Daily Police Blotter: Irving Death Investigation

Here's a daily list of recent activities drawing the attention of North Texas law enforcement. List compiled on Jan. 26, 2010.

IRVING DEATH INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Irving police are reviewing surveillance video to try to figure out who killed a man last seen at a popular fitness club. Gerardo Castanon-Banuelos, 31, was found Saturday morning near the entrance of  McFalls Park on South Carrier Parkway in Grand Prairie, according to police. He was last seen working out at 24 Hour Fitness near State Highway 183 in Irving at 9:30 p.m. Friday. Police said he left the fitness center with someone because they found his vehicle in the parking lot on Saturday. Investigators said Castanon-Banuelos was shot multiple times. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 972-988-8477.

FATHER PLEADS FOR RETURN OF DAUGHTER
The father of a missing Oklahoma girl whose mother was found dead inside her motor home has called on the woman's estranged husband to return his daughter safely. J.J. Johnson said Monday his 7-year-old daughter Aja Daniell Johnson is on medication and pleaded for her safe return. The girl's mother, Tonya Hobbs, was found slain in her motor home Sunday, and authorities said Aja may be with Hobbs' estranged husband, Lester Hobbs. He served prison time in 2003 after being convicted of assault and battery with a deadly weapon and other charges. Oklahoma authorities have issued an Amber Alert and asked law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout in Texas, California and Oregon, where Lester Hobbs has relatives. Click here to see the Amber Alert poster.

200 FEET OF AT&T LINES STOLEN
AT&T customers in southern Dallas can get back to communicating. The phone company said someone stole about 200 feet of phone cable Monday, knocking out service to an unknown number of customers in southern Dallas County. AT&T told the Dallas Morning News the theft happened in the 10200 block of South Central Expressway north of Interstate 20 just before dawn. AT&T is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to arrest. Read more in the Dallas Morning News.

FIRE IN ARLINGTON DISPLACES 12 PEOPLE
A resident at the Sleepy Hollow Apartments in Arlington called 911 to report a fire in the chimney at around 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Arlington Fire Department. Firefighters said they saw smoke and fire as they arrived in the 3800 block of Ichabod Circle. The fire affected eight units and two were destroyed, according to the Red Cross.  The Red Cross is helping displaced residents.

FIRE RIPS THROUGH GRAPEVINE CHURCH
Fire investigators continue to look for the cause of a fire inside the First Baptist Church of Grapevine. The fire started just before 10 p.m. at the church in the 300 block of East Texas Street. No one was hurt but firefighters said the smoke was so intense a fan from DFW Airport was brought in to clear the air.

THEFT MAY HAVE BEEN INSIDE JOB: PRINCIPAL
The principal of a small Denton County charter school said $600 to $800 in cash was stolen from her office over the weekend. The Education Center's students were raising money for a bigger playground. The principal said she thinks someone left a door or a window open. Nothing else was stolen. Read this story on NBCDFW.com.

SMU PLAYER SUSPENDED AFTER ARREST ON RAPE CHARGE
SMU backup defensive lineman Torlan Pittman has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest in Dallas on a rape charge out of Huntsville. Huntsville police Capt. Wes Altom said the 20-year-old Pittman and another man accused of raping a woman in September at a Huntsville apartment were arrested Monday. Read this story on NBCDFW.com.

CHILD NEARLY ABDUCTED IN BURLESON: POLICE
Burleson police said a child was nearly abducted Monday morning, the fourth such attempt in three weeks. Police said someone pulled up to a bus stop at Lone Oak Court and Royal Oak Lane and asked a female child to get into the gray pickup truck. The person drove away when several children walked up, police said. Police said someone in a vehicle with the same description approached a 9-year-old and a 10-year-old boy in separate incidents in the same neighborhood in the last three weeks. A 14-year-old girl was also grabbed by a man but managed to get a way, police said. Watch a video report on NBCDFW.com.

WOMAN CLAIMS ON-DUTY COP URINATED IN FRONT OF HER
A Covington police officer who is accused of urinating in front of a convenience store worker has been placed on paid leave. Christine Lowry said the on-duty officer walked into the bathroom Thursday night while she was cleaning it. When she asked him to give her a moment to finish cleaning, he instead used the urinal in front of her, Lowry said. The police department said it is conducting an internal investigation. Read this story on NBCDFW.com.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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