Latest news with #30thDistrictCourt
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Manslaughter defendant found not guilty by reason of insanity
WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KTJL) — A woman accused of smothering her mother to death by sitting on her while praying has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to court documents. Gloria Ann Jordan, 44, of Wichita Falls, appeared in the 30th District Court on Friday, April 11, and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Jordan had been awaiting trial for a manslaughter charge stemming from the death of her mother, Wichita Falls pastor Gloria Farmer-Jordan, on November 21, 2021, in the 1800 block of Las Cruces. READ MORE: Upcoming trials in Texoma courtrooms Jordan was first arrested in Burkburnett in February 2022 and then posted her bond two months later. She's been back in the Wichita County Jail since October 2022 on a $150,000 bond. According to court documents, the prosecution established the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt, but she was found to be insane at the time of the offense. Jordan's trial was set to begin on April 28. The charges were originally filed in the 89th District Court, and the trial date was reset several times before the case was transferred to the 30th District Court in January 2025. Jordan's competency to stand trial has been the source of a majority of the delays in her manslaughter case. In June 2023, she was declared legally insane at the time of the incident. In August 2024, Jordan's attorney filed a notice that he intended to bring evidence in support of an insanity defense. After a pre-trial hearing in January 2025, the prosecution requested that Jordan be evaluated by an expert appointed by the state. PREVIOUS STORY: Woman who sat on mother in prayer indicted for manslaughter In March 2025, less than a month before she was found not guilty, Jordan wrote a letter to 30th District Court Judge Jeff McKnight, requesting a trial date. 'I have been in jail for almost three years,' Jordan said in the letter. 'It's my life that's on a standstill. I'm hoping you can intervene somehow.' Jordan was ordered to be committed to a facility for evaluation, and an examination of her present mental condition was to be conducted in accordance with the Texas Code of Criminal 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
25-03-2025
- Miami Herald
73-year-old man rapes housekeeper and offers her $20 to keep quiet, Kentucky cops say
A man is accused of raping a woman he hired to clean his Kentucky home, authorities say. Richard Conkin, 73, used the NextDoor app to hire the woman, who posted an ad 'seeking babysitting or residential cleaning jobs,' according to a citation. The woman went to his Louisville home on March 21 and began to clean, police said. When she started cleaning an upstairs bedroom, Conkin is accused of going into the room and pushing her on the bed and holding her down by her wrists. 'A struggle ensued and the victim stated the perp told her not to scream or it would be worse,' according to the citation. Conkin is accused of stripping the woman and raping her, police said. Afterward, he offered her an extra $20 to stay quiet about the sexual encounter, according to the court records. The housekeeper called 911 from her home and said she had been sexually assaulted, police said. She was taken to a hospital, where she was found to have bruising on her wrist and cuts to her knuckles that authorities said were indicative of a struggle. Conkin was arrested later that day and charged with first-degree rape, court records show. He is due in court March 31. 'The details of this case are just, very, very, terrifying, actually, and I'm going to set the bond at $250,000 to home incarceration,' 30th District Court Judge Anne Delahanty said during Conkin's arraignment, according to WLKY.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Woman headed to prison for 2022 fatal drunk driving crash
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — An Arlington woman was sentenced to prison on Friday, March 21, 2025, after pleading guilty to causing a crash in July 2022 while intoxicated behind the wheel that later claimed the life of 57-year-old Natalie Brown. Allyson Renea Forbins, 60, of Arlington, pleaded guilty to intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle and intoxicated assault with a vehicle on Friday morning, March 21, in the 30th District Court, with Judge Jeff McKnight presiding. As a part of the plea bargain, Forbins was sentenced to five years in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility on each of the two counts, set to run concurrently. PREVIOUS STORY: Jaws of life used in pin-in wreck on Old Iowa Park Road The charges against Forbins stem from a head-on collision in the 2800 block of Old Iowa Park Road in the summer of 2022. According to authorities, first responders arrived on the scene of the crash just after 7 p.m. on July 22, 2022, where a vehicle driven by Forbins had been heading west before swerving into the eastbound lanes and striking a white GMC Terrain head-on. As a result of the crash, Brown was pinned in the vehicle and had to be removed with the jaws of life. Brown sustained serious injuries and was transported to United Regional, where she underwent several surgeries. More than a week later, on August 4, 2022, Brown died as a result of her injuries. The passenger of the GMC Terrain was also hospitalized with several injuries as a result of the crash but later recovered. RELATED: Alleged drunk driver indicted for woman's death Police said when they questioned Forbins after the crash, she told them she didn't remember anything about the crash. Forbins then told officers she had been drinking, which led authorities to conduct a blood draw on her at the hospital. Forbins' blood-alcohol level was later discovered to be 0.26 grams per 100 milliliters at the time of the crash, nearly four times the legal limit of 0.07 grams per 100 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Yahoo
Sex offender who attempted break-in at WFISD elementary heading to prison
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A registered sex offender accused of attempting to break into a Wichita Falls ISD elementary school in March 2023 and assaulting a detention officer when he was booked into jail is now heading to prison. READ MORE: Sex offender thought he was 'being chased' before attempted break-in Freddie Lee Brown, 37, of Wichita Falls, appeared in the 30th District Court on Friday, February 7, 2025, and pled guilty to possession of a controlled substance, failure to annually register as a sex offender, assault of a public servant, and criminal mischief by destroying a school. Presiding Judge Jeff McKnight sentenced Brown to the following: Possession of a Controlled Substance — 18 months in a State Jail Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Duty to Register Annually — 20 years in prison Criminal Mischief more than $750 but less than $30,000 (Destroy School) — 18 months in a State Jail Assault Public Servant — 20 years in prison The four sentences were set to run concurrently. Brown was given 681 days of jail credit for time already served. Brown has been behind bars since he was initially booked into the Wichita County Jail on March 30, 2023, after police said he committed a series of felonies. Authorities said officers responded to Scotland Park Elementary at about 8:47 a.m. on the morning of March 30, 2023, to investigate reports of a man attempting to break into the campus. READ MORE: WFPD release info on attempted break-in at Scotland Park WFPD officials said the first officer arrived at the scene in about three minutes, and the suspect, identified as Brown, was being held at gunpoint within six minutes from the time of the original call. They said Brown's hand was cut. According to officers with the Wichita Falls ISD Police Department, Brown told them he was being chased by unknown subjects and attempted to break into a classroom at Scotland Park to get away from them. A records check on Brown revealed he was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Dallas County in January 2015 for a 'violent sexual offense with the 9-year-old female victim.' Upon his release from a 7-year prison sentence, Brown was placed on the Texas Sex Offender Registry and was required to register on an annual basis for the remainder of his life. He's also required to notify school administrators immediately upon entering the premises of any public school. The affidavit said Brown entered school grounds at Scotland Park and did not notify an administrator of his presence, but rather broke a window in order to gain entry into a second-grade classroom with 19 children and their teacher inside. When Brown was being booked into the Wichita County Jail, detention officers said he was being 'very combative and would not comply.' He later assaulted a detention officer, according to Brown's arrest Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Yahoo
Skyler Houston headed to prison, will pay over $100,000 restitution
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A woman will be required to pay over $100,000 in restitution and spend several years in prison for multiple cases of financially exploiting elderly victims. PREVIOUS: Woman accused of exploiting multiple elderly victims agrees to plead guilty Skyler Ann Houston, 30, of Iowa Park, pled guilty to multiple pending charges of financial fraud, several involving elderly victims, on Thursday, February 6, 2025, in the 30th District Court, with Judge Jeff McKnight presiding. Houston was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, as well as 12 months in state jail, set to run concurrently. She will also be required to pay over $100,000 to various victims of her crimes. As a part of the plea bargain, one pending charge against her will be dismissed. Houston signed the plea agreement on January 23, 2025, during a scheduled pre-trial hearing in the 30th District Courtroom. Jail records show that Houston has been arrested 11 times since January 2020 for financial crimes, including forgery, credit card abuse, and exploitation of an elderly individual. According to court documents, Houston had eight felony fraud cases pending against her. READ MORE: Repeat offender indicted on new exploitation charges According to court documents, Houston employed a number of schemes to gain the trust of her victims. A timeline of the cases against Houston can be found below: — A woman alleged that her bank account had been compromised by Houston, whom she hired for house cleaning off social media. December 23, 2019 — According to police, Houston stole five money orders from a Wichita Falls apartment complex and forged them to appear as if they were made out to her. — Houston pleads guilty to the two previously mentioned charges, and her sentence is deferred to a four-year probation sentence. August 14, 2023 — Houston is accused of stealing an elderly woman's debit card and using it to purchase several items, including an iPhone. January 10, 2024 — A motion is filed to revoke Houston's probation sentence and proceed with adjudicating her guilt. — According to Wichita County deputies, a 76-year-old woman opened her door to Houston, who claimed she needed help because her car broke down. While inside the woman's home, Houston allegedly stole her wallet and later used her credit card for multiple purchases. — While free on bond, Houston is arrested again after a 66-year-old man told police Houston had exploited her. The victim alleged between February 2023 and July 2024, when he believed he and Houston were in a romantic relationship, she withdrew resources totaling more than $40,000, eventually talking him into turning over his money and property to her, leaving him homeless. — Houston is reported for using a credit card that doesn't belong to her at Academy. The victim alleged that Houston had posed as a registered nurse and claimed to have previously been the caretaker of his late wife. The victim said Houston had exploited him for over $20,000. — According to police, Houston stole a 90-year-old man's credit card and used it for purchases. The victim's son told police Houston knew his father from work and she came to his house with his daughter, claiming she was having a fundraiser. The victim's son said while Houston was inside the home, she stole his card from his wallet. READ MORE: Alleged romantic deception leaves man broke, homeless According to the American Association of Retired Persons, there are several warning signs that a loved one may be the victim of elder financial abuse, and it may take an outsider to identify them. The AARP has several free resources available for elderly victims of financial abuse, including several tips on how to identify and avoid scams and a support hotline. Residents of Wichita Falls who believe they or their loved ones have been the victim of financial exploitation are encouraged to call the Wichita Falls nonemergency line at Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
