San Marcos police release composite sketches of suspects Reply

Hispanic male, possible nickname “Dago,” late 30s to early 40s, medium olive complexion, 6 feet tall, stocky build, shaved or bald head, dark eyes, small goatee, possible diamond stud earring in left ear, tattoos of crosses on left and right forearms, wearing white shirt with blue trim and blue jeans.

Hispanic male, possible nickname “Chico,” 18-20 years old, light olive complexion, 5’8” to 5’10”, thin build, closely cropped black hair, dark eyes with long eyelashes, slightly protruding ears, possible diamond stud in left ear, tattoo at base of neck, wearing loose fitting white t-shirt, blue jeans.

Hispanic male, late 30s, dark olive complexion, 5’6” to 5’7” tall, medium build, thick arched eyebrows, slight acne scars, hair styled into a “faux-hawk,” wearing gray t-shirt and blue jeans.

HAYS COUNTY – San Marcos Police released composite sketches of three suspects who kidnapped a woman and her young child and sexually assaulted the woman on Nov. 6.   The composites were developed with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers.

The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries during the attack in which she was kidnapped, beaten and strangled.   Investigators are following numerous leads, and tips continue to come in on the case, according to San Marcos Police Commander Penny Dunn.

Investigators hope the release of the composite drawings will help the case by developing further tips on the suspects.  “It has taken us time to work with the victim as she recovered from injuries and this traumatic incident and the DPS forensic artist to complete these composite sketches,” Commander Dunn said.

Please call the San Marcos Police Department – Criminal Investigation Division at 512.753.2300 if you recognize these individuals. Many tips were received on the suspect vehicle. Multiple investigators and crime analysts from SMPD, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, Kyle Police, Texas Rangers, and ARIC still working through the information and locating vehicles identified through tips or analysis.

The incident occurred on the east end of McKie Street approaching the access road of IH 35, west of the interstate highway. This area is near a low water crossing with heavy vegetation growing near the street.  The woman was driving on McKie Street when her vehicle was bumped on the rear bumper by another vehicle.  When the woman got out to check for damage, she was forced into the back seat of her own vehicle two suspects as a third followed in the truck.

The woman’s head was covered and she was taken to an unknown location where she was sexually assaulted, strangled, and eventually lost consciousness, Dunn said. The unconscious victim and her child were later left in their vehicle parked on the side of a roadway outside of San Marcos.  The victim regained consciousness and was disoriented but was able to return to her residence where Police and Emergency Medical Services were summoned.

Local women learn combat skills in wake of San Marcos attack Reply

Phil Waldron helps a clinic participant practice a self-defense move.

Active duty Army reservist, Phil Waldron, is a Dripping Springs resident and the Director of Operations for Progressive Combat Training Skills on Heather Hills Road.  He trains there to keep his combat skills sharp with a handful of retired Army Special Forces and former Navy Seals, so they can train others in self-defense. Clients have ranged from law enforcement officers to civilians but Waldron and his colleagues are being approached by a new group of students: Area women who want to learn how to defend themselves after news in early November, about a violent attack on a woman driving through San Marcos, with her 4-year old child in the car: http://www.kvue.com/news/local/San-Marcos-police-investigating-kidnapping-sexual-assault-of-woman-with-4-year-old-231009081.html

It’s no secret that crime rates are on the rise around the Austin area, but it is especially alarming to area residents that violent crime to seems to be spreading to the surrounding Hill Country. Waldron says requests are on the rise from local women who are worried.

“Lots of women are asking for training,” Waldron said. “They want to learn how to fight back.”

Waldron and his colleagues developed the Unarmed Combatives Clinic in response to those requests, and specifically to news of the recent attack in San Marcos. The first local clinic was held Saturday, 11/16, from 2:00 – 4:30p.m., at the private Progressive Combat Skills training facility off of W. Fitzhugh Road. Waldron said the clinic was free of charge, with about 30 participants coming out, including “several mom/daughters, husband/wife and friend groups.”

Kristy Krueger has lived in Dripping Springs for 30 years, and said she learned a variety of basic self-defense skills on Saturday. “It was great that they showed us several ways to respond to an attacker and how to break free,” Krueger said. “I would recommend it for any woman of any age, and men, too.”

Husband and father Dave Stewart did not attend the clinic, but women in his family did. “My wife and 3 of my daughters were at the training on Saturday,” Stewart posted in a comment on the Progressive Combat Skills page on Facebook. “They came home excited and confident after the training. It makes a man feel a lot more