By Amy Bearden / Mineral Wells Area News
It’s been just over a year since the incident, but the two men involved in a December 2022 late-night altercation outside of Whataburger in Mineral Wells that sent 60-year-old Doug Warren to the hospital, where he later died, have had their original charges of assault increased to murder.
Last week on December 21st, a Palo Pinto County Grand Jury indicted both Ryan Hill and Tanner Woodring on charges of murder in a sealed indictment, according to Special Prosecutor Erleigh Wiley.
Online records show both men were re-booked into the Palo Pinto County Jail, Woodring on December 27th and then Hill on the 28th, and both released on a $100,000 bond set by District Judge Michael Moore for the increased charges.
On December 18, 2022, then 31-year-old suspect Ryan Cyle Hill was charged with Aggravated Assault causing bodily injury and was released on a $75,000 bond. Suspect Ryan “Tanner” Woodring, now 30, was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Harm and released on a $5000 bond.
According to Mineral Wells Police, a fight occurred in the early hours of December 18, 2022 which left Warren unconscious on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. The two suspects, both Mineral Wells men, were detained by the crowd as the altercation came to an end and were later arrested and charged in the incident.
Warren was flown to a Ft Worth hospital, but just over a week later died from his injuries sustained in the argument, according to MWPD. The official cause of death was listed as homicide according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner after an official autopsy was ordered.
Mineral Wells Area News reached out to the Palo Pinto County DA for an update on the case and were directed to the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney’s Office for an update. Their office was appointed as Pro Tem (special prosecutors) in the Doug Warren case on September 28, 2023, after Palo Pinto County District Attorney Kriste Burnett recused herself from the case.
MWAN asked Wiley for a case update on December 19th.
“We are reviewing the evidence and at the conclusion of our review, if we believe there is enough evidence for an indictment, we will present to the grand jury. Because it is a pending case, our office can’t discuss the facts. As you know, if indicted you will become aware because that information is public,” said Wiley.
She did not respond to our second question of how long it would take her office to review the case but it seems she was ready, as the suspects’ new charges came just two days later on December 21st.
“Each defendant was indicted on murder,” Wiley wrote in her email response after the charges were not only increased but also leveled for both men by the grand jury.
Wiley was unable to explain the reasoning for the changes in the charges.
“It’s a pending investigation and I can’t discuss what occurred in the grand jury proceedings, and I have no idea what was discussed when we left presentment, except to rely the grand jury determined there was probable cause to indict both suspects of murder,” Wiley wrote.
When asked about her office being appointed the case, Wiley indicated that it doesn’t mean the venue changes.
“Special prosecutors or attorneys pro tem are other District Attorneys that are appointed if the District Attorney in the original county has recused themselves, which Ms Burnett did in this case. A change of venue means the case would be moved to another county. A change of venue motion has not been filed. So, the case will be tried in Palo Pinto county at this point,” Kaufman County DA Erleigh Wiley explained.
We asked Palo Pinto County DA Kriste Burnett why she recused herself from the case, and according to a statement from her, the reasoning stems not only of her relationship with the defendant’s family, but also because he hired her former assistant.
“It is important for all the parties in that case to feel like they got a fair and impartial evaluation of the evidence. There was a perception that I might not be fair because of my friendship with the Woodrings, especially after they hired my old assistant Robert DuBoise. I wanted to be sure and take any perception of partiality out of this important case,” said Burnett.
According to Texas Penal Code, murder is punishable as a first degree felony, with a penalty range from 5 to 99 years or life in prison. However, if you prove that you “caused the death under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause” by a preponderance of the evidence(after conviction and in the punishment stage) then the offense is punishable as a second degree felony with a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
MWAN will update as more information becomes available.
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