Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigates deputies’ response to injured man later found dead in woods
A Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy and sergeant are being investigated over whether they followed department policy when they responded to a call about an injured man who was later found dead in the woods.
A Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy and sergeant are being investigated over whether they followed department policy when they responded to a call about an injured man who was later found dead in the woods.
The first calls came in on Oct. 3, shortly after midnight, according to the sheriff’s office, about a man injured in the woods near 16750 Red Oak Drive.
When a deputy and sergeant responded, they reported being unable to find the victim, who has now been identified as 66-year-old Mark Hamilton. During the initial call, EMS was on standby in case deputies had been able to locate the victim.
About 10 hours later, around 10 a.m., the sheriff’s office got called back to the same location for a report of a deceased person at an encampment in a wooded area.
At that time, deputies found Hamilton, who had obvious signs of severe trauma, according to HCSO. A homicide investigation is underway.
Hamilton died of a stab wound to the neck, according to the medical examiner’s office, with “injuries to the right common carotid artery and external jugular vein.”
Hamilton’s autopsy is still pending, and a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office couldn’t yet say whether he was still alive at the time of the initial call when responding deputies couldn’t find him.
The deputy and sergeant have been temporarily reassigned pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, the spokesperson said.
