A Dallas police officer is in custody and faces two counts of capital murder for the unrelated deaths of two people, a man and a woman killed months apart in 2017.
Dallas police said Thursday afternoon that Officer Bryan Riser, a veteran of the force since 2008, was arrested Thursday morning and is awaiting prosecution at Dallas County Jail.
Dallas police chief Eddie Garcia said a witness came forward and implicated Riser in the murder of Lisa Saenz, 30, a woman who was shot several times before her body was found in the Trinity River in March 2017.
In September 2017, NBC 5 reported that three people were arrested and charged with the murder of Saenz – Kevin Kidd, 28, Emmanuel Kilpatrick, 31 and Jermon Simmons, 35. So far, none of the men have been on trial and court records show that Kidd has two pending murder charges, while Kilpatrick and Simmons have three pending murder charges.
On August 14, 2019, the witness told the police that he kidnapped and murdered Saenz under the direction of Riser.
Garcia said the witness also told police that he was instructed by Riser to kidnap and kill Aubrey Douglas, who was reported missing in February 2017. Garcia said witnesses said Douglas was kidnapped and murdered at the same location as Saenz.
Douglas’s body, said Garcia, was not found.
A statement of arrest will be released later in the day, detailing investigations into the murders.
“Although he is in custody, he is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an administrative Internal Affairs investigation,” Dallas police said in a statement.
In May 2017, Riser was arrested after being charged with misdemeanor, assaulting family violence, causing bodily harm. An Internal Affairs investigation was carried out at the time, although the results of that investigation are not yet known and Garcia declined to share any additional details about the outcome of that investigation on Thursday afternoon.
Dallas police said Riser has been in the department since August 2008 and has been assigned to the Mid-South Patrol Division. Garcia said they will be reviewing Riser’s arrest record in light of the charges against him.
Garcia said the department is conducting an administrative investigation into Riser and is moving towards dismissal.
“This individual has nothing to wear this uniform. That’s not what I’m saying, as the chief of police, I guarantee that every man and woman who wears this uniform and does this job with honor doesn’t want anyone to stain our badge,” he said. Garcia.
Garcia defended his department and officials, saying that Riser does not represent the many men and women who police the city on a daily basis.
“We hire individuals of the human race, and when we encounter individuals like this, we must be judged by the actions we take afterwards,” said Garcia. “We will take responsibility at the highest level.”
“The actions that were investigated in no way reflect the actions of the men and women who proudly wear this uniform and certainly do not reflect the heroic, professional and dedicated sacrifices that I have witnessed since I arrived,” said Garcia. “However, let me be clear in a promise to our city and to our men and women who serve with honor daily, that we will not allow anyone to tarnish this emblem. As we all know, the actions of some affect the many. I , we are committed to you taking the criminal element off the streets of Dallas, conducting relentless follow-up on anyone who does harm to this city and includes it within the walls of this police department. “
The value of the title has not been confirmed and it is not clear whether Riser obtained a lawyer.