Former Texas Elected Official Arrested In Kaufman County – Possible Suspect In Recent Slayings

This story was update throughout to reflect recent developments

After more than three months of investigating, authorities finally have a break following a series of recent high-profile murders in Kaufman County.

Authorities investigating the murders of three people--two of them Kaufman County prosecutors--have arrested a former Justice of the Peace Eric Lyle Williams for alleged terroristic threats sent via email. Authorities also say the former county official has ties to the two slain prosecutors.

Williams, 43, was prosecuted by the Kaufman County District Attorney’s Office last year and convicted of theft by a public servant after being caught on security cameras stealing computer equipment. He received two years of probation and was forced to give up his government job and his position with the Texas National Guard. District Attorney Mike McLelland and Assistant Attorney Mark Hasse, two of three victims of recent murders along with McLelland’s wife, prosecuted Williams' case in 2012.

Hasse was shot outside the Kaufman County Courthouse in January; McLelland and his wife were killed in their home last month.

On April 12, a search warrant was issued at Williams' home.  Williams has been a potential suspect since the death of Hasse, with McLelland himself voicing early suspicions.

Williams has not been named as a prime suspect or charged in the killings, but he was arrested this weekend after a threatening email was traced back to him. There is no word yet on what that email contained, but it led investigators to search Williams’ home on Friday.

Investigators also searched a storage facility on Saturday located approximately ten miles from where the murders occurred. They found 20 guns in one unit along with a white Crown Victoria that is of some interest to officials working the case.