Dallas police officer charged with two counts of capital murder, department announces

A Dallas police officer was arrested on Thursday as the department announced he’s suspected of directing a man to kidnap and kill two people in 2017.

Bryan Riser, who joined the department in August 2008, was charged with two counts of capital murder, police said. He was taken to Dallas County Jail for processing.

Riser is accused of orchestrating the deaths of Lisa Marie Saenz, whose body was found in the Trinity River in March 2017, and Albert Douglas, whose body was never recovered, Chief Eddie Garcia said during a news conference on Thursday afternoon. Douglas, Garcia said, was reported missing by his family in February 2017. Witnesses later stated he was kidnapped and murdered in the 200 block of Santa Fe Avenue.

Saenz was kidnapped before she was shot several times, Garcia said. Her body was located in the river, also in the 200 block of Santa Fe Avenue.

In August 2019, a witness, whom police didn’t identify, stated Riser instructed him to kidnap and kill Douglas and then Saenz.

“This individual has no business wearing this uniform.” Garcia said on Thursday. “And that’s just not me as police chief. I guarantee you every man and woman that wears this uniform and does this job honorably does not want anyone tarnishing our badge.”

Though the chief was unable to describe a motive for the killings, affidavits released by the police department show that Riser offered the man $3,500 to kidnap and kill Douglas and $6,000 to kill Saenz. Riser described Sanez as an “informant,” according to the affidavits.

In both murders, the documents say, the witness and one associate stopped, handcuffed and placed the victims into a vehicle, before driving them to Santa Fe Avenue where they shot them several times. They dumped both of their bodies in the Trinity River.

Garcia said on Thursday the department would be “conducting an administrative investigation as quickly as possible and moving forward toward termination.”

Until his arrest, Riser continued to work as an officer even though he was a person of interest in the case, Garcia acknowledged, though he didn’t provide an explanation. Answering a question from a reporter, he said he would assume the previous administration was aware of the allegations. Garcia was sworn in as chief in February.

The police department didn’t respond to the Star-Telegram’s request for comment on this point on Thursday.

Former Chief Renee Hall told the Dallas Morning News on Thursday that being named a person of interest isn’t enough to secure a probable cause arrest warrant. Police made a strategic decision, Hall said, to not place Riser on administrative leave so as to not compromise the investigation into the murders.

Now that Riser is in custody, Garcia said he’s also been placed on leave from the police department pending the outcome of the internal affairs investigation. The homicide unit and the FBI are continuing to investigate the two murders as well.

Garcia said during the press conference the murders didn’t have to do with Riser’s cases with police but his “off-duty conduct.”

A $9,500 plan to commit two murders

In September 2017, Kevin Kidd, Emmanuel Kilpatrick and Jermon Simmons were arrested on capital murder charges in Lisa Saenz’s death, according to media reports.

The witness, who was one of the suspects, came forward about two years later, in August 2019, to offer new information, according to the affidavits. He was transported to the Dallas Police Headquarters, where, with his attorney present, he waived his Miranda rights and accused Riser of plotting both murders.

Authorities didn’t want to release his identity, the affidavits say, because “providing detailed information of the witness could put the witness in immediate danger.”

Riser and the witness knew each other a long time ago but fell out of touch, until they reconnected in 2013, according to the affidavits. The two began texting, and Riser would reportedly ask him if he was still doing the kind of the things they would do when they were young, referring to burglarizing.

Riser hatched a plan to give them information on drug houses the witness and his crew could rob, according to the affidavits. If any drugs were taken, per the outlines of their agreement, the witness could keep the drugs. If any money or guns were taken, Riser would keep them.

The witness said “the plan did not materialize” because Riser came to him with another job, to kidnap and kill Douglas, according to an affidavit. No reason is provided in the document.

They allegedly discussed the plan to kidnap and kill Douglas at a donut shop in Dallas and Miller Family Park. Riser described to the witness what Douglas looked like and where he could find him, and even drove him to check out Douglas in person, the affidavit says. He offered him $3,500 to carry out the crime and the witness accepted.

Douglas was killed several days later, and several days after that Riser went to the residence of the witness’ associate to pay the $3,500, according to the affidavit.

Though Douglas’ body was never found, FBI research found there was “no longer proof of life” for him, the affidavit says.

About two weeks after Douglas was killed, sometime during February 2017, Riser is accused of calling the witness with another plan to kidnap and kill Saenz, for $6,000.

Riser never paid them that money, though, because the witness and his associates were arrested on capital murder charges, according to the affidavit.