Former Texas Judge's Daughter, Grandkids Murdered; In Retaliation for His Case?
Updated: The daughter and two young grandchildren of a deceased Texas judge have been found dead in their home. The apparent murders follow other crimes reported there during the past week that could have been committed in retaliation for the judge’s role in a high-profile case.
Found shot to death this morning in the North Dallas home were a 52-year-old woman, and her two children, a 4-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl. The home is owned by Frank Geis, who is the son-in-law of state District Judge Mark Stenson Tolle, who died last year. The murder victims are his daughter, Jeanmarie Tolle Geis, and two grandchildren, according to the Dallas Morning News and WFAA-TV.
“Neighbors say they think recent attacks reported at the home were retaliation against Ms. Geis because her father was a judge in a high-profile case,” reports the Dallas newspaper, which doesn’t specify the case thought to be linked to the earlier reported crimes. The recent crimes included a home invasion, an assault and a kidnapping in which both Frank Geis and Jeanmarie Tolle Geis were reportedly victimized, and authorities are trying to determine whether these earlier attacks could be linked to the murders.
An aunt of Jeanmarie Tolle Geis who is a former prosecutor and serves as a misdemeanor court judge in Dallas County says sheriff’s deputies brought her home from the courthouse today, the newspaper reports.
A 2007 Dallas Morning News article gives more background about the judge and his work on the bench. His daughter reportedly worked as a real estate agent.
As discussed in a subsequent ABAJournal.com post, the case is now taking a new direction, as authorities investigate not only a possible link to the judge’s work but whether it could be a murder-suicide.
Additional coverage:
Dallas Dirt: “Massacre On Blairview Drive: Virginia Cook Realtor and Children”
Updated at 11:55 a.m. on Dec. 22 to include link to subsequent ABAJournal.com post.