Suspects are finally beginning to emerge in the wake of three high-profile murders in Kaufman County, including two of their top prosecutors.
District attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia Woodward McLelland, were shot to death in their home on April 30. Their shooting follows the January 31 murder of assistant district attorney Mark Hasse outside the Kaufman County Courthouse.
One suspect is a former official who has threatened McLelland and Hasse in the past.
Authorities are questioning a former local official who has threatened McLelland and Hasse in the past.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the individual, who has not been charged and is not being named for his own safety, was fired as the result of a "corruption probe" and allegedly levied a number of threats against other public officials.
The Times reports the man has previously been arrested for possession of stolen property and owns a variety of firearms, including an assault rifle.
A second person of interest was arrested on April 2 for leaving threatening messages on a tipline intended to gather information on the unsolved murders. Nick Morale, 56, is reportedly being held on $1 million bail in Kaufman County Jail.
Initial theories about a motive in the killings focused on white supremacist groups.
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.
Jay Hileman, an assistant U.S. Attorney based in Houston, stepped down as the lead prosecutor in the case on April 2 following the murders.
A memorial for Mike and Cynthia McLelland is scheduled for 1 pm April 4 at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church. Gov. Rick Perry and his wife, Anita, are expected to be among attendees.
Kaufman County district attorney Mike McLelland is the second official to be murdered.
