The Burning Taper
http://burningtaper.blogspot.ca/2009/05/texas-mason-charged-with-murder-of.html

Texas Mason charged with murder of younger woman

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

An "alleged" Texas Mason has been charged with murder in the disappearance of his female friend.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Coppell (Texas) Police Department need the public's help. If anyone saw {Leroy] Tellgren, [Kathleen] Garza or Tellgren's vehicle along the Texas/Oklahoma border or in the state of Oklahoma around April 16th, please call the OSBI hotline at 800-522-8017.

Tellgren's vehicle is a dark green 1997 Chevy S-10 extended cab pickup with a Texas license plate of 46XWC5. A Masonic Lodge insignia is on the driver's side back of the truck.

Leroy Tellgren, 74, and Kathleen Garza, 49, had for the past five years been buddies from work in the local school district. Tellgren was a school bus monitor; until last May, Garza was a middle school business and computer skills teacher.

They met for coffee-to-go just before 9 a.m. on April 16th, video surveillance cameras at a grocery store coffee shop show. An indoor camera shows them together at the counter; an outside camera shows them walking toward and then getting into Tellgren's pick-up truck.

That's the last time anyone saw Kathleen Garza.

Police have charged Tellgren with her murder, though her body has not been found.

Garza's husband said that his wife looked up to Tellgren as a "father figure." An employee at the coffee shop where they were last seen says Garza and Tellgren were regulars there, and had been seen on occasion holding hands and acting "romantic," something Garza's husband Raul strongly denies.

Tellgren was taken into custody by police who were at his home talking with his wife when he returned late that night. He gave police permission to search his truck. They found that the passenger seatbelt, along with patches of material from the passenger seat, had been cut out. Blood was present on areas that had not been removed. A large bloodstain was found on the shirt Tellgren was wearing.

A few hours later, police found bloody seatcover material and a bloody seatbelt inside a trash bag in a dumpster less than a mile from Tellgren's home.

Two rings and a watch that have been identified as belonging to Garza were found in his pocket.

Tellgren has been uncooperative. He remains in custody with bail set at one million dollars.

Police and the OSBI are asking anyone who may have seen Tellgren, Garza or his truck on April 16th to call them with any information.

Google the news stories.
Read the OSBI statement.
Read the Coppell Police arrest warrant.

Image #1: Leroy Tellgren
Image #2: Kathleen Garza