Left Five Children

Kaufman County district attorney and wife found shot to death in home

Kaufman County district attorney Mike McLelland is the second official to bemurdered.
Photo courtesy of Kaufman County
Assistant DA Mark Hasse was slain outside the Kaufman County Courthouse inJanuary.
texasancestors.com

Another Kaufman County law enforcement individual was murdered brutally. District attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia Woodward McLelland, were found shot to death in their home on Saturday.

Kaufman County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Justin Lewis confirmed to Fox that the couple was found dead. Their shooting follows the January 31 murder of assistant district attorney Mark Hasse outside the Kaufman County Courthouse. Hasse, a prosecutor, worked for McLellan; no arrests have been made. Kaufman County Crimestoppers has a $100,000 reward for information leading to his killers.

According to the Kaufman Herald, the sheriff's office and Texas Rangers were seeking similarities to Hasse's murder. The Herald also reported that the FBI was comparing Hasse's shooting to that of Tom Clements, the executive director of Colorado prisons who was shot and killed at his home on March 19. The gun used to kill Clements was used in a shoot-out in Decatur, Texas, by Evan Spencer Ebel, 28, a member of a white supremacist gang who was killed by Texas deputies on March 21.

Kaufman County was one of a battalion of agencies that worked on a major bust of 34 members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, who were indicted on federal racketeering charges in October 2012. In December, Texas officials issued a bulletin warning that the Aryan Brotherhood was "actively planning retaliation against law enforcement officials" involved in prosecuting the case.

Neighbors told the Dallas Morning News that they heard loud noises from the McLellands' house on Friday; the front door had been kicked in. WFAA reported that McLellan's body was found in a hallway, perhaps trying to escape, while Cynthia was found in a front room in their house.

McLellan, who was 63, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and served 23 years in the army, with a stint at Desert Storm. Prior to his 2010 election as DA, he practiced law for 18 years as a criminal defense attorney, mental health judge, and special prosecutor for Family and Protective Services. Cynthia, 65, worked as a psychiatric nurse at Terrell State Hospital. They had five children, two daughters and three sons, one a Dallas police officer.

Anyone with information on the murder of the McLellands or Mark Hasse can contact Crimestoppers at 1-877-TIPSKCC (847-7522).

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Flood Response

New relief fund launches for 2026 Texas Hill Country flood victims

People look out at flood on July 16, 2026 in Center Point, Texas

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The same foundation that collected more than $60 million for the 2025 floods has launched a new fund for 2026.

Texans looking to support Hill Country neighbors affected by floods over the past few days can turn to the same organization they did for the July 2025 floods: The Community Foundation of the Hill Country has launched a new Texas Hill Country Flood Relief Fund that is accepting donations now.

The foundation emphasizes that the two funds are distinct (last year's was called the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund), so donors should note that their contributions will specifically go toward Hill Country residents affected by the current floods. The money raised will offer emergency assistance and long-term recovery support.

According to the Associated Press, nearly 1 trillion gallons of water fell on the three hardest-hit Texas counties over three days — enough to fill 1.5 million Olympic-sized swimming pools or supply 11 million homes for a year. First responders rushed to save people trapped in high waters Friday, as more heavy rain widened the danger from floods that have killed at least two people and left hundreds more in need of rescue.

Earlier in the week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster in 59 counties including Travis to help emergency services respond quickly.

Although many regional businesses, churches, and other groups organized donations for the 2025 floods, the Community Foundation was the main entity holding and distributing funds. The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund totaled more than $60 million by the end of that July.

"Our hearts break that the Texas Hill Country is once again facing catastrophic flooding. Just one year after the devastating July 2025 floods, many of our neighbors are again in harm's way," said Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country CEO Austin Dickson. "People from across Texas and around the world came together to help Kerr County begin the long road to recovery. As first responders and local and state officials continue their response efforts, the Community Foundation's role is to help ensure communities have the philanthropic resources they need to recover in the weeks, months and years ahead."

Left Five Children

Kaufman County district attorney and wife found shot to death in home

Flood Response

New relief fund launches for 2026 Texas Hill Country flood victims

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