Authorities investigate apparent suicide

The official cause of death for a man found shot in the head in a pasture near Graford has not been determined, according to Justice of the Peace Jerry Mitchell.

John William Cornelius, 39, of Burleson, was found by a land owner just off the road in a pasture in the 300 block of Farm-to-Market Road 52 less than half a mile north of State Highway 254 around noon Saturday, Mitchell said.

The man was found laying near his pickup with a gunshot wound to the head, according to Mitchell.

Mitchell said the man had been there for several hours when he was found and he listed time of death as 2 a.m.

The man’s body was sent to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and the Texas Rangers are investigating, according to Mitchell.

Sheriff Ira Mercer said an autopsy was performed Sunday night and it was determined a suicide, though Mitchell could not confirm it Monday afternoon.

Crimestoppers

The front door of Glidewell’s Pawnshop, located in the 400 block of South Oak Avenue, was kicked in over the weekend and four pistols were stolen, according to police.

Police are requesting the public’s help during their investigation.

An open front door was reported around 7 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Investigators found footprints on the door and the glass case holding the pistols broken, according to police.

The guns were valued at $1,400.

Information can be left anonymously at the Palo Pinto County Crimestoppers number: (940) 325-0000. Individuals providing information that leads to an arrest and indictment of anyone committing a felony are eligible for a reward up to $1,000.

TV stolen from residence

A 42-inch, flat screen television was reported stolen from a house in 1200 block of S.E. 12th Street, police said. After leaving around noon Saturday, the resident arrived home around 8 p.m. the same day to find the back window and back door open, according to police.

Police break up bar fights

Police said they responded to call at a bar in the 1100 of West Hubbard Street.

While on the phone, the caller told police he was in fear of his life and pulled a pocket knife on a man who had reportedly struck him in the face, stood behind his vehicle to stop him from leaving and kicked his truck, police said.

When they arrived, police reportedly broke up two fights and arrested three people.

Bobby Chance Eller, 25, of Weatherford, was arrested Saturday on a Westworth Village police department warrant for theft, more than $1,500, less than $20,000. He was reportedly involved in the argument when the knife was pulled.

While there, an officer used pepper spray and arrested two women for fighting after repeatedly telling them to stop, police said.

Brandy Nichole Serveny, 30, and Tiffany Nicole Smith, 25, both of Mineral Wells, were arrested Saturday for disorderly conduct.

Burglary of vehicle

A DVD player and iPod were reported stolen from a 2006 Chevrolet HHR in the 2800 block of N.E. 1st Street around 4 p.m. Saturday, according to police.

The passenger side window was found broken after the driver returned from watching a movie and the items, valued at $250, were stolen, police said.

Stolen speakers recovered at fire investigation

Police said speakers reported stolen from a Ford Explorer were recovered Sunday at a fire scene.

A resident in the 900 block of S.W. 12th Street reportedly let his father-in-law borrow his car but wouldn’t bring it back after four days when asked, according to the police report. After the son-in-law called police, the vehicle was returned minus stereo equipment, police said.

Police said they found two speakers matching the description on the ground when they were called to a fire in the 1500 block of S.E. 2nd Avenue. The men, whose cooking fire emergency personnel responded to, said a man requested to leave the speakers on the property, according to police. The vehicle owner came and identified the speakers as his, police said.

Meat left on vehicle

A resident in the 2700 block of North Murco Drive reported raw meat and parts of an animal carcass were left on his car overnight between 11:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, according to a police report. The man reportedly heard sounds around midnight and looked out the window but didn’t see anything.

No details on what type of animal or what had been done to it were available.

In October, a woman living in the 2900 block S.E. 5th Street reported finding the of skin of a cat turned inside out and several bones in her driveway, though no internal organs, muscle or blood were found.

Machine stolen

A restaurant in the 1500 block of S.E. 1st Street reported a vending machine stolen around 5 p.m. Friday, according to police.

Customers allegedly walked out, taking a 4-1/2-foot by 3-foot vending machine containing stickers between 5 p.m and 5:10 p.m., police said.

Attempted burglary caught on camera

Charges are pending in an attempted burglary around 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the Walmart parking lot, according to police.

A witness reported seeing a suspect going through the parking lot with an empty shopping cart trying vehicle doors. After the man attempted to break out a window on one vehicle, the witness went inside the store to report it.

The suspect and the suspect’s vehicle were caught on store surveillance footage, police reported.

Stolen items sold and found

Two window air-conditioning units and an oil pan belonging to a 1929 passenger bus were reported stolen from the front porch of a Mineral Wells residence between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. Thursday, according to police. The owner reportedly tracked down the items at a scrap metal business, police said.

The air conditioners, which didn’t work, had already been scrapped but the oil pan was returned to the rightful owner, police reported.

Charges are pending, according to police.

Lost child returned to mother

A 4-year-old child who reportedly wandered out of a fenced back yard in the 1600 block of S.W. 5th Avenue Thursday around 3:30 p.m. was returned to his mother, police said. The boy reportedly wandered around the corner to the convenience store, where someone found him and called police.

Arrests

Mineral Wells police reported making the following arrests:

• Justin Thomas Pender, 21, of Mineral Wells, was arrested Friday on a warrant for credit card abuse for allegedly using a family member’s credit card without permission.

• James William Alton, 20, of Mineral Wells, was arrested Friday on warrants for driving with an expired license and no insurance.

• Michael James Smith IV, 18, of Mineral Wells, was arrested Saturday on 15 warrants for public intoxication, minor in consumption of alcohol, curfew violation, possession of tobacco, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, driving without a license, running a stop sign, minor in possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct by language and theft, less than $50.

• Alisa Hope Hill, 50, Mineral Wells, was arrested Sunday during a traffic stop for possession of a controlled substance, less than a gram, and possession of a dangerous drug. She was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine and two Soma pills, according to police.

• Vincent Michael Hernandez, 19, of Mineral Wells, was arrested Sunday for disorderly conduct – fighting.

• Jason Andre Jones, 30, of Millsap, was arrested Sunday on eight traffic warrants and for driving without a license.

• Ismael Rodriguez, 55, of Mineral Wells, was arrested Thursday for failure to dim headlights and driving without insurance.

• Roger Dale Poe, 51, of Mineral Wells, was arrested Thursday on a Kaufman County warrant for harassment.

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