‘It was getting kind of ugly’: Grieving mother remembers daughter who was killed by her husband in murder-suicide
A grieving mother is speaking out after her daughter was killed by her estranged husband. Huntsville police say Tianne Jones was shot and killed by Roy Wasbotten, who took his own life after the shooting on Summer Lane, on March 8.
Man convicted of quadruple murder in 1992 executed in Huntsville
Thirty-one years after the murders of four people inside a southwest Houston home, one of the men convicted of the crime was executed in Huntsville. Arthur Brown, Jr. was one of three men convicted of what was dubbed the “Brownstone Lane Murders.”
Texas executes former Missouri City public safety officer for 1994 murder of estranged wife
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.
🔒Texas executions: KPRC 2′s Robert Arnold shares details of the death chamber, stories from his extensive coverage of state’s harshest penalty
KPRC 2 investigative reporter Robert Arnold has covered multiple executions throughout his career in journalism. Here are some recollections of his coverage, from the details of the death chamber to the strangest moment he's ever experienced watching an execution.
More heat = more water
One year ago today, as we all remember, turned out to be one miserable, cold day with temperatures ranging from 1° in Huntsville to 13° in Houston to 20° in Galveston. I’ve talked before about that kind of arctic blast being ‘generational’ or something we can expect every thirty years. For climate study, thirty years is a good benchmark to get an indication of how the climate is changing (or not changing, for that matter). Climate Central has just published a study comparing average precipitation from 1981-2010 and 1991-2020. Granted there is an overlap there, but interesting to note how much more precipitation (in green) is being recorded across our part of Texas to the north and northeast, while southwest and western areas are seeing less (in brown). Take a look at this map.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Thousands of dollars missing from man’s bank account
Thousands of dollars were allegedly stolen out of a Huntsville man’s bank account and the bank said he may not get the money back. KPRC 2 Investigates is looking into check washing fraud and what you can do to protect your money.
Cold Conroe Explained
It seems like every time we show the morning lows, Conroe looks to be the coldest spot around and sometimes colder than ten degrees than other places nearby, like Tomball and Huntsville. For instance, this morning Conroe came in at 48° while Huntsville reported 61° and Tomball reported 53°.
Inspector general reviews Trump relocation of Space Command
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)DENVER – The Department of Defense's inspector general announced Friday that it was reviewing the Trump administration's last-minute decision to relocate U.S. Space Command from Colorado to Alabama. “Moving Space Command will disrupt the mission while risking our national security and economic vitality,” the senators said in a joint statement. We fully support the investigation.”Among other duties, the Space Command enables satellite-based navigation and troop communication and provides warning of missile launches. The Space Command differs from the U.S. Space Force, launched in December 2019 as the first new military service since the Air Force was created in 1947. The Space Command is not an individual military service but a central command for militarywide space operations.
Celebrate Black History Month at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Sam Houston Memorial Museum is celebrating Black History Month with a special exhibit for the month of February. According to the museum website, the exhibit features photos, documents and artifacts never featured in the past. The museum hopes to continue honoring their legacy to Sam Houston and those who lived to contribute to his story. You can see the exhibit now until Feb. 28 at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum located next to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Admission is $9 for adults, $4 seniors 65 and older, and $3 for children ages 3-12.
Send some love: How to give to local isolated seniors this Valentine’s Day
CONROE, Texas – Two local Firehouse Subs locations hope to bring smiles to nursing home residents isolated during the coronavirus pandemic. Both locations, 235 I-45 South, Suite A in Huntsville and 3021 I-45 North in Conroe are running the Silver Valentine Donation Drive from now until Valentine’s Day, inviting guests to donate traditional Valentine’s gifts and comfort items. “We wanted to continue this support for our local senior citizens especially, and show them they’re cared for even if they are unable to spend quality time with others right now,” said Jill Jackson, Firehouse Subs franchise manager in a news release. Guests can drop off items at either or both restaurant locations during business hours between 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Items accepted are blankets, activity books, socks, slippers, and traditional Valentine’s Day gifts such as teddy bears.
Wind Advisory Expanded for all of Southeast Texas Until 6 p.m.
HOUSTON – A Wind Advisory that has been expanded for all of Southeast Texas starts at 9 a.m. and will last through 6 p.m.Wind AdvisoryWith gusty northwest winds and temperatures close to 60 degrees it will fee cool Friday. Expect winds to relax Friday night but cooler temperatures will be sticking around. Seasonably cool weather will continue through the week. 10 day forecastPast the holiday weekend weather becomes unsettled. Enjoy our quiet weather before the rain arrives next week!
US Space Command site to be located in Huntsville, Alabama
The U.S. Air Force is expected to announce Huntsville, Ala. as the location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters, according to Gov. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday that the new U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Huntsville, Alabama, after the state was selected over five others competing for the project, including Colorado, where Space Command is provisionally located. The role of Space Command is to conduct operations such as enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches. That is different from the Space Force, which is a distinct military service like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. “I couldn’t be more pleased to learn that Alabama will be the new home to the United States Space Command,” Alabama Republican Gov.
Snow day in Texas: Huntsville residents wake up to landscape dressed in white
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – As we cruised around Huntsville late Monday morning, no snow was falling from the sky, but much of the area was covered in white powder. Two words came to mind: snow day. Morales wanted to film a Huntsville landscape dressed in white. It seemed most people had their fun Sunday night as the snow was falling. However, whether you came out Monday or made your snowman Sunday night, this snow day will long be remembered.
VIDEOS: See what KPRC 2 reporters saw as snow fell across Texas
A winter blast swept across central and southeast Texas, including parts of the Houston-area. This marked the first taste of the winter season this year. In College Station, residents are dealing with slippery roads and nearing record snowfall for today’s date. Some people pulled over on the side of the road to build a snowman, start a snowball fight or take photos. Here is what some of KPRC 2 reporters saw as snow fell across Texas:TomballHuntsvilleMadison CountyCollege StationSpring, Texas
Texas had fewest executions since 1996 due to pandemic
Texas juries also issued their fewest new death sentences since 1974, as the pandemic shut down trials, according to a year-end report by the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. The number of death sentences and executions in Texas and across the U.S. has been steadily decreasing over the last two decades. Texas executions peaked in 2000, when 40 people were put to death. Garza has pledged to not seek death sentences and to review all post-conviction death penalty cases for any legal or evidentiary issues. Black people, who account for about 13% of the state’s population, make up more than 44% of Texas death row inmates.
Walker County man facing up to 30 years for child porn and cyberstalking, authorities say
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – A Walker County man is now in custody after an investigation led authorities to find child pornography in his possession, according to a news release. Officials said a criminal complaint was filed against Huntsville man, Kody Nicholas Bohac, 22, that says he was stalking a woman in another state. When she did not respond, Bohac followed through on his threat and shared the images, authorities said. The criminal complaint said that officials had executed a search warrant in connection with a related matter, during which authorities found images and videos of child pornography on Bohac’s cell phone. Bohac was taken into custody and charged with cyberstalking and possessing child pornography and receiving child pornography.
Bracket Breakdown: VYPE's Favorites in Class 5A
We start in Class 5A where Fort Bend Marshall will try and make it to a third-straight title game. Class 5A Division II – The FavoritesFort Bend Marshall– The Buffs enter the playoffs with a 9-0 mark on the season and have absolutely obliterated their competition. The group is led by Joshua Ulmer (58 tackles), Tristin Drones-Mouton (43 tackles) and Laurence Tillman (36 tackles). Defensively, Trevon King led the group with 81 tackles (14 tackles for loss), followed by McCoy Casey's 68-tackle, 18-tackle-for-loss performance. Class 5A Division I – The FavoritesManvel Mavericks– Manvel reached the state quarterfinals a year ago before losing to Fort Bend Marshall.
Federal court orders Texas prison system to provide hand sanitizer for some geriatric inmates during pandemic
A federal judge ordered the Texas prison system on Tuesday to provide more protective measures against the coronavirus, like hand sanitizer for wheelchair-bound prisoners, at a prison for geriatric inmates. Texas has had more inmate deaths related to the coronavirus than any other prison system in the nation. Its death toll of at least 162 inmates outranks every other state as well as the federal prison system. More than 20 Texas prison employees have also died with the virus. The trial included testimony from several inmates, TDCJ officials and experts on health and prison conditions.
US Supreme Court halts Texas execution over clergy question
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Ruben Gutierrezs execution about an hour before he could have been executed. The Texas prison system last year banned clergy from the death chamber following a Supreme Court ruling that halted the execution of another inmate, Patrick Murphy, who had requested a Buddhist adviser be allowed in the chamber. Six executions scheduled in Texas for earlier this year were postponed by an appeals court or judges because of the outbreak. Gutierrezs attorneys had also sought a coronavirus-related delay but were turned down Friday by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has filed a brief with the high court in support of Gutierrez.
Statue of Confederate general at Texas A&M, Confederate monument in Huntsville vandalized
HOUSTON – A statue of a Confederate general in College Station and a Confederate monument in Huntsville have been vandalized in the past 24 hours. According to The Eagle, red spray paint was used to scrawl the word “racist” and the acronyms “BLM” and “ACAB” on the statue of Sul Ross on the campus of Texas A&M University. Ross was a Confederate general who went on to serve as the school’s president from 1891 to 1898. The Ross statue was dedicated in 1918 and is the oldest on campus, The Eagle reported. The paint was used to cover a Confederate flag and the words engraved into the stone, The Item reported.