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Tellgren indicted by Denton County grand jury
By Jim Kilpatrick, Staff Writer
Leroy Tellgren, 74, was indicted Thursday for the murder of Coppell resident, Kathleen Garza by a Denton County grand jury.
Tellgren, of Carrollton, was originally arrested on April 20 by the Coppell Police Department and charged with capital murder in connection with the disappearance of Garza.
He has been held in the Denton County jail under a $1million bond.
“The next step in this process will be setting the case for trial,” said Steve Thomas, deputy chief of police. “This will be done by the Denton County district attorney’s office in the near future.”
The incident dates back to April 16 when Garza was reported missing by her husband Raul after failing to return home.
A surveillance tape from the Market Street grocery showed the defendant and victim enter the store, purchase coffee and leave the store. Garza is seen getting into the defendant’s dark green 1997 Chevy S-10 pickup about 9 a.m.
The report also stated Garza’s brown purse was found in the vehicle and there were blood stains on the seat, floor, carpet and passenger side door panel. Officers also noted what appeared to be a blood stain on the defendant’s shirt.
The Coppell police seized the pickup April 17.
Pieces of the seat of the pickup were found inside a black trash bag along with Garza's jacket in a dumpster in the 1900 block of Hebron Parkway in Carrollton about a mile from Tellgren's residence. The foam, seat fabric and seat belt were stained with what appeared to be blood, according to police.
During questioning by detectives, Tellgren produced a watch and rings, which were identified by Garza’s husband and the defendant as belonging to as her, according to the police.
Coppell police are continuing the search for Garza’s body.
“We remain confident that Kathy Garza will be located as our investigation continues to move forward,” said Roy Osborne, Coppell chief of police.
Garza is a former employee of the Coppell ISD from 2001 to 2008, according to Tamerah Ringo, director of communications and public relations for CISD.
“She worked on and off for the district during that period,” Ringo said.
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