State lawmakers in the Texas Senate just gave the latest green light to H.B. 2000 - better known as ‘Audrii’s Law.'

The Texas senate has passed a bill that would expand death penalty eligibility for individuals convicted of murdering children.

The mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old murder victim, is advocating in Austin for Senate Bill 990, which seeks to expand death penalty eligibility to include all child victims between the ages of 10 and 15 in Texas.

Audrii’s Law, introduced in Texas, aims to expand sex offender registry requirements to include individuals convicted of child grooming, inspired by the murder of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham by Don Steven McDougal, who avoided registry due to a legal loophole

On Tuesday, Alex Guajardo stood before the family of his murdered wife in court, taking responsibility for his crimes.

Sen. Ted Cruz will hold a press conference Friday morning on the “Justice for Jocelyn Act” to crack down on the Department of Homeland Security’s “Alternative to Detention.”

They're working to figure out why guns make it past the front doors of our schools.

Accused killer of 12-year-old is not eligible for death penalty

Update to the HPD Investigations Scandal

📢 Uncovering the truth behind a chilling crime! 🕵️‍♀️🔍Join us as we dive into the shocking story of the "Wig Shop Murder." A manhunt, a motive that stunned the city, and a family's pursuit of justice. Discover the gripping details of this harrowing case that captivated the nation. Remembering the victim and standing strong against violence. #TrueCrime #JusticePrevails

A person was killed in a shooting at a gas station in north Houston on Wednesday.

Don Steven McDougal is no stranger to jail.

A man is behind bars, accused of pretending to be a minor to meet up with a child predator under the false pretense of having sex, only to shoot and kill him.

A 25-year-old father is accused of going shopping at the Galleria Mall while he left his 2 and 4-year-old children alone in the car with a gun.

Every day we hear from families whose loved ones are missing. We spend part of our mornings at KPRC talking about what is being done to find the person and the latest in the search and recovery efforts.

The Texas Department of Public Safety shows between 2021 and 2022, Houston police numbers show murders down from 464 in 2021 to 429 the next year. Rape is at 1,105 down from 1,171.

For crime victims and their family members, the potential parole of an attacker is both terrifying and emotionally draining. Many family members also worry whether their concerns will be heard by the parole board prior to any decision. Houston Crime Stoppers is now addressing these concerns through a unique program that records victim impact statements to be used during the parole process.

Retail theft across the country has gone up in recent years. The thefts, usually consisting of a large group of looters has even forced some big name retailers like Target to shut down some of its stores in places like California.

Houston police are searching for a group of people they believe are behind several auto thefts at both Hobby and Bush airports. Police believe a 23-year-old, identified as Joe Aguirre, committed some of the crimes.

In a new episode of the KPRC 2 Investigates true crime docuseries ‘The Evidence Room,’ we learn how a Texas woman finally stopped one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history.

During the last session, lawmakers passed sweeping legislation to tighten bail laws in cases involving violent crime.In this session, lawmakers want to add felons in possession of a weapon to the list of crimes not eligible for personal bonds.

Robert “Bob” Fratta was executed in Huntsville Tuesday for the 1994 murder of his estranged wife, Farah Fratta. He gave no final statement and never acknowledged his oldest son, Bradley Baquer, or Farah Fratta’s brother, Zain Baquer, who witnessed the execution.

It has been one year since the murder of 25-year-old Disha Allen, and Crime Stoppers say her case remains unsolved.

The man accused of killing an 18-year-old woman and injuring her older sister was also charged earlier this summer with felony drug possession and unlawful carrying of a firearm, according to court records.

There are new questions surrounding the death of five family members who were killed in Centerville.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Crime Stoppers of Houston held a press conference Tuesday to ask for the public’s help in identifying a suspect involved in a deadly robbery on March 19 in the Greenspoint area.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said a computer system went down last Thursday, an issue which continued into the weekend, leading to a backup and some defendants being released from the joint processing center.

Caballero is now facing three state counts of attempted capital murder of HPD officers, and he is also federally charged with possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm.

Theresa Seck was to have celebrated her brother’s birthday nearly two weeks ago. Instead, she finds herself - like so many others - without a response to a one word question, why?

Theresa Seck was to have celebrated her brother’s birthday nearly two weeks ago. Instead, she finds herself - like so many others - without a response to a one word question, why?

Five people died in Houston over the weekend in suspected domestic violence crimes. Now, investigators say it’s a pattern that only seems to be getting worse.

Two men charged in the death of a New Orleans police detective each told investigators they were the getaway driver in the murder, according to prosecutors.

The Harris County Justice Administration Department is offering to pay suspected criminals who have missed court $30 in exchange for information about why they missed court.

The family of a teenager killed at a high school graduation party is calling for justice after the suspected gunman was released from jail on bond.

Charges have been filed against two suspects arrested in the fatal shooting of a man during a May home invasion, and KPRC 2 has learned that one of the suspects -- Qiriathiam Phillips -- was out on eight felony bonds at the time of the victim’s murder.

Crime Stoppers of Houston is noticing a frightening trend of shoppers and diners being followed from stores and restaurants and then robbed.

Houston Newsmakers: Ballot Integrity or suppression?

HOUSTON – Crime Stoppers leaders held a news conference Wednesday where they addressed felony bond reform. During the news conference, Crime Stoppers leaders responded to the Harris County Justice Administration report, “Felony Bail Practice: The Landscape in Harris County,” and to the testimony they provided at a legislative hearing. According to Crime Stoppers, in 2020, 10,500 people who were out on bond committed 18,796 crimes, which is a significant increase from 2015, where 3,200 people who were out on bond committed 6,438 crimes. Kahan said Crime Stoppers is more concerned with the victims rather than distinguishing whether a defendant was released multiple times on PR (personal recognizance) bonds. “...Crime Stoppers and law enforcement doesn’t care what types of bonds are released multiple times.

HOUSTON – Harris County is under federal court order to reform its misdemeanor bail bond system to prevent defendants charged with mostly nonviolent crimes from languishing in jail. Now, a year after full implementation, a study supervised by Duke University Professor Brandon Merritt said it’s working with many fewer misdemeanor defendants languishing in jail. It also noted increases in violent crime can’t be traced to bail reform. “No one has ever had any problems or issues with misdemeanor bond reform,” said victim advocate Andy Kahan with Houston Crime Stoppers. “The revolving door at the courthouse surrounding felony defendants who have been repeatedly released on multiple felony bonds has played a significant role in the increase, particularly the murder rates.

HOUSTON – Senator Paul Bettencourt and Crime Stoppers of Houston held a press conference on “Caitlynne’s” bill filing on Personal Recognizance Bonds (PR bonds) Monday. The bill would prevent defendants from release on multiple PR bonds. The press conference started at 10 a.m. at the Crime Stoppers of Houston Building and included several community leaders/officials. “Too many of our citizens have become victims of violent crime by habitual offenders who are continually released back to the community often on multiple PR bonds,” said Crime Stoppers of Houston CEO Rania Mankarious. According to Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers, since 2018, 90 victims have been killed in Harris County by defendants released on various PR and low-dollar felony bonds.

HOUSTON – The man accused of shooting a Harris County deputy in the back Tuesday night was free from jail on multiple bonds at the time of the shooting, according to court records. Harris County Deputy Association President David Cuervas said that problem of violent career criminals who re-offend after being granted multiple felony bonds has become epidemic in Harris County. “These rogue judges have made Harris County a sanctuary county for felons and criminals,” Cuervas said. “They absolutely don’t give a damn about anyone or any citizen in Harris County.”It’s a problem so acute, the legislature is considering action. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt is crafting a bill to stop judges from stacking multiple felony bonds for violent offenders who are continually arrested and released.

HOUSTON – A Houston story made international headlines four years ago -- an 18-year-old is accused of killing his 16-year-old friend during a satanic ritual. Edward O’Neal, the suspect in the case, admitted to KPRC 2 during a jailhouse interview in 2016 that he worshipped the devil. Fast forward to the present, O’Neal is back in jail after being accused of killing again nearly ten days ago. His return to jail comes months after being released on a $25,000 bond in the 2016 homicide case. “The $64,000 question, no pun intended, is why he is out on a $25,000 bond?” Wice asked.

HOUSTON – KPRC 2 Investigates reviewed thousands of felony cases where a probationer was “unsatisfactorily” terminated from their probation. Court records show Talamantes had two prior DWI cases on his record and the most recent one ended with unsatisfactory termination of probation. Court records show the second DWI was in 2014. Court records show he was brought back to jail twice, had his “SOBER court conditions amended” and given an extra day in jail as punishment. Court records show a second judge tried to get Crawford to comply with all conditions, before voluntarily recusing himself from the case.

KPRC reviewed thousands of felony cases where a probationer was “unsatisfactorily” terminated from their probation. The term is a point of debate between victim’s rights advocates and Harris County judges seeking to strike a balance between justice and punishment. According to data obtained from the Harris County District Clerk’s Office, there have been 7,133 cases of “unsatisfactory” termination of probation cases filed over the last 10 years in felony courts. Court records show Talamantes had two prior DWI cases on his record and the most recent one ended with “unsatisfactory” termination of probation. KPRC is still speaking with victims involved in “unsat” cases to hear their impact and compiling which courts have seen the greatest number of these cases.

HOUSTON – The mother of Travion Thompson, the man charged in connection of 2-year-old Maliyah Bass’ death, said both her son and his girlfriend, Sahara Ervin, belong behind bars for their involvement. The couple is accused of killing and then dumping the child’s body in a storm drain in Houston. “I’m mad because I want to hurt both of them because I feel violated,” said Thompson’s mother Angel Harris. I feel betrayed.”While Harris is the not biologically related to Maliyah she said she loved the little girl as though she was her granddaughter. “A part of me wanted to believe that somebody had took my baby off that playground,” Harris said.

HOUSTON – A Houston man has been indicted on federal charges following his release on eight bonds while facing numerous charges in Harris County. Court records show Opoku was released on several bonds while facing charges, including capital murder and possession of child pornography. A bond violation report dated Aug. 17 noted Opoku was placed under the supervision of Harris County Pretrial Services on June 26. Before a hearing could be held on whether to revoke Opoku’s bond, he was hit with federal charges and taken into custody. This is the third time KPRC 2 reported on a person released on multiple bonds in Harris County, who is then later hit with federal charges.

While a federal lawsuit addressed inequities in misdemeanor cases, the way bond in felony cases is handled remains in dispute. Kahan said his research found 42 such defendants in murder cases since 2018. Many in law enforcement, including Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, have been particularly critical of a system allowing those accused of crimes to be released on multiple bonds. “We have people that have been booked for murder, charged with murder, released while charged with murder and murdering again,” said Acevedo. 9 similar defendantsHere is a closer look at the similar bond cases that Channel 2 Investigates found.

Community leaders are calling for more to be done to help domestic violence survivors, who are suffering from violent partners that may be out on bond. Harris County Sheriffs deputies said Curtis Allen Holliday killed his wife, Chi Thi Lien Le, who has been missing since April 3. Domestic violence amid a pandemicKahan said the pandemic is a concern for domestic violence survivors, who may not have a way to leave or seek resources for a potentially dangerous situation. Khan said more needs to be done to protect these victims from spouses who are out on felony bonds. Anyone seeking domestic violence resources can visit: www.crime-stoppers.org/domestic-violence/

HOUSTON – Despite the growing number of jail inmates testing positive for COVID-19, officials with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office believe mass testing is helping slow the spread of the virus behind bars. “We are not seeing an increase in the number of those who are actually sick,” said Jason Spencer, with HCSO. Spencer said 593 inmates have tested positive, 150 are asymptomatic and 14 have been hospitalized. Spencer said 220 members of the jail staff have tested positive, 80 have returned to work. In fact, Spencer said the number of employees returning to work now outpaces those testing positive for the virus.

HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued an order for the sheriff to begin releasing certain non-violent inmates from the county jail as soon as possible. The judge’s order does also require inmates to be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and cleared by a medical professional before release. "Before anyone is released, prosecutors, defense attorneys, Harris County Pretrial Services, and the Harris County Justice Administration Department will review each individual case to verify the person qualifies. Even during the public health crisis of COVID-19, HCSO officers and staff bravely serve every day to keep Harris County safe. Pre-Trial Releases:6,303 are currently in the Harris County Jail awaiting trial.