Houston Officials Reverse Decisions, They will Go forward with Landfill Search for Tynesha Stewart , Texas Equusearch to Spearhead Search (UPDATE: No Search, Decision Reversed Again)
Houston officials have done an about face and reversed their initial decision not to search the landfill/landfills for missing Tynesha Stewart.
Authorities in Houston have approved spending up to $500,000 to search area landfills for the remains of a Texas A&M student whose ex-boyfriend confessed to killing her.
The request comes after angry complaints about the decision not to search for the remains of 19-year-old Tynesha Stewart, who disappeared last week.
Officials reversed their initial decisions to not search the landfills due to cost and improbable outcome of not finding her due to pressure and complaints brought up by black local leaders and activists. Personally, the Houston officials were crazy for not going forth with this search from the outset causing racial unrest especially when volunteer search team Texas EquuSearch had stated they would conduct the search at no cost.
Investigators reconsidered after several high-profile complaints from US Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, state Representative Sylvester Turner and community activist Quannel X. (KWTX)
However, the plans go forward to begin the search for Tynesha Stewart as soon as possibly Wednesday.
Plans are underway to conduct a series of searches for Tynesha Stewart, the Texas A&M coed believed to have been killed by her ex-boyfriend. However, those searches may be difficult after word that the 19-year-old’s body may have been dismembered and spread out in landfills across the region.
The volunteer search organization Texas Equusearch announced Friday it was set to launch an extensive search for Stewart. The search could begin as early as Wednesday said Texas Equusearch founder Tim Miller.On Monday the sheriff’s office, Texas Equusearch and the landfills’ operator Waste Management will meet to go over a plan. Already an area of a landfill in Atascocita had been marked off in preparation for a search. The same was being done at a landfill in Brazoria County. Miller already put out a call for volunteers. (KHOU)
UPDATE I: Houston Authorities reverse Search Decision Again, Authorities call off search for A&M student’s body
Even with Texas EquuSearch’s offer to search for Tynesha Stewart, the authorities have called off the search.
Tim Miller, the director of Texas Equusearch, which had hoped to begin assisting in a search of an Atoscocita-area landfill next week, said he was deeply saddened they would not be able to return Stewart’s body to her family.
“We did everything we could,” he said. “It just wasn’t meant to be.”
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Harris County Sheriff’ Tommy Thomas announced Saturday night there will be no search for the body of Tynesha Stewart, the 19-year-old Texas A&M student who was murdered March 15.
“There are no remaining body parts,” Thomas said at a press conference. “We have determined through this investigation that the defendant dismembered the victim and burned her body parts. There is no body to be found. Based on that information, there will be no search. The family is aware of this and they understand.”
Thomas, who called on local media to give the Stewart family privacy, said Timothy Wayne Shepherd burned Stewart’s body in a barbecue grill on his patio at his apartment in the 17700 block of Red Oak in northwest Harris County. (Houston Chronicle)
From the Texas Equusearch Web site …
We are deeply saddened to report that no search for Tynesha’s body will be made. Authorities state there are no remains to be found. We want to thank all of our members that worked so hard, the wonderful people that volunteered, and all the people of the entire community that expressed their concern and wanted so badly to help. The outpouring support came from everywhere and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Please keep Tynesha’s family in your prayers during this time. We want to express a very special thank you to Cindy Wisdom who selfishly devoted all of her energy and time into helping this family. She’s one of our biggest heroes. Thank you and God Bless you all.