A Texas Republican official is hospitalized in critical condition after a violent knife attack at her home that left her husband dead, according to a report this week.
Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, 76, was stabbed in the early hours of Monday morning at her residence in Lewisville. Her husband, Fred Mitchell, was killed during the same attack.
In a shocking turn, the couple’s 23-year-old grandson, Mitchell Blake Reinacher, has been arrested in connection with the crime. He now faces charges of murder and aggravated assault, DailyMail.com reported.
Police responded to reports of an assault at a home in the 1000 block of Springwood Drive shortly before 4 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found both victims suffering from stab wounds, according to Fox4 News.
The suspect was still on the scene and was immediately taken into custody by Lewisville Police. Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell is currently in stable condition at a local hospital, though specific details about her injuries have not been released.
Fred Mitchell was rushed to the hospital but tragically passed away shortly after 5 a.m. Reinacher was booked into the Lewisville jail as the investigation remains ongoing.
Bobbie Mitchell, a former Lewisville City Council member, made history in 1993 when she became the city’s first black mayor. She served in that role until January 2000, when she stepped down to assume her current position as Denton County Commissioner.
Denton County Judge Andy Eads posted a tribute on social media, writing: “My dear friend, colleague and mentor Precinct 3 Commissioner Bobbie J. Mitchell has suffered a huge tragedy this morning. I ask that you keep her and her family in your prayers as she recovers. Her beloved husband, Fred Mitchell, a longtime friend, will be greatly missed. Please honor their privacy as the family navigates this horrible tragedy.”
Texas House Rep. Jared Patterson noted online: “Please join Leslie and me in prayer for Denton County’s most beloved public servant, Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, as she attempts to recover from this attack while mourning the death of her husband, Fred.”
Bobbie Mitchell has two children and nine grandchildren, according to the Denton County government. Reinacher is listed as one of Mitchell’s grandsons.
In addition to her roles as Lewisville mayor and Denton County Precinct 3 commissioner, Bobbie Mitchell has long been active in her community. She has served on the boards of the local YMCA and the Denton County Welfare Board, and has been involved with the Lewisville Area Republican Women.
The Lewisville Noon Rotary Club, where both Bobbie and Fred Mitchell were members, shared on Facebook that Bobbie is in stable condition and has been transferred to the ICU as she recovers from her stab wounds, Fox News reported.
Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was robbed while eating dinner at a downtown Washington, DC restaurant on Sunday night.
When asked about the theft at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Noem acknowledged the incident and said that no suspects are yet in custody.
The Secret Service, which protects Noem, analyzed security video footage from the restaurant and saw what appeared to be a white male wearing a surgical mask grab her luggage and depart, according to a law enforcement source who spoke to CNN.
The burglar made off with Noem’s driver’s license, prescription, apartment keys, passport, DHS access badge, cosmetics bag, blank checks, and around $3,000 in cash.
Noem announced last week that some of the people allegedly responsible for leaking information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have been caught.
“We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,” she said in a post on X on Friday. “We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they’ve done.”
