Texas prosecutor found slain, two months after deputy's murder

USPA News - A local prosecutor and his wife have been found shot dead at their home in Texas, nearly two months after his top prosecutor was gunned down near the county`s courthouse, authorities said Sunday. It is not yet known whether the murders are linked.

Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, 63, and his wife, Cynthia, were found deceased inside their residence near the city of Forney, located some 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Dallas, after a concerned relative or friend went to their house after being unable to reach the couple. Deputies arrived at the scene shortly after 6 p.m. local time on Saturday. Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes, speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, confirmed both victims had been shot. "The crime scene continues to be processed and the investigation is in its beginning stages and is ongoing," he said, adding that state and federal agencies such as the FBI are providing assistance. Authorities provided little information about the murders, and it was not immediately known whether they are linked to the unsolved murder of McLelland`s top prosecutor two months ago. "We have nothing to indicate that for sure," Byrnes said when asked about a possible connection. Nonetheless, authorities were not excluding the possibility and have taken steps to protect elected officials in the county. Byrnes said the sheriff`s office will add visible exterior security at the county`s courthouse on Monday and carry out extra patrols in the area to ensure the safety of employees and the public. On January 31, Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse was shot dead at a parking lot near the courthouse. Investigators previously said they were looking for an older model, Taurus-style sedan, silver or possibly brown in color, in connection with the murder, but the case remains unsolved with no suspects. A total of thirteen prosecutors have been killed in the United States since the 1960s, according to the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA). McLelland, who previously served in the U.S. Army for more than 23 years, had five children, including a Dallas police officer, with his wife Cynthia.