Found Deceased TX - Leah Martin, 22, Graham, 29 May 2015 *Arrests*
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Someone is sitting on a $200,000 bond in the Young Co jail and the police didn't just randomly stumble upon buried remains 10 miles out of town, they had to have been told where they could find them. I have a feeling they know exactly what happened and who all is involved. It's just a matter of time before it all comes out. I do understand LE has a difficult job and must protect the integrity of the investigation, however, they do owe it to the community to let them know they have solved or are about to solve the case if they believe there are still conspirators walking among the public. They can say that without giving any details of the investigation. If someone will murder once, they will do it again and that puts everyone there at risk. Every person in Graham has been invested in finding this young woman. Hearts are broken everywhere. I hope justice is swift and harsh.
thurt96101
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Bless her family and baby girl!
thurt96101
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I wish we could get a verified insider on this topic. Anyone know of anyone?
bessie
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We are lucky enough to have posters from all walks of life with a broad spectrum of expertise. Some hold specialized knowledge that applies to the various circumstances of the cases we discuss, and can contribute valuable insight and information. We welcome their participation.
To ensure that anyone posting as a "professional" in a specific field truly is what/who they claim to be, WS employs a verification process.
The verification process also applies to "case insiders". Relatives, friends, and others personally acquainted with a victim or suspect; or a professional working on behalf of a victim or the family, i.e., a private investigator, can submit a request to be verified as a "case insider".
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Beesknees
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Everyday Grace
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Arrest made in connection to the death of Leah Martin.
http://www.grahamleader.com/ci_28667902/arrest-made-connection-death-leah-martin
"Billy Ray Minkley, Jr., of Graham, was arrested [Wednesday morning] and charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse."
Article also names the people who were in the "care, custody, and control" of the property where her body was found.
http://www.grahamleader.com/ci_28667902/arrest-made-connection-death-leah-martin
"Billy Ray Minkley, Jr., of Graham, was arrested [Wednesday morning] and charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse."
Article also names the people who were in the "care, custody, and control" of the property where her body was found.
Fairy1
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So, there will be at least one more arrest - probably more. I feel this case will be similar to the Krishonda Townsend and Candace Shields cases - both also in TX and, IIRC, not far from Graham. In working on Shonda's case, I was astounded at the dynamics of all the people in her circle. Lots of love triangles, partners trading partners, lots of babies and tragically frequent arrests of many. They found Shonda but her murderer(s) have never been determined or charged. I don't believe Candace's remains have ever been found but her killers were charged. Another love triangle.
CuriousinNY
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any idea how he was connected?
arizona sunshine
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No kidding!
steelman
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So far we have a backhoe operator named Minkley that dug a hole, supposedly for sewer work, being held on a 450K bond. Half of that amount is for a weapons charge.
We have an RH and KH that were listed in previous posts, which were deleted, as having access to the property and being in control of it. That simply means they are not the legal owners, but they have the right to be on the property. RH is being held on a weapons charge only.
So far, nobody has actually been charged for the murder. The weapons charges these two guys are facing is due to them being convicted felons in possession of a weapon. That would have come to light during the police searches of their homes. Whether LE found a 22 rifle, a shotgun, or an AK-47, it's against the law for felons to be in possession of a firearm of any kind. That makes it very easy for LE to hold these two guys on weapons charges.
The backhoe operators girlfriend is screaming and yelling on the Find Leah Martin Facebook page that he was tricked into digging the hole and then covering it back up. In an odd twist, I could actually see something like that having taken place. "Someone" gets this guy to dig a deep hole. After he leaves the scene, they put Leah down into it cover her up with dirt. Later on, the backhoe operator comes back and fills the hole in without being any wiser. He may have been told up front that he was digging a hole for a septic tank or something along those lines. The land didn't perc, so now he needs to fill it back in, not realizing what is buried at the bottom of it.
I know it seems like sort of a stretch, but I could see someone going to those lengths in order to shift suspicion or eliminate suspicion. Simply hire a licensed backhoe operator to come out and do some work on your property.....nothing new in Texas. If it was a friend or someone known well by RH, that would've made it even easier. Talk about throwing your buddy under the bus......... The flaw in that theory would be if he dug the hole and covered it back up on the same day, and then returned the backhoe to the rental place.
The key point here is that RH would've authorized the digging. The big question still remains, who abducted her, killed her, and for what reason ? None of the arrests so far have been for her actual murder.
Another big question. During the time that Minkley was renting the backhoe, hauling it out to the site, and digging the hole, Leah would've had to be being stored "somewhere". That rental and digging process would have taken some time. She disappeared on the night of May 29th. Minkley rented the backhoe and dug the hole on May 30th. Was she being held on that same property, or was she brought in from elsewhere after the hole was dug ?
If Minkley did actually commit this crime on his own, why in Gods name would RH agree to let him dispose of her on his property ? If Minkley didn't commit this crime, why would he agree to help cover up a murder that had the potential to lead back to him ?
http://www.grahamleader.com/ci_28667902/arrest-made-connection-death-leah-martin
We have an RH and KH that were listed in previous posts, which were deleted, as having access to the property and being in control of it. That simply means they are not the legal owners, but they have the right to be on the property. RH is being held on a weapons charge only.
So far, nobody has actually been charged for the murder. The weapons charges these two guys are facing is due to them being convicted felons in possession of a weapon. That would have come to light during the police searches of their homes. Whether LE found a 22 rifle, a shotgun, or an AK-47, it's against the law for felons to be in possession of a firearm of any kind. That makes it very easy for LE to hold these two guys on weapons charges.
The backhoe operators girlfriend is screaming and yelling on the Find Leah Martin Facebook page that he was tricked into digging the hole and then covering it back up. In an odd twist, I could actually see something like that having taken place. "Someone" gets this guy to dig a deep hole. After he leaves the scene, they put Leah down into it cover her up with dirt. Later on, the backhoe operator comes back and fills the hole in without being any wiser. He may have been told up front that he was digging a hole for a septic tank or something along those lines. The land didn't perc, so now he needs to fill it back in, not realizing what is buried at the bottom of it.
I know it seems like sort of a stretch, but I could see someone going to those lengths in order to shift suspicion or eliminate suspicion. Simply hire a licensed backhoe operator to come out and do some work on your property.....nothing new in Texas. If it was a friend or someone known well by RH, that would've made it even easier. Talk about throwing your buddy under the bus......... The flaw in that theory would be if he dug the hole and covered it back up on the same day, and then returned the backhoe to the rental place.
The key point here is that RH would've authorized the digging. The big question still remains, who abducted her, killed her, and for what reason ? None of the arrests so far have been for her actual murder.
Another big question. During the time that Minkley was renting the backhoe, hauling it out to the site, and digging the hole, Leah would've had to be being stored "somewhere". That rental and digging process would have taken some time. She disappeared on the night of May 29th. Minkley rented the backhoe and dug the hole on May 30th. Was she being held on that same property, or was she brought in from elsewhere after the hole was dug ?
If Minkley did actually commit this crime on his own, why in Gods name would RH agree to let him dispose of her on his property ? If Minkley didn't commit this crime, why would he agree to help cover up a murder that had the potential to lead back to him ?
http://www.grahamleader.com/ci_28667902/arrest-made-connection-death-leah-martin
Everyday Grace
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http://www.texomashomepage.com/news/arrest-made-in-connection-to-the-death-of-leah-martin
One thing in this KFDX report that hasn't been clear to me previously is that law enforcement had a search warrant for the property on FM 209 that resulted in the recovery of Leah's body.
Wonder what the probable cause was and where they got that information. I'm figuring the DA has that search warrant sealed for now to protect that information.
Interesting that Graham PD notified the media yesterday with a press release. Suggests to me they wanted to turn up the volume and the heat. Going by Facebook comments, they certainly succeeded.
One word strikes me as to the current process of the investigation.
Squeeze.
One thing in this KFDX report that hasn't been clear to me previously is that law enforcement had a search warrant for the property on FM 209 that resulted in the recovery of Leah's body.
Wonder what the probable cause was and where they got that information. I'm figuring the DA has that search warrant sealed for now to protect that information.
Interesting that Graham PD notified the media yesterday with a press release. Suggests to me they wanted to turn up the volume and the heat. Going by Facebook comments, they certainly succeeded.
One word strikes me as to the current process of the investigation.
Squeeze.
Michaellan
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yep. My opinion is that they are going after the accessory after the fact guys to get to the ones responsible for the actual murder.
Everyday Grace
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http://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/leah-martin-family-reacts-to-first-arrest
Leah Martin's father talks about the case.
Leah Martin's father talks about the case.
Everyday Grace
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http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news...pon-other-evidence-found-in-leah-martin-death
Arrest affidavits include information about a sawed-off shotgun.
Added: RH signed bond conditions today (8-20) according to documents obtained by the Wichita Falls newspaper. He is not listed in the jail online resource as bonded out, but that could change.
BM also signed bond conditions today.
Arrest affidavits include information about a sawed-off shotgun.
Added: RH signed bond conditions today (8-20) according to documents obtained by the Wichita Falls newspaper. He is not listed in the jail online resource as bonded out, but that could change.
BM also signed bond conditions today.
Everyday Grace
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The Times Record News has now placed their article and the documents behind their paywall. I made notes from the documents and will post information from my notes in a series of posts this morning.
There are 20 pages of documents they received from the Graham Police Department under the Texas Open Records Act.
But first...coffee.
There are 20 pages of documents they received from the Graham Police Department under the Texas Open Records Act.
But first...coffee.
Everyday Grace
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2 Arrest Warrants -- Ross Earl Hellams [RH] -- Felon in possession of a weapon; Possession of a prohibited weapon
Arrest warrants issued 7-17-2015.
Affiant: Jeff Smith, Graham PD
5-30-2015 -- Graham PD received a missing persons report on Leah Martin from her father. Opened investigation with Affiant as Lead Investigator. [The affidavit included some generally known information as to her last known whereabouts and last family contact on 5-29-2015.]
6-16-2015 -- Graham PD interviewed [Name Redacted by TRN. Redacted is a Graham resident.] [Redacted] said RH came to [Redacted's] house on 5-30-2015 with a paper bag containing some clothes and a sawed-off shotgun. RH told [Redacted] he was going to throw the items away in a dumpster.
[Redacted] said he did not want a child to get ahold of the gun and get hurt so he told RH he would take the gun. RH gave him the gun.
Graham PD took possession of the gun on 6-16-2015. Gun is a Remington 870 semiautomatic shotgun Premier model 12 guage. Black tape on handle. Length of barrel is given in affidavit and notated that it is shorter than what is allowed under Texas law. [I did not put the specific length measurements in my notes.] Possession of this weapon is the basis for the Prohibited weapon charge.
6-22-2015 -- Investigators with Graham PD and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) interviewed RH. RH admitted that he had possessed the gun.
RH is a convicted felon. Felony conviction in Young County; felony conviction in Eastland County. Served a sentence in a Texas State Jail prison facility. Released on 5-31-2013.
Texas state law allows for limited possession of firearms by convicted felons once 5 years have passed following completion of felony adjudication. Basis of RH charge of Felon in possession of firearm.
Note: The missing person investigation re Leah Martin is specifically mentioned in the RH arrest affidavits. RH arrest warrants and affidavits were provided to TRN by Graham PD under their Open Records Act request for documents related to the Leah Martin investigation.
Arrest warrants issued 7-17-2015.
Affiant: Jeff Smith, Graham PD
5-30-2015 -- Graham PD received a missing persons report on Leah Martin from her father. Opened investigation with Affiant as Lead Investigator. [The affidavit included some generally known information as to her last known whereabouts and last family contact on 5-29-2015.]
6-16-2015 -- Graham PD interviewed [Name Redacted by TRN. Redacted is a Graham resident.] [Redacted] said RH came to [Redacted's] house on 5-30-2015 with a paper bag containing some clothes and a sawed-off shotgun. RH told [Redacted] he was going to throw the items away in a dumpster.
[Redacted] said he did not want a child to get ahold of the gun and get hurt so he told RH he would take the gun. RH gave him the gun.
Graham PD took possession of the gun on 6-16-2015. Gun is a Remington 870 semiautomatic shotgun Premier model 12 guage. Black tape on handle. Length of barrel is given in affidavit and notated that it is shorter than what is allowed under Texas law. [I did not put the specific length measurements in my notes.] Possession of this weapon is the basis for the Prohibited weapon charge.
6-22-2015 -- Investigators with Graham PD and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) interviewed RH. RH admitted that he had possessed the gun.
RH is a convicted felon. Felony conviction in Young County; felony conviction in Eastland County. Served a sentence in a Texas State Jail prison facility. Released on 5-31-2013.
Texas state law allows for limited possession of firearms by convicted felons once 5 years have passed following completion of felony adjudication. Basis of RH charge of Felon in possession of firearm.
Note: The missing person investigation re Leah Martin is specifically mentioned in the RH arrest affidavits. RH arrest warrants and affidavits were provided to TRN by Graham PD under their Open Records Act request for documents related to the Leah Martin investigation.