Ep 99: Revenge in Kaufman County, Part I

10/30/22 • 82 min

In 2013, Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse was murdered in what appeared to be a retaliatory act related to his caseload. Local, state, and federal agencies joined together to find the people responsible. However, in his decades-long career, ADA Hasse had prosecuted hundreds of cases and locating the one connected to his murder would prove difficult.
Sources:
1.) Casey, K. (2018). In Plain Sight: The Kaufman County Prosecutor Murders. William Morrow.
2.) Emily, J. (2014, December 30). Wife of convicted Kaufman County killer sentenced to 40 years in prison. The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2018/07/29/wife-of-convicted-kaufman-county-killer-sentenced-to-40-years-in-prison/
3.) Eric Lyle Williams v the State of Texas On Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, No. 17-7603 (The Supreme Court of the United States).
4.) Hargrove, B. (2013, May 2). The Killings in Kaufman. Dallas Observer. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/the-killings-in-kaufman-6429583
5.) Heinz, F. (2013, April 2). Search warrant sheds light on McLelland investigation. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/search-warrant-sheds-light-on-mclellan-investigation/2073056/
6.) Hennessy-Fiske, M., & Pearce, M. (2013, April 1). Slayings of Texas prosecutors called unprecedented. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-xpm-2013-apr-01-la-na-nn-texas-prosecutor-kaufman-county-20130401-story.html
7.) Hernandez, S. (2021, September 21). Kaufman County DA recalls 2013 murders. The Courier of Montgomery County. https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/moco/news/article/Kaufman-County-DA-recalls-2013-murders-16475313.php
8.) Interim Kaufman district attorney gets 24-hour security as authorities scramble for leads in slayings. (2013, April 3). The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2013/04/03/interim-kaufman-district-attorney-gets-24-hour-security-as-authorities-scramble-for-leads-in-slayings/
10.) Ford, D. (2013, March 27). Colorado governor: Shooting suspect Evan Ebel had “bad streak.” CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/26/us/evan-ebel-profile/index.html
11.) Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, wife found dead in home. (2013, March 31). The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2013/03/31/kaufman-county-district-attorney-mike-mclelland-wife-found-dead-in-home/
12.) Mitchell, K. (2016, May 27). White supremacist gang conspired to kill Colorado prisons director, new documents allege. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/27/white-supremacist-gang-conspired-to-kill-colorado-prisons-director-new-documents-allege/
13.) Nicholson, E. (2013, April 15). Kaufman County murders: Eric Williams, a segway-riding justice of the peace, is the top suspect. Dallas Observer. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/kaufman-county-murders-eric-williams-a-segway-riding-justice-of-the-peace-is-the-top-suspect-7115803
14.) Schlesinger, R. (2016, December 10). Target Justice. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/target-justice-48-hours-probes-texas-prosecutor-killings-hasse-mclelland/
15.) Timms, E., Eiserer, T., Emily, J., Sides, E., & Pruet, J. J. (2013, April 14). Complex picture arises of ex-Kaufman justice of peace eyed in case. The Dallas Morning News.

Previous Episode

Ep 98: 23 Minutes of Murder

1 Recommendations

In July of 1982, engaged couple Billy Staton and Leticia Castro, both 26, went missing in La Feria, Texas. It took a Texas Ranger, a private detective, and 23 minutes of audio to solve the case.
Sources:
1) “23 minutes of murder” depicted on Brownsville tape. (1982, October 31). Associated Press.
2) A man accused of killing two people in a... (1983, April 14). UPI. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/04/14/A-man-accused-of-killing-two-people-in-a/5034419144400/
3) Clinton Jay High, Jr. (Director). (1998, December 9). The Texas Rangers (Season 4, Episode 11). In The New Detectives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5QGJHgdpno
4) Doctor backs insanity plea by defendant. (1983, April 15). Associated Press.
5) Ex-wife found guilty in taped murder case. (1983, July 30). Associated Press.
6) Hidden recorder caught sounds of owner’s murder. (1982, November 10). Associated Press.
7) Insane “act” of defendant is criticized. (1983, April 19). Associated Press.
8) Jurors hear tape at murder trial. (1983, April 14). Associated Press. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/14/us/jurors-hear-tape-at-murder-trial.html
9) Jury convicts farmer in “death tape” case. (1983, April 21). Associated Press.
10) Sherry Wolf faces up to life in prison for... (1983, July 30). UPI. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/07/30/Sherry-Wolf-faces-up-to-life-in-prison-for/9713428385600/
11) Smith, S. (Director). (2019, November 3). Evil in East Texas (Season 2, Episode 1). In The Devil Speaks. Investigation Discovery.
12) Witness describes killings of man, fiancee. (1983, April 13). Associated Press.
13) Wolf v. State, No. 13-83-429-CR, (Court of Appeals of Texas, Corpus Christi June 14, 1984). https://casetext.com/case/wolf-v-state-8
Check out more All Crime No Cattle at our website allcrimenocattle.com.
Visit our Patreon page to support the show and earn some awesome rewards: https://patreon.com/allcrimenocattle.
Get some ACNC merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/all-crime-no-cattle-podcast-shop?ref_id=9435.
Find us on Twitter: @ACNCpodcast and on Instagram: @allcrimenocattle.
Tip Jar: https://paypal.me/allcrimenocattle.
And always remember, crime is bigger in Texas, y'all!

Next Episode

Ep 100: Revenge in Kaufman County, Part II

Just two months after Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse was murdered in broad daylight, District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia McLelland were killed in a home invasion. With three dead and a community held in fear, a helpful tip leads to a mountain of evidence against the killers.
Sources:
1.) Austin, B. (2013, April 18). Former Kaufman official’s wife says he killed DA, Assistant. KERA News. https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2013-04-17/former-kaufman-officials-wife-says-he-killed-da-assistant
2.) Casey, K. (2018). In Plain Sight: The Kaufman County Prosecutor Murders. William Morrow.
3.) Emily, J. (2014, December 30). Wife of convicted Kaufman County killer sentenced to 40 years in prison. The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2018/07/29/wife-of-convicted-kaufman-county-killer-sentenced-to-40-years-in-prison/
4.) Eric Lyle Williams v the State of Texas On Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, No. 17-7603 (The Supreme Court of the United States).
5.) Ford, D. (2013, March 27). Colorado governor: Shooting suspect Evan Ebel had “bad streak.” CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/26/us/evan-ebel-profile/index.html
6.) Hargrove, B. (2013, May 2). The Killings in Kaufman. Dallas Observer. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/the-killings-in-kaufman-6429583
7.) Heinz, F. (2013, April 2). Search warrant sheds light on McLelland investigation. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/search-warrant-sheds-light-on-mclellan-investigation/2073056/
8.) Hennessy-Fiske, M., & Pearce, M. (2013, April 1). Slayings of Texas prosecutors called unprecedented. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-xpm-2013-apr-01-la-na-nn-texas-prosecutor-kaufman-county-20130401-story.html
9.) Hernandez, S. (2021, September 21). Kaufman County DA recalls 2013 murders. The Courier of Montgomery County. https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/moco/news/article/Kaufman-County-DA-recalls-2013-murders-16475313.php
10.) Interim Kaufman district attorney gets 24-hour security as authorities scramble for leads in slayings. (2013, April 3). The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2013/04/03/interim-kaufman-district-attorney-gets-24-hour-security-as-authorities-scramble-for-leads-in-slayings/
11.) Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, wife found dead in home. (2013, March 31). The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2013/03/31/kaufman-county-district-attorney-mike-mclelland-wife-found-dead-in-home/
12.) Lindsley, G. E. (2014, December 17). Kim Williams provides gruesome murder details. The Kaufman Herald. http://www.kaufmanherald.com/hot_news/article_6bdeebda-8600-11e4-96dd-9725c54eff63.html
13.) Mitchell, K. (2016, May 27). White supremacist gang conspired to kill Colorado prisons director, new documents allege. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/27/white-supremacist-gang-conspired-to-kill-colorado-prisons-director-new-documents-allege/
14.) Nicholson, E. (2013, April 15). Kaufman County murders: Eric Williams, a segway-riding justice of the peace, is the top suspect. Dallas Observer. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/kaufman-county-murders-eric-williams-a-segway-riding-justice-of-the-peace-...