Wichita Falls Police said 2021 was a higher than average year for homicides.
Sgt. Charles Eipper with the WFPD said Wichita Falls usually averages 10 or fewer homicides each year. In 2021, they investigated 13, which he called a higher than normal number.
Here's a rundown of incidents where people met violent ends:
January: 1
Just a few days after celebrating the New Year, police were called for the city’s first homicide of 2021. An early-morning shooting on Pearl Avenue on Jan. 10, sent two people to the hospital. One of them, 28-year-old Curtis Wayne Day died later that morning. A suspect, Patrick Lyle Osborn, was caught the next day and charged with murder.
Story:Police investigate city's first homicide of the year
February: 2
On Feb. 11police were sent to the 4800 block of Colleen Drive for a report of a gunshot. They found 52-year-old Charles Bolf Jr. bleeding from his head and neck. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police arrested Alton Rhodes and charged him with murder, but he was no-billed by a Wichita Grand Jury.
Story:Police investigate a shooting
On Feb. 23, police responded to a report of a stabbing at a house in the 2100 block of Grant Street. The victim, 46-year-old Katherine Acuna, was found stabbed to death. Police found Narciso Espinosa walking down the street. He admitted to stabbing the victim during an argument. He was arrested and charged with murder.
More:Police: Woman found dead onGrant Street, murder suspect in custody
March: 2
On March 6, police responded to the scene of a shooting in the parking lot of the Shop-N-Go on 32ndStreet. They found 39-year-old Bobby Joe Fernandez with a gunshot wound. Paramedics attended to him, but he died at the scene. Surveillance video showed a suspect, Christopher Franklin Payne, talking to the victim inside the store before shooting him in the parking lot. Payne was located a few days later and charged with murder.
Story:One dead in Jacksboro Highway shooting
On March 11,police investigated a report of a deceased infant. The case is still under investigation and is waiting to be referred to a grand jury for possible charges.
April: 1
On April 22, officers responded to a report of an assault with a weaponat a house in the 5900 block of Kemp Boulevard.Randy Russell said he had stabbed his son. The victim, 39-year-old Chadrick Russell, had multiple stab wounds. He was rushed to the hospital but died later. Randy Russell called 9-1-1 and said Chadrick was “coming at him with bodily injury” and he had to stab him. He was arrested and charged with murder.
Story:Victim dies after early morning assault, suspect arrested
June: 3
On June 6, officers were sent to a disturbance at a home in the 2600 block of Sherman Road. A couple living there said a man, 33-year-old Sammy Martinez, forced his way into the house and was shot. Martinez was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. No arrests were made.
Story:Police investigate Sunday morning shooting death
On June 18, police arrested two parents in connection with their 1-year-old child’s death. An autopsy did not identify any acute trauma but noted physical findings consistent with neglect. The final autopsy reportshowedthe victim weighed less than she did at birth when she died of starvation. Detectives arrested Christian Bishop-Torrence and Sage Wright for the offense of Injury to a Child, Elderly, or Disabled Person.
Story:Parents arrested in connection with child’s death
More:Parents suspected of starving child to death were indicted on capital murder charges
On June 20,police responded to a report that someone had been shot at the corner of Avenue L at Taylor Street. They found 26-year-old Guadalupe Valdez lying in the roadway dead from multiple gunshot wounds. During the investigation, an eyewitness called police and identified Ramon Rubio as the suspect. The witness said Rubio and Valdez got into an argument and Rubio shot Valdez. Rubio was arrested and charged with murder.
More:One dead in late-night shooting
July: 1
On July 15, police were sent tocheck the welfare of a person at Avalon Meadows Apartments on Iowa Park Road. They found 22-year-old Johnny Perez dead inside an apartment from an apparent gunshot wound. WFPD detectives have asked for anyone that has information on this case to call Crime Stoppers 940-322-9888 or the police non-emergency number 720-5000. No arrest has been made.
Story:Crime of the Week: Reward offered for help solving Perez murder
August: 1
On Aug. 1, Wichita Falls Police and First Responders went to the scene of a pin-in accident on Henry S Grace Freeway. Two vehicles collided head on -- a red passenger car and a small pickup.
Jerry Fulfer, 81, was killed when his pickup was struck head-on by a vehicle traveling the wrong way. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a Dallas hospital for treatment. WFPD spokesman Sgt. Charlie Eipper said the car's driver will be chargedwith Intoxicated-Manslaughter.
Story:Early morning accident kills one, injures another
September: 1
On Sept. 16, officers responded to a 9-1-1 call where a woman reported her son, 17-year-old Gabriel Varela, had assaulted her and pointed a gun at her. An arrest warrant was prepared for Valera, who was holed up in the family home.
The WFPD SWAT team tried to introduce chemical munitions in the interest of safe apprehension but when the front door was breached SWAT personnel were immediately met with gunfire from inside the home. Valera left through the rear of the house holding a handgun and running towards officers. He fired the handgun at the officers who returned fire, killing him. No arrest was made.
More:Man killed by police at standoff on Eighth Street
October: 1
On Oct. 9,Wichita Falls police responded to the 100 block of Evergreen Drive for a gunshot victim. They found Martin Jones with gunshot wounds in his abdomen. He was transported to the hospital where he died a couple of days later. Witnesses said Jones was in an argument with Noel Martin when Martin shot Jones. Police arrested Martin and charged him with murder.
WFPD said there was not one, clear-cut reason for the increase in homicides.
Over the past two years, many major U.S. cities have seen increases in their homicide rates.
The FBI reports 2020 had the highest ever year-over-year increase of homicide rate, rising 30 percent. The homicide rates are still lower than they were after a high in the 1990s. In 2020, while the homicide rate increased, the rate of property crimes decreased across the country.
Speculations among criminologists and local law enforcementfor the increased homicides include possible stress from the COVID-19 pandemic, tense relations between police and the public, increase in gun access, or bail reform leading to fewer prosecutions. FBI crime data shows there were 24 percent fewer arrests in 2020 than in 2019 across the U.S. (2021 data is not yet available).
More:One person shot in Saturday night incident
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