Crime News

Murdered 83-year-old woman had ties to Arlington police

The tragic case of an elderly woman's carjacking, kidnapping and murder just got another mysterious wrinkle as Arlington police reveal the 83-year-old was related to a retired member of the force.

Sergeant Vincent Pewitt confirmed the relationship as he addressed the media on Tuesday afternoon.

At about 8:30 am, an 83-year-old woman was driving a silver Lincoln sedan into her driveway in the 400 block of Sussex Drive when an unknown black male approached her vehicle. Pewitt says a neighbor witnessed the confrontation, in which the woman tried to fight back. The witness attempted to intervene and called 911.

The woman's body was found around 10 am in the 1900 block of Kimberly Drive. The cause of death is trauma to the head. The victim's name has not yet been released because her family hasn't been notified of her death. Pewitt says the loss is already affecting the department.

"It’s a traumatic event for us and also for the community," he said.

Around 11 am, Arlington police located the stolen Lincoln outside an apartment complex in the 200 block of Elm Point. The carjacker was nowhere to be found. Police are now processing evidence from the abandoned vehicle and canvassing the area. As of 3 pm, no suspect had been identified.

Pewitt described the attacker as a 200-pound, 6-foot tall black male last seen wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt.

"We do believe the person might still be in the area," Pewitt said.

Anyone with information on the crime should call 911 or the Arlington Police Department 817-459-5700.

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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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