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Bond reduced for Kerrville trioKERRVILLE (AP) - State District Judge Murray Jordan on Friday reduced bond for three Texas Hill Country family members charged in the March torture-slaying of a 23-year-old drifter who allegedly was kidnapped and forced to live and work on a ranch.Jordan lowered the bond for Walter Wesley Ellebracht, 53. from $250,000 to $100,000 after Ellebracht testified that he made less than $10,000 last year.Bond for Ellebracht’s son. Walter Jr., 31, and his daughter-in law, Joyce. 29, was reducedfrom $250,000 each to $50,000 each.The three were still jailed late Friday afternoon.They are among nine people indicted on organized crime charges in connection with the March 13 death of Anthony Bates, who allegedly had been held captive at the Ellebracht ranch.The Ellebrachts appeared in Jordan’s court on Friday, along with Carlton Caldwell, 19, of Taos, N.M.; Mark AllenHamilton, 22, of Los Angeles and Marshall Van Scoyk Jr.. 19, of Converse.Caldwell, Hamilton and Scoyk remained under $250,000 bond each. Three others named in the June 28 organized crime indictment are still at large.Famed defense attorney Richard “Racehorse” Haynes of Houston informed Jordan on Friday that he was representing Ellebracht. Ray Bass, a partner with Haynes until 1978, is representing the son. and yetanother former Haynes partner. Michael Ramsey, is representing Joyce Ellebracht.The Ellebrachts have been in jail since April 12. The original charge was murder and kidnapping.Two of the other defendants have given statements to police saying they were held captive atthe sprawling ranch owned by the Ellebrachts. The defendants said hitchhikers were lured to the ranch with the promise of work.In a statement to authorities, Hamilton said Bates was shocked with a cattle prod on various parts of his body for severaldays. He finally became so weak he died. Hamilton said.After Bates died, his body was doused with gasoline and burned, Hamilton said. Bone fragments found on the ranch were determined to be human, leading to charges in the case.Jordan granted several defense motions, including one to allow the defense to retest bone fragments.Another motion granted would prohibit the state from producing extraneous acts of misconduct by the defendants. The judge also set an Aug. 20 hearing on a motion to suppress certain statements made by the defendants.Another defense motion sought to suppress as evidence the bone fragments, a cattle prod, nine machetes and several firearms. The defense claimed an April 6 search of the ranch was unlawful. Having signed the search warrant, Jordan recused himself from hearing the suppression motion and said another judge would be appointed to hear it, possibly on Aug. 20.
Newspaper Details
Del Rio News Herald
Del Rio, Texas, US
Sat, Jul 07, 1984
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Shannon E.
USA 10 May 2018
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