Sufferer’s Labradoodle Led Police to Crime Scene, Killer Who Shot Her & Burned Stays: DA

In step with a press launch shared by the McLennan County District Authorized skilled’s Office, Derek Daigneault, 29, of Wichita, Kansas was sentenced to life in jail on Thursday for the murder of his cousin, Mandy Reynolds, 26, whose physique was found burning in a self-discipline in Robinson, Texas in April 2023.

“Like I knowledgeable the jury, within the occasion that they knew nothing else about Derek Daigneault aside from what he did to Mandy Rose Reynolds — capturing her inside the head, driving her physique proper right here to McLennan County and setting her on hearth like a bit of trash — if that’s all they knew about him, that alone would have been ample to justify a life sentence,” McLennan County assistant district lawyer, Ryan Calvert, acknowledged in a press launch after the trial, based mostly on native CBS affiliate, KWTX.

“Nevertheless as quickly as we purchased into the punishment half, the jury realized he had been in problem his full life, he was a multiple-time convicted felon, he had been in jail in Kansas sooner than for violent offenses, they even realized he had shot one different specific particular person as a juvenile,” he added of Daigneault. “He’s merely an particularly violent specific particular person, and he can’t be trusted with the safety of this or each different group. So life, we felt, was the one merely verdict.”

In April 2023, Robinson police found a dull physique on hearth “burned previous recognition” whereas responding to a report of a “brush hearth” on Heston Circle, as well-known inside the McLennan County District Authorized skilled’s Office press launch on Friday.

Authorities acknowledged they observed a white canine near the scene.

“Shut by was a white canine which barked frantically at officers and refused to depart the world of the physique, however moreover refused to allow police to grab it,” the press launch study. “The following morning, after the physique had been moved, a citizen found the canine sitting on the spot the burning physique had been the evening time sooner than.”

“That citizen notified Robinson Animal Administration, which then discovered that the canine, named Titan, was microchipped and belonged to Mandy Rose Reynolds,” the discharge continued.

Police acknowledged they suspected the physique was Reynolds’, which led authorities to her home in San Marcos, which they discovered to be “totally empty, with all of her possessions eradicated,” and her automotive, a black Honda Accord, was nowhere to be found.”

In step with the McLennan County District Authorized skilled’s Office, police tracked Reynolds’ Honda to Wichita, Kansas. Wichita police found Reynolds’ automotive and tried to tug it over, which reportedly led to a high-speed automotive chase and the driving power crashing into one different automotive, sooner than fleeing the scene.

Police captured and arrested the particular person, who was acknowledged as Daigneault, Reynolds’ cousin, per the discharge. Contained within the automotive, authorities found a handgun inside the driver’s seat.

The medical professional acknowledged Reynolds’ physique by using dental information, per the discharge. In step with the autopsy, it was discovered that Reynolds’ cause behind lack of life was a gunshot wound to the highest. Police acknowledged her physique was found inside a burned huge plastic storage container. A bullet found on the crime scene matched the handgun current in Daigneault’s — Reynolds’ — Honda.

As well-known inside the press launch, San Marcos Police found surveillance footage from a Walmart that confirmed Daigneault looking for a “huge plastic storage container equal to the one Reynolds’ physique was burned in, a shovel, and a gasoline can.” The video moreover reportedly confirmed him driving away from the store with Titan “sticking his head out the automotive’s window.”

Police moreover later found the belongings missing from Reynolds’ home inside the trunk of an abandoned truck, per the discharge.

“The keys to this case have been a heroic and reliable canine named Titan and extraordinary cooperation between laws enforcement corporations in a lot of jurisdictions and states. That combination has delivered justice for Mandy and safety from a violent and dangerous jail,” Calvert and ADA Alyssa Killin acknowledged in a press launch well-known inside the press launch.

Daigneault is a nine-time convicted felon, per KWTX. The outlet reported that Reynolds’ family and Daigneault purchased proper right into a battle by way of the latter’s sentencing.

Per the outlet, Reynolds’ mother, older brother, and stepfather gave sufferer have an effect on statements. In step with KWTX, when Reynolds’ brother was speaking on the witness stand, Daigneault yelled all through the courtroom and accused his cousin of in opposition to the regulation. Although the resolve reportedly intervened and knowledgeable Daigneault to not talk, he allegedly didn’t concentrate and saved yelling at Reynolds’ brother, promoting Daigneault to be escorted out of the courtroom.

After he left the courtroom, Daigneault’s relations — collectively together with his brother-in-law-, mother and sister — purchased proper right into a confrontation with Reynolds’ family, with Daigneault’s brother-in-law ultimately being put in handcuffs after he punched definitely one in every of Reynolds’ relations on her side of the courtroom, based mostly on KWTX. He was later launched.