Horrific Crimes

Wylie East High School students arrested in classmate's murder

A 17-year-old Wylie East High School student was killed Saturday night, and two of his classmates have been charged with first-degree murder. Senior Ivan Mejia's body was found by Garland police on March 8 after a 911 call about a suspicious vehicle near Firewheel Mall.

When police approached the area off Highway 78 and George Bush Tollway, they spotted two boys running away from the car. After the suspects returned to their vehicle, officers asked them what they were doing.

According to a statement from Wylie police Sgt. Donna Valdepena, one of the boys said, "We are burying a body."

The officers arrested the boys, both 16 years old. Mejia's body was found nearby, but the boys told police that they killed their classmate directly behind Wylie East High School on Bennett Road.

"The investigation does reveal the murder was preplanned," Valdepena said in the statement.

Because the suspects are juveniles, their names cannot be released at this time. During a phone interview with CultureMap Dallas, Valdepena said she could not release any further details on the case because it is an active investigation.

The horrific news of Mejia's death comes just days after another Wylie ISD student was reported missing while on an out-of-state school trip. Stephen Colbert, 15, was found unharmed on March 8.

In a statement, Wylie ISD spokesman Ian Halperin said Mejia's death was not related to any school activity:

The entire Wylie ISD community is shocked and saddened by this senseless act. We are cooperating with the police as they investigate, and we hope they will be able to provide us with some understanding of how this tragedy unfolded. This incident was not connected to any school or district-sponsored activity. We are notifying Wylie East parents, and we will have counselors available at the school next week.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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