On Monday, August 12, 2024, the school year begins for the Corpus Christi ISD, Flour Bluff ISD and many other educational institutes. Here are some tips to remind parents, students and everyday drivers to make sure this school year is a safe one.

*Slow down, pay attention, refrain from distracted driving and exercise patience.

*School zones are active: All school zone speed limits are, by law, 15 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit. They will be enforced.

*Be aware of those walking to and from school and/or getting on and off school buses. You are required to stop for school buses and crosswalks – they are a no passing zone.

*Our traffic safety officers will be out in force as they have been for the schools already in session. Our goal is to keep our children safe!

We hope everyone had a great summer and wish all of our students a productive and memorable 2024-2025 school year!

On July 28, 2024, at 7:51am, officers were dispatched to the 7000 block of Brandon Dr. in reference to a residential burglary. The homeowner called 911 and stated he shot an intruder who had broken into his home.

When officers arrived, they located a 48-year-old male deceased inside of the home.

Robbery/Homicide Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division arrived and began their investigation.

On Monday, July 29, 2024, Detectives obtained a warrant for murder for the homeowner, Douglas Watters, bond $500,000. At approximately 8:55pm on Monday night, Corpus Christi Police Department Gang Officers took Watters into custody at the 3600 block of La Paz Drive. He was transported to the City Detention Center for booking.

This is still an active and ongoing investigation.  If you have any information pertaining to this incident, you are encouraged to call the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 361-886-2840. Anyone who would like to keep their identity secret and still provide information to detectives should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at https://www.p3tips.com/TipForm.aspx?ID=343&C=&T=.&nbsp.

Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024

Time: 10:00 am (gates open at 8:00 am)

Location: 5485 Greenwood Dr. Corpus Christi Tx 78417

ON SITE AUCTION SALE AND LIVE ONLINE (WEBCAST)

REGISTRATION: visit https://siskauction.hibid.com/ to register and obtain further on-line auction instructions.

VIEWING: Friday, August 2, 2024, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Everyone must be registered and have a bidder number to enter the auction.

No purses or backpacks allowed in the auction area.

ABSOLUTELY no one under 18 allowed throughout the entire auction.  This includes viewing day, during the auction and while picking up auction vehicles.

94 Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles

On July 28, 2024, at about 7:51 am CCPD officers were dispatched to the 7000 block of Brandon Dr. in reference to a residential burglary. The homeowner who called in stated he shot an intruder who had broken into his home.

When officers arrived, they located a deceased male inside the home.

Investigators with the Robbery Homicide Division were called to investigate.

At this time this an active and ongoing investigation.

On July 18, 2024, at about 8:25 pm officers were dispatched to the 3800 block of Brandywine Ct. in reference to a shooting. When officers arrived, they located a 22-year-old male with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Preliminary investigation showed there was a disturbance between two neighbors. Someone produced a weapon and shot the male.

Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division investigated the homicide. On Monday, July 22, 2024, Detectives obtained arrest warrants for Rodolfo Silvas (bond $1,000,000) and Xavier Reyna (bond $500,000) for murder.

Deputies with the United States Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force located Rodolfo Silvas at the 1900 block of Trojan Ave. on Thursday, July 25, 2024, and arrested him for the outstanding warrant. Silvas was transported to the City Detention Center for booking.

Deputies with the US Marshals, along with the Corpus Christi Gang Unit and Corpus Christi K9 units located Xavier Reyna at the 3700 block of Tampa Ct. on Thursday, July 25, 2024, and arrested him for the outstanding warrant. Reyna was transported to the City Detention Center for booking.

This is still an active and ongoing investigation. If you have any information pertaining to this incident, you are encouraged to call the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 361-886-2840. Anyone who would like to keep their identity secret and still provide information to detectives should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at https://www.p3tips.com/TipForm.aspx?ID=343&C=&T=.&nbsp.

On Monday, July 22, 2024, at 9:40pm, officers were dispatched to 4101 Brett, Four Winds Apartments, for a disturbance. 

When officers arrived and initiated the investigation, the suspect came out of the apartment and asked officers if they were ready to die. The suspect produced an AR type weapon (assault type weapon) when he came back out of the apartment, confronting the officers. The officers responded by firing their primary weapons, striking the suspect who retreated back into his apartment and shut the door. For the safety of others, neighboring apartments were cleared. Officers had to take extensive care to make sure nobody in the area was harmed before making entry into the suspects apartment. 

Officers did find the suspect deceased and we do not have details on him. This is an active crime scene and officers will be on scene for an extended period of time while a thorough investigation is completed. 

Two officers involved will be put on administrative leave as per department policy. There were no injuries to officers or other civilians.

This is still an active and ongoing investigation. If you have any information pertaining to this incident, you are encouraged to call the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 361-886-2840. Anyone who would like to keep their identity secret and still provide information to detectives should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at https://www.p3tips.com/TipForm.aspx?ID=343&C=&T=. 

An anti-prostitution sting conducted by the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice Investigations Division Saturday resulted in the arrest of four women on charges of prostitution, a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and fines up to $2,000. One of the four women was additionally charged with an arrest warrant from Virginia for Human Trafficking. A second woman was charged with possession of a controlled substance after officers discovered she was found with narcotics during a search incident to arrest. The women were arrested after they solicited undercover CCPD Officers for sex acts in exchange for payment.  The undercover officers posed as online customers for escort services, but the escorts were in reality advertising online prostitution. 

NVID Detectives were assisted in the operation by Operations Division Officers, as well as civilians with the Red Cord Program.  The Red Cord Program is a prostitution diversion program aimed to provide practical and emotional support for those involved in prostitution. The program is successful due to the collaboration between Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation, social service organizations, Nueces County District Attorney Office, and the Corpus Christi Police Department.  The program affords those involved with sex work an opportunity to address the myriad of behavioral, social, and psychological problems they have faced throughout their lifetime. Since 2013, Red Cord has provided case management, health services, job training, substance abuse treatment, clothing, housing, counseling, and other social services needed to address the circumstances related to their involvement in prostitution.  Participants who successfully complete the program have their cases dismissed by the District Attorney’s Office. On Saturday, two women were accepted into the Red Cord Program. 

Although often inaccurately referred to as a “victimless” crime, prostitution is inextricably linked to multiple other crimes including assault, human trafficking, sexual abuse, drug abuse, and the spread of sexually transmitted infectious disease.  Neighborhoods where prostitution is prevalent experience a drastic degradation of the quality of life that citizens expect and deserve.  The Corpus Christi Police Department will continue to collaborate with all government and private entities to combat prostitution and help accomplish our mission of working with the community to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime and enhance public safety.

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, for Coffee with a Cop from 9:00-10:30am at the Starbucks at 3329 Leopard Street (Leopard/Nueces Bay).

Forensic Analysts with the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI) have determined that the human remains found inside a City Wastewater Lift Station last month are most likely those of missing person Caleb Harris.

City workers conducting maintenance at the Perry Place wastewater lift station, located off the 5300 block of Lexington Road, discovered the remains inside awastewater collection well during the afternoon of MondayJune 24^th and immediately contacted the Police Department. 

The remains, which bore no obvious signs of homicide, were transported to the Nueces County Medical Examiner’s Office for examination.  Due to the advanced state of decomposition, the Medical Examiner’s Office was unable to make an identification, nor provide a manner or cause of death at that time.  The remains were then sent to the UNTCHI for DNA analysis, along with DNA samples from Harris’s parents. According to the Missing Persons DNA Report issued today by UNTCHI, the remains “are approximately 2.4 sextillion times more likely to be observed if the unidentified remains originated from a biological child of (Caleb Harris’s parents) rather than if the unidentified remains originated from an unrelated individual from the Caucasian population.”

Texas A&M Corpus Christi student Caleb Harris disappeared from his off-campus apartment in the foggy early morning hours of Monday March 4^th, 2024.  The CCPD organized an exhaustive search of hundreds of acres surrounding Harris’s apartment complex in the days and weeks following his disappearance. CCPD resources involved in the search included the Drone Team, Bike Team, Enduro Unit, 83^rd Police Academy Class, Search and Recovery Dive Team, and Directed Patrol Officers.  Additional resources included the Coast Guard, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Port of Corpus Christi Police Department Marine Unit, Texas Search and Rescue, student volunteers from Texas A&M CC, along with countless additional civilian volunteers.  

An investigative team consisting of Investigators from the Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division and Organized Crime Unit, the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, and the Texas Rangers was formed within days of Harris’s vanishing.  Over the course of the following months, investigators executed over 50 digital search warrants, submitted 82 preservation requests, and analyzed over 1500 GB of Data.  

The remains will be returned to the Nueces County Medical Examiner’s office, which will then issue the finalautopsy report.  

Although the remains have been identified as Caleb Harris, this investigation remains open.  If you have information regarding this investigation, please contact the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at (361) 826-2840 or you can submit an anonymous tip at Crime Stoppers 888-TIPS (888-8477).  

Operation Safe Return is this Saturday!

Operation Safe Return is Saturday, July 20, 2024, from 10am-2pm at the American Bank Center. OSR gives every child the opportunity to receive necessary school supplies, obtain valuable safety information, and ensure a healthy start to the upcoming school year. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions, please contact the Crime Reduction Unit at 361-886-2765.