In 2000, a Dallas County jury convicted Robert Wayne Harris of capital murder for killing Agustin Villasenor and Rhoda Wheeler at the Mi-T-Fine Car Wash in Irving. Pursuant to a court order by the 282nd District Court in Dallas County, Harris was executed on Sep. 20.
On March 15, 2000, Harris engaged in sexual misconduct at the car wash in front of a female customer. The customer reported the incident to a manager, and a cashier called the police. Harris was arrested and fired. He had been an employee at Mi-T-Fine Car Wash for ten months.

On March 20, Harris returned to the car wash in a borrowed car at 7:15 a.m., before it opened for business. He forced the manager, Dennis Lee, assistant manager, Agustin Villaseñor, and cashier, Rhoda Wheeler, into the office. He instructed Wheeler to open the safe, which contained the cash receipts from the weekend. Wheeler complied and gave him the cash. Harris then forced all three victims to the floor and shot each of them in the back of the head at close range. He also slit Lee's throat.
Three other employees arrived for work unaware of the danger. Harris forced them to kneel on the floor of the lobby area and shot each of them in the back of the head from close range. One of the victims survived with permanent disabilities.

Shortly thereafter, another employee, Jason Shields, arrived. Shields had a brief exchange with Harris in which Harris claimed to have discovered the crime scene. Shields hurried to a nearby doughnut shop to call authorities. [Harris] followed Shields to the doughnut shop, also spoke to the 911 operator, then fled the scene.
Harris used the stolen money to purchase new clothing, checked into a motel, and sent a friend to purchase a gold cross necklace for him.

Testimony also showed that Harris had planned to drive to Florida on Tuesday and kill an old girlfriend.

After his arrest, Harris confessed to the abduction-slaying of an Irving woman four months before the car wash killings, and led police to the remains.

On September 29, 2000, a Dallas County jury found Harris guilty of murdering Agustin Villasenor and Rhoda Wheeler. After the jury recommended capital punishment, the court sentenced Harris to death by lethal injection.

Years before the slayings, Harris had been convicted of three burglaries and evading arrest. He spent eight years in prison mostly in administrative segregation due to several violations and aggressive behavior. Fifteen prison personnel testified regarding Harris's behavioral problems during his incarceration, which included setting fire to his cell, threatening to kill prison personnel, assaulting prison personnel and other inmates, dealing drugs, refusing to follow orders, and engaging in sexual misconduct.

Source: Texas Attorney General

On Sep.18 at approximately 1:30 a.m., officers responded to the 4100 block of W. S.H. 183 in reference to a stabbing. When officers arrived, they located a 61 year-old female suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Based on the initial investigation, it appears as if the victim was working at the location when her husband, 54 year-old Thomas Parker of Irving, walked into the location and started speaking with her. Without warning, Parker pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim an unknown number of times. As the suspect was leaving, he was contacted by responding officers and taken into custody without incident.

The victim and suspect are married, but the current status of their relationship is not clear. The investigation is ongoing; therefore, a motive is unknown. The victim was transported to the hospital with serious injuries but was listed in stable condition.

Parker was booked into the Irving Jail on one count of Aggravated Assault with Serious Bodily Injury.

While the Texas Department of Transportation continues to connect Texas communities through the development and expansion of critical roadways, the agency also is helping provide some much-needed improvements in cities across the Lone Star State.

TxDOT is now accepting applications for the federally-funded Transportation Enhancement Program to aid communities across the state. Up to $70 million is available to fund the improvement of areas in communities that are associated with transportation. Such projects include pedestrian and bicycle trails, the rehabilitation of historic railroad facilities, landscaping near roadways and even preventative care to protect water resources from highway runoff.

Eligible projects must demonstrate a relationship to the surface transportation system. Projects must incorporate one of the following 12 categories:

Pedestrians and bicycles facilities

Safety and education activities for pedestrians and bicyclists

Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic and historic properties

Scenic or historic highway programs (including providing tourist and welcome center facilities)

Landscaping and other scenic beautification

Historic preservation

Rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities (including historic railroad facilities and canals)

Preservation of abandoned railway corridors (including conversion and use for pedestrian and bicycle facilities)

Control and removal of outdoor advertising

Archaeological planning and research

Environmental mitigation to address water pollution due to highway runoff or reduce vehicle caused wildlife mortality while maintaining habitat connectivity

Establishment of transportation museums.

Selected projects are eligible for reimbursement of up to 80 percent of allowable costs. The entity nominating a project is responsible for the remaining cost share, including cost overruns. Submissions will be accepted until 5 PM CST on Nov. 16. Applications should be submitted to local TxDOT district offices.

Coppell ISD was recently informed by the Texas Education Agency that they have been selected to participate in the High Performing Schools Consortium created in response to SB 1557. Thirty-three school districts applied to participate with a limit of 20 districts/ 250,000 students involved.

One of the requirements of the Consortium, selected by the Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, is that it must represent a range of district types, sizes, and diverse student populations. This group will work together to form a pilot that will help to inform the state regarding the next generation of standards, assessments, and accountability.

“We are excited about being included in this opportunity and look forward to working with the other districts to create a pilot that will transform public education for the future,” said Dr. Jeff Turner, CISD Superintendent.

Turner attributes CISD’s selection to the work being done on campuses around the district to transform schools from bureaucracies to learning organizations that are student-centric and prepare students for success.

Over the next few weeks, CISD will be meeting with the other selected districts to work on the details of the pilot. This plan will then be presented to the Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, and representatives of the governor’s office. It will include a list of waivers that will be necessary for success in a future education program. The legislature will then need to pass the plan (in the form of a bill) during the January-June session that begins January of 2013. Any real changes to programs in the CISD will not take place until the 2013-14 school year.

Source: Coppell ISD