Reporting By Amy Meyer | Mineral Wells Area News
PALO PINTO COUNTY, Texas — A man was arrested on a capital murder charge Thursday after investigators found a woman dead near a burning vehicle at Oaks Crossing on the Brazos River, according to the Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were dispatched to Oaks Crossing at approximately 4:39 a.m. Aug. 27 after the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a vehicle on fire. Multiple fire departments also responded as crews across Palo Pinto County were simultaneously dealing with a large wildfire.
When deputies arrived, they found a vehicle burning and discovered a deceased woman a short distance away, according to Sheriff J.R. Patterson.
Investigators with the Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division responded to the scene and determined they believed the woman had been the victim of a homicide. The Texas Rangers were contacted to assist with the investigation.
Despite the challenges posed by ongoing wildfire operations in the county, investigators identified a suspect during the course of the investigation.
At approximately 11:20 p.m. Thursday, Palo Pinto County investigators and Texas Rangers arrested Michael Wayne Hatcher on a charge of capital murder, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office did not release the identity of the woman or provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding her death in its initial announcement. The release also did not specify the allegation supporting the capital murder charge.
“The Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Office remains fully committed to maintaining public safety and securing justice, even under these extreme environmental conditions and the challenges they bring,” Patterson said in the release.
The investigation remains ongoing. An arrest and criminal charge are accusations, and Hatcher is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.