Dallas cop charged with murder after allegedly ordering 2 hits in 2017

DALLAS (TCD) --

A cop with the Dallas Police for 13 years was arrested Thursday in connection with two murders that occurred in 2017.

The arrest comes more than a year and a half after a man told investigators he kidnapped and killed two people at the officer’s instruction in 2017, The Associated Press reports.

The Dallas Morning-News reports Bryan Riser was booked into the Dallas County Jail Thursday evening and had his bail set at $5 million. He was charged with two counts of capital murder.

On March 10, 2017, boaters discovered the body of 31-year-old Lisa Saenz, who had been shot to death and dumped in the Trinity River in Texas.

Kevin Kidd, Emmanuel Kilpatrick, and Jermon Simmons were arrested in September 2017 and charged with Saenz's murder. The Associated Press reported that Kilpatrick is serving a life sentence for killing a father and son, and Simmons was charged in another death.

One of the men, who was not named, told police that Riser played a role in the murders of Lisa Saenz and 61-year-old Albert Douglas. Douglas was reported missing in February 2017. His body has not been found.

In the affidavit, as reported by the Morning-News, the unnamed man said Riser offered to pay him $3,500 to kill Douglas. Riser then allegedly asked the man to kill Saenz, and offered $6,000 for the job. The affidavit stated Riser called Saenz an "informant."

The Washington Post reported that the man told police they were not paid for killing Saenz because they were arrested.

In a news conference on Thursday, Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said the murders were unconnected. He acknowledged that Riser had a relationship with one of the victims but did not say which one. Chief Garcia said the motive is "unknown" and that the investigation into Riser and killings "remains ongoing at this time."

Chief Garcia explained that Riser was put on administrative leave and that the department will "expedite" the process so he will no longer be with the police force.

Former Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall said with the guidance of federal law enforcement, homicide detectives and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office decided to not place Riser on administrative leave so authorities would not compromise the murder investigation, the Morning-News reports.

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