger.
ENS aids in emergency response by providing
an immediate method of communication with the intended
recipients. Examples of when this system would be utilized
are for extreme weather conditions, an evacuation, a
chemical spill, an amber alert or a water boil order.
The vendor selected by the HOTCOG will work
with each of the 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points to
install necessary equipment and set up service accounts to
get the project off the ground. The vendor will also work
with 9-1-1 database providers to create a current telephone
network database of Local Area Network (LAN) telephone
numbers.
For residents without a LAN line, an option
will be made available to provide cell phone contact
information via telephone or through a Web site.
The ENS is expected to be implemented
throughout HOTCOG region by the end of the 2007 calendar
year.
