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Last modified: December 1, 2008

Sam Andregg dodges the Desert Journal camera while crossing the hall from the Sierra County Detention Facility, where he’s being held without bond, to make his first appearance in district court Thursday afternoon. Sarah Adregg sits calmly in court Thursday awaiting to hear the charges being leveled against her in the Dave Johnson murder case.
Photos by Bill Johnson

Two arrested in Johnson murder case

  By Bill Johnson of the Desert Journal

  Sam Andregg, 24, of Truth or Consequences, wept as he pleaded “not guilty” Thursday afternoon to first degree murder and other charges related to the April 21 stabbing death of David Johnson at his T or C home nearly five months ago.

Sam Andregg’s younger sister, Sarah Andregg, 23, remained mute and District Judge Kevin Sweazea entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf on charges stemming from the Johnson case, but murder was not among them.

Both Andreggs appeared in the district court in T or C for their first appearances Thursday after their arrests earlier in the week.

Criminal investigators of New Mexico State Police arrested Sam Andregg at about 11 p.m. Tuesday in an Albuquerque apartment complex and arrested Sarah Andregg at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at a Los Lunas residence, according to Sgt. Rich Libicer of NMSP’s Criminal Investigation Division in Las Cruces.

Libicer said Thursday morning he couldn’t comment on specific details surrounding the case. He said the affidavits and warrants have been sealed by Judge Sweazea pending the completion of the state police’s ongoing investigation.

“Our concern was to do the best job we could do and bring closure to the case for the people of Sierra County,” Libicer said.

Judge Sweazea set no bond for Sam Andregg because of capital murder provisions but set bond at $100,000 all cash for Sarah Andregg. The judge said that in the event bond is posted, Sarah Andregg is to remain under house arrest until disposition of her case.

Where charges were filed isn’t clear since the district court clerk said she didn’t have the criminal complaints on hand as of Thursday after the court appearances of both Andreggs.

Charges usually would be filed in magistrate court, where first appearances also are held, but the district court picked up the slack with the closing of the magistrate court this week while its personnel attend the annual statewide conference for judges and court clerks.

Judge Sweazea read the charges in court with Sam Adregg accused of one count each of first degree murder, third degree unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, larceny under $250, tampering with evidence and conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence. The last three charges are fourth degree felonies.

Sweazea said Sam Andregg, if convicted of the murder charge, faces either a death penalty or life in prison.

Charges leveled against Sarah Andregg include a count each of disposing of stolen property over $2,500, a third degree felony; tampering with evidence and conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, both fourth degree felonies; and making a false report, a misdemeanor. If convicted of all four charges she could face seven years less one day in prison, according to Sweazea.

Deputy District Attorney June Stein asked the judge to consider Sarah Andregg as a flight risk and requested no bond be set. “She was arrested Wednesday because the state was warned she was leaving the jurisdiction,” Stein said in court.

Sarah Andregg’s attorney, Steve Ryan, asked the judge to release her to her father’s custody because of the hardship involving her small children. “Her father isn’t here (in court today) because he wasn’t notified,” Ryan said.

Judge Sweazea decided instead to set bond at $100,000 with provisions for house arrest once bond is posted.

Both Andreggs said they couldn’t afford to hire their own attorneys. Judge Sweazea said hearings on their indigence will be held at a later date to determine whether they qualify for the services of the Public Defenders Office.

Sarah Andregg during an interview at the Desert Journal’s office the week after the murder occurred April 21 denied that she or her brother had any role in the murder of Johnson, a 47-year-old retired attorney who opened a ceramic shop on Main Street several months before he was killed at his home at 500 N. Riverside Drive in T or C.

Johnson was stabbed repeatedly sometime early that Saturday morning after an apparent night of bar hopping between Rocky’s, Raymond’s and the Pine Knot where acquaintances last saw him alive.

City police, who initially investigated the case with state police assistance, said a struggle had occurred in Johnson’s home where glass was broken and plants, pots and stereo speakers were overturned. The bedroom was ransacked with drawers dumped on the floor and their contents strewn about.

A friend of the victim reported that Johnson’s Isuzu Trooper was missing from the residence. The Trooper was discovered a couple of days after the incident in a ravine off Interstate 25 about four and a half miles north of T or C.

During the Desert Journal interview, Sarah Andregg said she had been questioned by police after she drove her brother, who had been at the Pine Knot Bar the night that Johnson was killed, out of town to get a job.

She had said that police somehow connected her to the case after she reported a man in a white Bronco parked in her driveway and stared down her two small children the same night Johnson was killed. She said the Bronco returned Saturday evening but after that it apparently left town,

Sarah Andregg also had said that during questioning a detective described the crime scene in detail to her.

District Attorney Clint Wellborn said Thursday that some cases, such as the Johnson murder case, take longer to develop.

“The T or C Police Department took the case as far as they could (with its limited resources) and New Mexico State Police picked it up from there and found enough probable cause for the arrests,” Wellborn said.

“By being patient and NMSP following up leads, we had enough evidence to make the arrests,” the district attorney said.

“TCPD and NMSP did a good job on this case and we’re just thankful to make the arrests,” Wellborn said. “The investigation still is ongoing and NMSP is following up on leads.”

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City police & sheriff join high alert response

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

  Truth or Consequences police were on overtime until Thursday following Tuesday’s terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Acting T or C City Manager Mark Huntzinger said Wednesday the city increased its law enforcement presence following the attacks and has coordinated its actions with county, state and other area agencies.

“The idea was to have an increased presence, the more police people see the safer they’ll feel,” Huntzinger said.

Huntzinger said he contacted the hospital, veterans home, area schools, telephone company, Sierra Electric Cooperative and the Bureau of Reclamation  to assure and let all know that the city  has stepped up its vigilance.

“If things stay calm tonight (Wednesday), we’ll go back to normal schedules Thursday. But if all hell breaks loose, we’ll reevaluate,” Huntzinger said.

T or C Police Chief David Bryant Thursday morning said it had been very quiet in T or C since Tuesday, speculating that most people were staying home and watching TV to see what was going on in the world.

Bryant said city police would resume a normal schedule that day but will keep extra watches on water, wastewater and electrical facilities.

Sierra County Sheriff Terry Byers on Thursday morning said he had placed some extra personnel on duty following Tuesday’s attacks primarily for a threat assessment at Elephant Butte Dam.

Byers said both ends of the dam were closed to traffic and that a guard (BOR personnel) was placed at the dam’s gate.

Byers said both the Sheriff’s Office and the State Park maintained roving patrols in the area, which were relaxed as time passed and the threat diminished.

The sheriff said he was concerned about fuel supplies and made sure that all department vehicles were filled. Byers said he contacted fuel suppliers who said they foresaw no shortage and will not raise their prices.

Byers reported that the U.S. Forest Service’s Black Range Ranger District office in T or C closed Tuesday and Wednesday but was open again Thursday. He said the Post Office had taken extra precautions by securing its non-public doors. Byers said also the T or C National Guard Armory requested additional patrols having no personnel of their own at the facility.

Sheriff Byers said things have been quiet in the area the last couple of days and that official operations are largely returning to normal.

<<<   >>>

T or C folks respond to attack on America

By Vic Arvizu of the Desert Journal

  Question: What is your reaction to the terrorist attack on America?

Gloria Dines
T or C, NM

It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe that this can even happen in America.

Charles Porterfield
T or C, NM

I’m still in a state of shock at the fact that we really are at war.

James Culp
Grants, NM

I’m just planning to hang on to what money I have, and I think they should make them bastards pay if they can even find out who did it.

Wuanema Hyman
T or C, NM

It’s a really tragic thing that we didn’t do anything after the first bombing of the World Trade Center. I also believe it is definitely the work of more than just four or five people - possibly even a whole community living and training in the United States.

Jim Smith
Williamsburg, NM

I think they should bomb the hell out of Afghanistan.

Brian Trego
T or C, NM

I think it’s a conspiracy to raise oil prices on a national level.

Don Velzy
Williamsburg, NM

You have to follow the money, who benefited the most from all of this…

Gail Spencer
T or C, NM

I’m just shocked, speechless and stunned. After that comes anger.

<<<   >>>

“Grandma” Flossie is everywhere you look when it comes to the kids in the community. Here she shares a happy moment with fourth grade students at the T or C Elementary School Library.
Photo by Bill Johnson

Flossie: true friend to school children

  By Carol Main of the Desert Journal

“Kitty, Kitty, I am going to school,” yelled my young friend, Nicole, as I walked into my neighbor’s yard.

C.M.: “You are? When?”

Nicole: “Already. To Kin-der-gar-ten. And I am going to learn to read and to write, and to do everything Uncle Michael does. And I know I don’t say ‘kinergarden’ anymore.

“I know because my new friend Flossie said so. It’s kin-der-gar-ten where I go.”

C.M.: And who is this new friend of yours, this Flossie?”

Nicole: “You know, the Book Lady Flossie.”

Yes, I do know Flossie Roberts.

Every Sierra County elementary school student, most students’ parents, and many of us other people know Flossie Roberts.

Flossie, the “Book Lady” to some children, the “Food Lady” to others, chairperson of the Parent Teacher Organization, ex-Tiger Booster Club member, ex-School Board member, a major force behind keeping the Arrey Elementary School open.

Flossie Roberts, School Volunteer

“My friend, Mary Salinas,” Roberts said, “started me volunteering.

“Years ago she asked me to help with popping pop corn at TCES (T or C Elementary School).

“We popped hundreds of bags of corn on Friday mornings to sell in the afternoons and I loved it.

“After the popping corn, I started helping in the TCES cafeteria, selling candy bars, cookies and ice cream sandwiches, and later helped with the salad bar.”

Roberts still helps out in the cafeteria, “whenever they need me,” but now she primarily works in the school libraries and helps with scholastic book fairs.

Roberts works in the TCES Library Tuesday through Friday and spends Monday in the library at Arrey.

“The Arrey school library,” Roberts said, “is only open on Monday and Thursday.

“I worked hard during my 15 years and eight months on the school board to keep the Arrey school open for the children of that community.

“The classes are smaller there and that way the children can have one-on-one instruction.

“It is a small happy family school and I love volunteering there.

“The children know that if they bring back the books on Monday that they checked out on Thursday they can get another one. It is so much fun,” she said.

About scholastic book fairs, Roberts said, “We have spring and fall book fairs where students and parents can buy new books right off the shelves so the children will get interested in reading.

“The money we make goes for playground equipment and other things the schools need.

“During the fall sale, the fourth and fifth grade teachers get a percentage of books for their classrooms and the TCES Library gets a percentage.

“We also try to fill a book wish list from the teachers, and people are encouraged to buy a book and donate it to a classroom.

“We always keep the book fair open,” Roberts said, “on parent-teacher conference day.”

TCES is not the only school to benefit from book fairs.

“We hold,” Roberts said, “one fair a year at TCMS (T or C Middle School) for the librarian and we even had four fairs at Arrey.

“I belonged to the Tiger Booster Club,” Roberts said, “because it was to help the athletes. And because I love children, I got involved.

“We helped purchase a video camera, pads for the gymnasium, shoes, insurance, meals, whatever the coaches needed, and we held a banquet every year.

“To get this money,” Roberts said, “we ran the concession stand at the ball park (and cleaned it), plus we had enchilada dinners, sold rifle raffle tickets at the fair, and the old group even washed cars to raise whatever money was needed.”

Roberts and her retired U.S. Army husband moved to Truth or Consequences in 1964, and here they raised seven children (three girls, four boys) and Roberts said, “We have exactly the same number of grandchildren, three girls and four boys.”

In her spare time, Roberts said she “attends all of the sports games that I can.”

<<<   >>>

“Book Lady” Flossie Roberts, volunteer at the T or C Elementary School Library, is quick to assist students with their needs and always with a beautiful smile. Above, she helps a student in the fourth grade class of Mrs. Roberts Tuesday afternoon.
Photo by Bill Johnson

Layoffs possible, says city manager

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

Acting Truth or Consequences City Manager Mark Huntzinger Monday evening announced to city commissioners that he is seriously considering laying off some city employees in order to get the city’s general and utility funds up to the levels they need to be so the city can submit a budget to Santa Fe for final approval.

“I was very reluctant to look at that option but I don’t see where we can save to the point where it wouldn’t be necessary,” Hunt-zinger said.

Huntzinger said he had met with Human Resources Director Rose Scott to discuss the process of laying off some city employees. He said also he’ll need City Attorney Jay Rubin to research labor laws in case the option becomes necessary.

Huntzinger reminded commissioners that he must find $850,000 in savings so that the city’s general fund will be at its statutory minimum and the utility fund will have about $100,000 at the end of this fiscal year.

Commissioners during their Aug. 27 meeting approved Huntzinger’s proposal to leave recently vacated city jobs vacant and not fill some new positions planned for this year. Not filling these jobs will save the city $200,000 this year, Huntzinger said.

Huntzinger said he has since discussed with city department heads other means of saving money and that their last rough number is $500,000 still needed to have a budget that can be submitted to Santa Fe.

Huntzinger said commissioners’ agreement earlier in Monday’s meeting to borrow less money from the New Mexico Finance Authority than originally planned and limit major vehicle and equipment purchases to one bucket truck and one new police car this year will “give us some money but it isn’t half a million.”

Huntzinger said Wednesday the smaller loan and not purchasing four more police cars, two or three compact pickup trucks, a large equipment jack, and a carpool vehicle as planned will save the city about $36,000 this year.

City management will consider purchasing used police cars from Salt Lake City as it has in the past, he said.

Huntzinger would not say what specific job layoffs he’s considering but will present layoffs, reducing certain employees (not including police, sanitation, water, wastewater and electric workers or grant-paid employees) from 40 to 32 hours a week and the elimination of certain positions altogether as options to city commissioners in a special meeting next week.

<<<   >>>

Who wants to be a city manager?

Three dozen apply for T or C’s top post

  By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

  The City of Truth or Consequences by Tuesday morning received 36 applications for the position of city manager following Sam Isom’s recent resignation.

Having advertised the position in local, Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces newspapers, the New Mexico Municipal League’s Municipal Reporter and on GovernmentJobs.com, the city has received resumes from would-be managers all over the country.

Some applicants’ resumes show city management experience while other applicants’ job experiences bear little or no resemblance to those of a city manager.

But at $60,000 a year, it seems to be worth a shot.

Following is a list of applicants’ names, city and state of residence along with current and some past positions:

·                Kevin L. Hagen, Arlington, VA - National Program Manager for REDRESS Program for US Postal Service; Special Projects Team Member, US State Dept.; Protocol Officer, Centennial Olympic Games.

·                Jeremy S. Barclay, Chappell, NE - Auditor II, Dept. Finance and Administration, City of South Bend, IN; Intern, Dept. of Community and Economic Development, City of Fayette, MO.

·                Santiago Ruiz, Albuquerque, NM - Comptroller and Finance Director, Universal Printing Co.; SS Ruiz & Associates, public accounting, tax consulting and bookkeeping; Manager of Financial Analysis and Budgets, Digital Equipment Corp.

·                Peter L. Drinkwater, Palmdale, CA - oversaw expansion of Ontario, CA International Airport; planned and executed $14.5 in airfield, control tower and other projects for a production flight test installation in Palmdale, CA.

·                Barry Levitch, Scottsdale, AZ - Deputy Director, Administrative Service Division; Dept. of Health Services; Budget Director, Dept. of Transportation (all State of Arizona).

·                Michael Hansen, Salt Lake City, UT - Strategic Planner, Utah Transit Authority; Long Range Planner, Salt Lake County.

·                Thomas J. Bates, Silver City, NM - Manager, City of Silver City.

·                J. Gregory Buckley, Claremore, OK - Assistant to City Manager and Public Works Director, Claremore; City Manager, Dewey, OK.

·                Thomas Preston, Orlando, FL - Economics and Finance Teacher, University of Central Florida; Finance Director, Clerk of the Courts, Orange County, FL.

·                Frank Ruvio, San Marcos, CA - Director of Engineering Services, Technology Integration Group, San Diego, CA; CACI Software Development, La Jolla, CA.

·                Frank V. Ruvio, Charitown, IA - City Administrator, Mulvane, KS; Assistant City Engineer, Garden City, KS.

·                Nicholas G. Curtis, Prospect Hill, NC - Acting Budget and Management Services Director and Emergency Informantion System Adminstrator, City of Durham, NC.

·                Ronald W. Baker, Waco, TX - Municipal Services Director, City of Waco, TX; Budget Director, City of Las Cruces, NM.

·                Murad A. Zikri, Upland, CA - Adjunct Professor, University of the Redlands; Business Instructor, A.D. Banker & Co., Pasadena, CA.

·                Scott L. Woods, Dallas, OR - Internet Sales Manager, Ron Tonkin Acura, Beaverton, OR; Dept. of Public Safety Standards & Training, Monmouth, OR; Chief of Police, Sappoose, OR.

·                William E. Sizemore, Lemoore, CA - City Administrator, City of Madras; Manager, Town of Chino Valley; City Administrator, City of Beloit.

·                Arthur M. Holst, Philadelphia, PA - Government Affairs Manager, Philadelphia Water Dept.; Betsy Ross House Executive Director, Philadelphia.

·                Michale R. Nettles, East Ridge, TN - self-employed as construction and utility consultant; owner of magazine/newsstand and coffee shop; City Manager of East Ridge, TN, Milton, FL, and St. Marys, GA.

·                Kenneth W. Hallcom, Miami, FL - Facilities Project Manager, University of Miami; Director of Facilities, Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Birthplace, Yorba Linda, CA; Facilities Foreman, Hughes Aircraft, Fullerton CA.

·                Robert L. Werling, Longview, TX - Program Manager, Sam Houston State University; Teacher, Longview High School; Police Officer, Longview PD.

·                Dan Corkran, Montgomery, AL - Managing Director, World Championship Fishing, B.A.S.S. Inc.; National Federation Director, B.A.S.S.

·                A. Bruce Trego, Elgin, IL - President of Town Management Associates, Elgin; Director of Community Development, City of Naperville, IL.

·                Lanny Sloan, Salmon, ID - Salmon City Administrator; Public Works Director, Cities of Coos Bay, OR and Jerome, ID.

·                Jack Yates, Oklahoma City, OK - City Administrator, Barling, AR; Town Administrator, Palisade, CO; City Manager, Piedmont, OK.

·                Thomas Pregmon, 814 Area Code - Clearfield Area School District (no job title given).

·                Garrison L. Hale, Annandale, MN - City Manager, Springfield, MN; County Coordinator and Personnel Director, Todd County, MN; Park Rapids, City Administrator, MN.

·                Bryan R. H. Chodowski, Mattawan, MI - Village Manager/Clerk, Mattawan; Village Administrator, Anna OH.

·                Brian P. Kelley, Sarasota Springs, UT - Assistant to Chief Administrative Officer, Sandy City, UT; Material Management Coordiantor, City Hospital, Brigham, UT.

·                Sean A. Gifford, Chandler, AZ - Claims and Operations Manager, Eye Care of America, Phoenix, AZ; Account Manager, clients including Kraft, American Legion, Potomac Power and Electric; Pharmacy Technician.

·                Stephen A. Nash, Trinity, FL - Emergency Management, Pinellas County, FL; Assistant Director, St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport.

·                James Barner, Albuquerque, NM - Administrative Manager, Albuquerque PD; Director, Records Division, Albuquerque PD; Operations Manager, Technology Specialties Inc.

·                Gordon Smith, Clovis, NM - System Manager, Cox Communications, Cooke CableVision and McCaw CableVision.

·                Walter Kraften, Marianna, FL - Administrative Manager, Ken Craft Painting; Minority Supplier Development, Ford Motor Co.

·                Michael E. Robinson, Elephant Butte, NM - Owner, Robinson & Co.; PPG Industries Area Manager, Albuquerque.

·                Adrian Mitchell, Santa Fe, NM - Federal Royalty Auditor, NM Taxation and Revenue; Accountant.

·                David Shepherd, Shaker Heights, OH - Executive Staff Member, Cuyohoga Metropolitan Housing Authority; Commander, US Army.

Though Acting City Manager Mark Huntzinger said he would like the job himself, his application was not among those the city had received by Tuesday morning.

Huntzinger said Wednesday he needs to update his resume and organize his references before submitting his application.

The city will accept applications for the manager’s job until Oct. 30. City commissioners are expected to make their hiring decision sometime in November.

<<<   >>>

A three-vehicle accident occurred late Thursday morning in front of the law offices of Filosa & Filosa on Main Street in T or C. Traffic was re-routed through the downtown area while police investigated the cause of the accident. Apparently the small pickup and large truck collided before the pickup struck the side of Tony Filosa’s parked car. No injuries resulted.
Photo by Bill Johnson

Two warrants of lien & levy
against employers explained

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

  Two warrants of levy and lien from the New Mexico Department of Labor were filed Sept. 4 with the Sierra County Clerk’s office.

One warrant is against the City of Truth or Consequences; the second names the City, the Village of Williamsburg and Sierra County. Both state that they are for the purpose of satisfying contributions, interest and penalties pursuant to the provisions of New Mexico’s unemployment compensation law.

Department of Labor attorney Rebecca Wardlaw on Tuesday said the warrants are DOL’s final determination that state unemployment taxes are due. Wardlaw said DOL’s computer automatically generates the warrants after DOL has recieved no responses to its initial form letters to tax-owing employers.

Wardlaw said the warrant naming T or C only, and demanding payment of $300, is for penalties after the city had filed its unemployment taxes late for six quarterly periods, most recently the period ending March 31, 2001.

“I assume they (the city) will take care of it,” Wardlaw said.

Acting City Manager Mark Huntzinger said Wednesday he’s not sure what went wrong. Huntzinger said the city files its employment taxes through an organization in Colorado and doesn’t know if the city failed to make its filings and payments on time or if the Colorado outfit failed to do so.

Huntzinger said the city will pay the $300 penalty and will try to recover that amount from the intermediary in Colorado if it proves that they dropped the ball.

The warrant naming the city, county and village actually is for the Sierra Joint Office on Aging, Wardlaw said.

SJOA Director Ken James’ best guess as to why the three entities are named is that they created SJOA in 1974 in accordance with federal regulations in setting up the agency.

James said the city, county, village and state help support SJOA but that SJOA is independent of these entities, acts as its own fiscal agent and is responsible for its taxes.

James said also that according to SJOA’s accountant, SJOA’s employment taxes are paid up and, he added, they will contact DOL to tell them so. He said SJOA will resolve the situation without any big problems.

James said a DOL notice of Aug. 15 states that SJOA owes $1,900.28. The warrant filed on Sept. 4 says SJOA owes $2,045.17. James speculated that the difference reflects additional penalties or interest.

SJOA accountant Bill Thrash said that though SJOA had already paid its unemployment taxes, he has issued a check to DOL for $1,900.28 as demanded in DOL’s August letter.

Thrash said he will expect reimbursement from DOL for that amount, or most of it anyway, because two checks previously written to DOL hadn’t cleared.

“But who knows whose fault that is?” Thrash asked.

<<<   >>>

A two-car collision Monday afternoon in the 1500 block of North Date Street resulted in injuries to the drivers of both cars as their vehicles spun well off the roadway into the vacant lot across from the Lakeway Shopping Center. Emergency personnel pull one of the injured drivers from the driver’s seat onto a backboard for transport via Sierra Ambulance Service.
Photo by Bill Johnson  

Local woman arrested on fraud & forgery charges

Desert Journal Staff Report

  A 42-year-old Williamsburg woman was arrested Sunday, Sept. 9, by the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office on multiple charges of fraud and forgery for allegedly forging checks on a dead man’s bank account and cashing worthless checks on her own account.

The criminal complaint was filed Sept. 10 in magistrate court against Paula J. Mays of Route 31 Box 57 by Truth or Consequences police and includes three counts of third-degree forgery and nine counts of fourth-degree fraud by worthless check.

The court set bail bond at $50,000 for Mays. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for her at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, in the Sierra County Magistrate Court before Judge Tom Pestak. Mays pled not guilty Monday during her first appearance in court.

The alleged three forged checks amounting to a total of $960.88 were written on the First National Bank account of Rick L. Lunsford between Aug. 21 and Sept. 6, with all of the checks passed at Bullock’s Grocery in T or C, according to the criminal complaint.

The forgery charges stem from Mays allegedly making false signatures on Lunsford’s checks.

The fraud by worthless check charges were connected to a State National Bank account for which Mays had insufficient funds to cover the nine checks she issued for a total amount of $1,284.41, according to the criminal complaint.

T or C police officer Willy Kerin received a report of forgery at Bullock’s Grocery on Sept. 6. Store owner Butch Bullock told Kerin another check had been cashed at his store on the same account the day before. He told the officer a bank official found that the account had been closed and that the account holder – Lunsford - was deceased, the complaint said.

Mays had purchased $260.88 worth of groceries and signed a check using Lunsford’s name. The checker asked for Mays’ driver’s license and took the license and check to Bullock, who then called police knowing that Lunsford had died.

“Mays then attempted to grab the license from Mr. Bullock but was unsuccessful in doing so,” according to the officer’s affidavit for an arrest warrant. Mays however left the store although Bullock tried to keep her there while waiting for police to arrive.

Store employees told police that Mays on Sept. 4 and 5 passed two other checks, the first for $400 and the second one for $300, which she also signed using Lunsford’s name, the affidavit alleges.

<<<   >>>