TX - Benjamin 'Gill' Clements, 69, murdered near Athens, 21 Oct 2010

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...lements_24met.ART.State.Edition1.3342bb8.html

Son of former [TX] Gov. Bill Clements Jr. thought to be dead


"The son of former Texas Gov. Bill Clements Jr. is thought to be dead after police in Henderson County found what they believe is his body in a shallow grave freshly dug in his neighbor's yard.

Police unearthed the body Saturday morning, less than a day after a police shootout on the property killed Gill Clements' neighbor, Howard Tod Granger.

County officials had not confirmed the body is the former governor's son, who was reported missing Thursday night from his vacation ranch outside of Athens. Henderson County Sheriff Ray Nutt said he believes it is Gill Clements' body...."

more at link


ETA: His mother has confirmed that it's him:

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Gov-Clements-wife-Body-in-East-Texas-is-their-son-105647103.html

Wow, a lot of information missing from that article. Looks like the neighbor could have murdered him...I wonder if it was some sort of property dispute. And then he goes and shoots a police officer too. How very senseless and sad!

Wow! This is going to be tragic....

RIP Mr. Clements :rose:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7262487.html

Wallet belonging to Clements' son found

ATHENS, Texas — A sheriff says a wallet belonging to the 69-year-old son of former Texas Gov. Bill Clements has been recovered as authorities work to identify a body found at a ranch near Athens.

Click to expand...

And

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102610dnmetclements.1c5263771.html

Henderson County sheriff confirms man found in shallow grave was son of former Texas governor

Granger was described by residents as a recluse who sometimes brandished an AK-47 when people strayed too close to his fence line.

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http://www.athensreview.com/breakin...-of-man-killed-by-law-enforcement-near-Athens

October 23, 2010

Body found on property of man killed by law enforcement near Athens
Jeff Riggs
The Athens Review

Nutt said the billfold and pieces of clothing belonging to Bill Clements, Jr., also known as B. “Gill” Clements, was found on the Granger property.

Nutt said the only negative discussion he knows of between Granger and Clements was an incident “some time back,“ in which Granger allegedly was shooting at a tree on the Clements property from his own property. It is believed this caused a hole in the fence between the two properties.

Nutt knows of no legal documents being filed in the incident, and knows of no legal action taken against Granger through Henderson County for anything else.

Click to expand...

I got a lot of phone calls over the weekend - it turns out I know Gill's wife, Patricia (goes by Pat). Had no idea she was married to the former Gov's son.

My thoughts are with Pat and her family.

Now I'll be paying more attention to this story.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_on_re_us/us_texas_governor_son_6

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/1024dnmetclements.1c138cfc6.html



"...."That old boy," JL [a neighbor] said. "He was kind of like a hermit. You'd be afraid to even say 'good morning' to him." JL said that last summer, some college students had come down the road selling steaks from the back of a pickup. Their truck became stuck in the mud next to Granger's property.

When JL arrived to help, he said, Granger was staring at the meat sellers from his side of the fence, his AK-47 propped up next to him. "He told them, 'You ain't gonna touch that truck,' " JL said.

JL said he called the sheriff that day...."


more at link

IMO, Granger was a wing-nut. He was described by neighbors as never being without his assault rifle and seemed to enjoy terrorizing people--even teens. His wife would not leave their property, even after the discovery of the grave and the death of Mr. Granger.

I enjoyed so much about my 14 years in Texas but I'm not a bit ashamed to say that I don't miss the guns. I'll take full responsibility for that statement.

My prayers go out to the governor's family.