CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON FUGITIVE FRIDAY
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WANTED: Suspect responsible for murder
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Mother and her boyfriend indicted for capital murder in death of 8-year-old boy who sold muffins to help his family
A Houston couple has been indicted for capital murder in the death of an 8-year-old boy who died in a motel room bathtub after being severely beaten, handcuffed, and bound with duct tape in March 2021, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Friday.
“The way this little boy died is almost unthinkable and absolutely horrifying” Ogg said. “We believe he was handcuffed, bound at the ankles and legs with ligatures and duct-tape, had his mouth taped shut and was beaten so severely that he either died from blunt force trauma or suffocated on the blood from his broken teeth.”
The attack was carried out by the boy’s mother and her boyfriend, Ogg said.
Mother, Kayla Holzendorf, 25, and her boyfriend, Dominique Lewis, 29, were indicted Thursday by a Harris County grand jury for the incident on March 23, 2021.
The couple called 911 to say that Keyontae Holzendorf, 8, had drowned in the bathtub at the motel where they lived.
First responders with the Houston Police and Houston Fire departments arrived to find the boy was wet and there was steam was in bathroom, according to court records. Lewis had water on his clothes.
Emergency Medical Technicians performed CPR and the boy was transported to Texas Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had numerous new and old injuries on his body, including severe ligature marks on his ankles and wrists (from handcuffs), broken teeth, and large pieces of skin missing from his thigh, chest, upper arms, and genitalia, consistent with duct tape being ripped off frantically, according to court records.
The couple told police that the boy had not been to school in a year and a half and didn’t have any friends. Instead, they said, he spends his time with them and they begin their days by buying a large package of muffins from HEB, putting those muffins in a basket and then having the boy sell the muffins in the parking lot of Kroger by saying that his mom baked them.
“This is obvious child torture, and the evidence is clear that the defendants acted intentionally; it was capital murder,” said Assistant District Attorney Gilbert Sawtelle, who is prosecuting the case and is a chief in the DA’s child fatality division.
If convicted of capital murder for killing a child under the age of 10, both could face the death penalty or life in prison without the parole.
Decisions about whether to seek the death penalty are generally made by a committee of senior prosecutors months after a defendant has been charged.
The case was investigated by the Houston Police Department.
Felon gets 15 years for illegal possession of shotgun
A felon who wielded a shotgun as he demanded that space be cleared in the driveway of his girlfriend’s home in the Langwood neighborhood, so he could park his pickup truck, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Friday.
Ricardo Lemos Casares, 43, was sentenced after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a weapon and his fourth DWI.
“He has repeatedly proven himself to be a danger to society and now he is off the streets,” Ogg said. “He pulled out a gun to settle an argument and we are all lucky he didn’t pull the trigger.”
The August 2019 dispute began when Casares got into an argument with his girlfriend’s daughter over a parking space. He wanted her to move her car out of the home’s driveway, so that he could park his pickup there to prevent it being robbed of parts or stolen.
When the girlfriend’s boyfriend stepped in and asked Casares to stop being disrespectful toward her, he grabbed the shotgun.
Casares was previously sentenced to seven years in prison by a jury that convicted him of a 2004 burglary of habitation for an incident in which he broke into his ex-wife’s home, dragged her out of bed, and stomped on her boyfriend’s head. He has other convictions spanning two decades, including theft, evading arrest and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
“Harris County is a safer place when we all do our parts to protect our community; I’m proud to have assisted with the delivery of justice in this case,” said Assistant District Attorney Traci Gibson, who prosecuted Casares.
The case was investigated by the Houston Police Department.
City of Houston to Increase Minimum Wage for Municipal, Contract, and Service-Related Employees to $15 an Hour
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Happening Now
House Judiciary is examining domestic terrorism and the rise in violence directed against minority institutions across the nation.
US Department of Labor urges healthcare facilities, providers to implement effective safety, health programs amid soaring injury rates
U.S. healthcare workers experienced a staggering 249 percent increase in injury and illness rates in 2020, based on employer-reported data, as they encountered serious safety and health hazards while serving those in need and labored countless hours battling the pandemic. In fact, healthcare and social assistance workers combined for more injuries and illnesses than any other industry in the nation.
As the nation observes National Caregivers Day on Feb. 18, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration urges healthcare employers, and those in related industries, to take immediate actions to help make 2022 safer for these workers.
“We recognize our caregivers for the extraordinary sacrifices they continue to make working on the frontline throughout the pandemic to keep us healthy and safe – and we owe it to them to ensure their employers are doing all they can to protect them,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Douglas Parker. “The dangers healthcare workers face continue to be of the highest concern and measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are still needed to protect them.”
OSHA is working expeditiously to issue a final standard to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19. As the agency works towards a permanent regulatory solution, employers must continue to comply with their obligations under the General Duty Clause, the Personal Protective Equipment and Respiratory Protection Standards, as well as other applicable OSHA standards to protect their employees against the hazard of COVID-19 in the workplace.
To combat workplace injury and illness most effectively, employers should create and use a proactive safety and health program that addresses hazards, training and preventive measures to keep workers safe.
Companies may contact their local OSHA On-Site Consultation program to discuss details and schedule an on-site safety and health evaluation. Find the On-Site Consultation program nearest you by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or visiting OSHA’s program website.
Learn more about OSHA and resources for coronavirus safety.
Governor Abbott Appoints Twelve To Texas Industrialized Building Code Council
Roland Brown of Midlothian is Vice President of Design for Ramtech Building Systems, Inc., where he has been employed for the last 34 years. He has over 40 years of industry experience. He has held positions of government affairs chairman, board member and president of the Modular Building Institute, the international trade association for commercial modular construction industry, and is a member on the International Code Council. He has served on the Texas Industrialized Building Code Council since October 2010 and is the current Presiding Officer.
Otis Jones Jr. of Houston is a senior project engineer for LJB Inc. He is the former chapter president and member of the National Society of Black Engineers. Additionally, he is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Structural Engineering Association of Texas. Jones received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and is a professionally licensed engineer with certifications in multiple states.
Binoy Kurien of Pearland is Code Compliance Manager at Powell Industries and has been working in the power distribution industry for 25 years. He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and the International Energy Conservation Code. He is a former member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and served on the board of I.P.C. Church in Houston. Kurien attended the University of Houston.
Edward “Eddie” Martin of Austin is President and CEO of Tilson Homes. He is a member and former president of the Texas Association of Builders and the Greater Houston Builders Association. Additionally, he is a member of the National Association of Home Builders. Martin received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Abilene Christian University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston Law Center.
Scott McDonald of Keller is Director of Development Services for the City of Denton. He is a board member for the National Institute of Building Sciences and a member of the Texas Chapter of American Planning Association and Building Officials Association of Texas. McDonald received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Public Administration from Wayland Baptist University. He is a veteran of the United States Army.
Stephen Shang of Austin is CEO of Falcon Structures. He is a board member of the Modular Building Institute, National Portable Storage Association, and the Young Presidents’ Organization. Additionally, he is a member of The University of Texas College of Engineering Advisory Council and the Rotary Club of Austin. Shang received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and is a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Entrepreneurial Master’s Program.
Suzanne Arnold of Garland is Chief Building Official for the City of McKinney. She is a member of the International Code Council and former president for the North Texas Chapter of the International Code Council. Additionally, she is a member of the Building Officials Association of Texas and serves on the Regional Codes Coordinating Committee and the Energy & Green Advisory Board for the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Arnold received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Texas Tech University.
Janet Hoffman of Galveston is President and Engineering Manager for Ibis Engineering. She is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Additionally, she serves on the City of Galveston Building Board of Adjustments. Hoffman received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University. Additionally, she has her Professional Engineering license in the state of Texas for both Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.
Edwin “Scooter” Lofton of Horseshoe Bay is the owner of Treo Signature Homes. He is a Sunday school teacher and a small group leader at the Church of Horseshoe Bay. Lofton received an Associate of Business from Austin Community College.
Carroll Pruitt of Azle is President and CEO of Pruitt Consulting. Inc. He is a member of the Texas Society of Architects, AIA of Fort Worth, American Institute of Architects, Accessibility Professionals Association, International Code Council, and the National Fire Protection Association. Pruitt received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from The University of Texas at Arlington. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army Reserves.
John “Johnny” Scholl of Claude is Chief Building Official for the City of Amarillo.
W.F. “Dubb” Smith of Dripping Springs is President of the W.F. Smith Company, an appraisal and consulting firm. He is a member of Texas Association of Realtors, San Marcos Board of Realtors, and The Appraisal Institute. Smith received a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Economics and Agribusiness from Texas A&M University.