Texas DA Killed 2 Months After Assistant
Texas District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia were shot and killed on Saturday just two months after McLelland's Assistant District Attorney, Mark Hasse, was killed across from the courthouse.
Right now there are no leads or suspects in the case that has rattled the Kaufman community and prosecutors across the nation. However, Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood believes there may be a connection between the McLelland and Hasse slayings.
The two apparently "worked on similar cases very closely," Wood told CNN. Someone may have held a grudge or been out for revenge.
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"That's the logical conclusion," Kaufman Mayor William Fortner told CNN. "I don't have any information that directs me to think that's the case, but that's what you would assume under the circumstances, since they targeted two people from our prosecutors."
The story is eerily similar to the death of Tom Clements, the prison chief of Colorado. He was shot by Evan Ebel, a young man who had a violent history and was kept in isolation while in prison. Police believe Ebel specifically targeted Clements out of revenge for his time in solitary confinement.
In Texas, authorities have offered 24-hour protection to District Attorneys throughout the state. While some turned it down, others such as fellow prosecutor Mike Anderson took the offer for his family.
"I think district attorneys across Texas are still in a state of shock," Anderson told the Associated Press.
After the death of Hasse, McLelland reportedly began carrying a gun with him everywhere, but it apparently was not enough to prevent his death this past weekend. Authorities found McLelland and Cynthia shot to death inside their home. They leave behind two daughters and three sons.
"It's going to have a chilling effect on people who do want to step into those roles and (have to think about whether to) start arming themselves. I mean, that's the risk that we're going to face now because of this happening," Attorney Pete Schulte told CNN.
