Man Gets 15 Years in Coppell Teacher's Slaying

By STACY MORROW

Updated 7:41 PM CST, Thu, Oct 22, 2009

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NBCDFW.com

A 75-year-old Carrollton man pled guilty Thursday in the slaying of a Coppell woman who disappeared April 16.

Kathleen Garza, 49, never returned from a trip to the Market Street Shopping Center on North Denton Tap Road in Coppell. Her husband said she had gone to meet her friend Leroy Tellgren for coffee on the day that she disappeared.

Tellgren was sentenced to 15 years of prison based on a plea agreement reached between his lawyers and the Denton County District Attorney’s Office. He will be eligible for parole in seven years.

Garza's remains were found in a field near State Highway 121 and Fish Hatchery Road in Lewisville on Oct. 8.

Kathleen Garza

Garza, a former teacher, met Tellgren five years ago when the two worked for the Coppell school district, her husband, Raul, said. He said Tellgren was like a father figure to his wife and that the two met often to chat over coffee.

First Published: Oct 22, 2009 7:20 PM CST

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0 Comments

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