Jury selection begins for 30-year-old capital murder case
A jury was selected last week in the 274th District Court at the Hays County Government Center in the capital murder trial of Willie Roy Jenkins. He was indicted by the Hays County Grand Jury in 2010 for the murder of 20-year-old Sheryl Ann Norris in San Marcos more than 30 years ago.
A Florida native and secretary at the Texas Crime Prevention Institute at what is now called Texas State University, Norris was sexually assaulted and murdered in her apartment on November 24, 1975.
DNA evidence, which was not available at the time of her death, linked Jenkins to Norris in September 2010. A previous attempt to link Jenkins through DNA was unsuccessful.
In addition to the DNA evidence, authorities verified Jenkins was in Central Texas at the time of Norris’ aggravated sexual assault and murder.
Jenkins was at the Coalinga State Hospital “under a civil commitment as a sexually violent predator under State of California statues.” He was extradited to Texas to stand trial for Norris’ murder.
Judge Gary Steele told jurors that the trial would begin on May 20. He also explained that the District Attorney is seeking the death penalty.
Judge says no breach of contract, Buda pays near $120,000
On Tuesday evening, the Buda City Council unanimously passed a motion to pay close to $120,000 in retainage fees and court-appointed interest owed to Austin Bridge and Road.
The payment was withheld during the city’s legal battle with the contracting company. In 2009, the city filed suit against Austin Bridge and Road, claiming the company breached contract during Phase I of road reconstruction in the Bonita Vista subdivision in 2007.
On March 18, a Hays County jury ruled in favor of Austin Bridge and Road, saying that no breach of contract occurred.
With the passing of the motion, Buda aims to move forward and focus on fixing the road situation in Bonita Vista. “We are going to get this project done sooner, rather than later,” said Mayor Todd Ruge. “We are sorry that we could not get this done during litigation. We will get it done as soon as possible.”
Public invited to Hays County floodplain study results
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will discuss its preliminary findings on its floodplain study at an April 24 meeting, where the public is invited to attend and learn about floodplain related issues within Northern Hays County watersheds.
Hays County requested a study aimed at addressing floodplain management concerns and the potential for human and economic losses due to flooding within its borders.
The Corps and its contractor, Halff Associates, will discuss the preliminary hydraulic and hydrologic study results for the Barton Creek and Pedernales River basins, as well as other basins in the area on Wednesday, April 24, at the Hays County Pct. 4 building, located at 195 Roger Hanks Parkway in Dripping Springs. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The study was funded in part by Hays County and a grant from the Texas Water Development Board. The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) facilitated the project under its Feasibility Study Cost Sharing Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
