Llano County Sheriff's Office

By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor

Death at the Llano County Jail was one hot-button question tossed at the sheriff's candidates at a primary forum in Horseshoe Bay on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

A Sunrise Beach man's death while incarcerated in the Llano County Jail Oct. 29 has prompted an investigation by the Texas Rangers.

Benjamin Braden Hoffman, 41, was “found unresponsive” around 12:29 p.m. while in the observation area of the facility, 2001 Texas 16, officials said.

The probe, considered protocol for in-custody deaths, will examine clues including cause and circumstances surrounding his death. . . .

Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

In the wake of a recent family violence allegations, a former Llano County deputy now faces a charge of possessing child pornography.

Steven Andrew Sifford was taken into custody Sept. 1 at an east Texas bar known as Alibis in Groveton and booked into the Trinity County Jail.

A day later authorities transferred him twice – first to the Llano County Jail and then to Kerr County Jail – due to his former status with the LCSO facility where he had worked five years.

From staff reports

Llano County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotics search warrant July 10 at 855 Wood Forrest, Kingsland, Llano County.

Around 7 p.m. deputies seized approximately 10 grams of methamphetamine, firearms and paraphernalia at the residence.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Llano County investigators believe a man suspected in the stabbing death of a 49-year-old Kingsland woman may have caused his own life-threatening injuries.

A neighbor in the 200 block of Ridgeway called 9-1-1 around 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 in Kingsland, according to a press release from the Llano County Sheriff's Office.

“The caller claimed a man showed up at his door with injuries. Deputies were dispatched to the scene and through an initial investigation and talking to the injured man, determined that a homicide occurred at a residence in the 300 block Ridgeway Street,” the release stated. “A female victim was found at that residence.”

The victim was identified as 49-year-old Rachel Mansell.

Investigators were dispatched to the scene and determined the case to be a “homicide.”

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

A new perspective and new leads prompted the Llano County Sheriff Office Nov. 27 to take another look at a homicide cold case involving the discovery of a woman's body submerged and cemented into the hull of a boat just up from Inks Dam nearly a decade ago.

The woman, 46-year-old Holly Simmons of Buchanan Dam, was last seen alive Nov. 28, 2006 after she dropped one of her children off for school.

Connie Swinney
Staff Writer •

The Llano County Sheriff's Office is hosting its inaugural National Night Out event to promote public safety and introduce first responders to the community in a casual setting.

The community is invited to turn on their house lights tonight (Oct. 2) and go to the Kingsland Community Center, 3451 Rose Hill Dr. from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“We just decided to have it, so they can see we're just normal everyday people just like they are,” Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn said. “Meeting us one-on-on and meeting their police officers.”

Llano County deputies and constables are expected to attend to meet-and-greet the public.

“People always introduce you to a child and say that you're the guy who will put them in jail,” Blackburn said. “We want them to know we're here for them when they need help – not to scare anybody.”

Authorities have sent a human skull found in the receding Lake Buchanan shoreline Aug. 8 for forensic testing to determine identity and age of the bones, according to the Llano County Sheriff's Office.

The human skull was found by an individual on a personal watercraft that evening as the recreationist was attempting to dock the watercraft on the shoreline in an area of Poppy's Point on the west side of the lake just of Ranch Road 261 in Llano County.

On Aug. 9 the following day, the Department of Public Safety dive team members spent about three hours searching for other bones but found none, Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn said.

By Phil Reynolds

The Highlander

Llano city officials don’t plan to hire any police officers to replace four who are on paid administrative leave, according to City Manager Scott Edmonson.

City council members went behind closed doors during the Monday, Jan. 22, council meeting to talk the matter over with city attorneys, but took no action following the executive session, Edmonson said.

“We have the city covered with the four remaining officers and the Llano County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO),” Edmonson said.

He explained the sheriff’s office and the city have a memorandum of understanding that calls for sheriff’s deputies to back up city police officers when necessary.

LPD officer indicted

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Llano Police Department (LPD) Ofcr. Grant Harden has been indicted by a Llano County Grand Jury on six various counts related to video evidence of a June traffic stop.

Harden had been banned from the dispatch and administrative areas of the Llano County Law Enforcement Center since around that time and was further blocked from entering the jail recently. Sheriff Bill Blackburn said that was because of “not being professional while in the jail area.”

The indictments, recorded Tuesday, Dec. 5 include two third-degree felony charges of tampering or fabricating physical evidence; one count of a state jail felony of tampering with a governmental record and three counts of a Class A felony, official oppression.