‘So sorry for the screwup’ Normangee theft slips through the cracks as statute of limitations expire

NORMANGEE, Texas (KBTX) – A case of theft in Normangee is falling through the cracks, but it wasn’t until it was too late that those seeking justice found out.

“Sorry for the screwup,” was part of the text Heather Wall received from Normangee Police Chief Larry Bush on Monday, three years after she originally requested to press charges. That was in April 2021.

$20,000 of jewelry and belongings were stolen from Wall’s home and pawned. The jewelry was family heirlooms and some of the last pieces worn by her loved ones.

Wall said she knew who did it. And, it appeared the Chief did too, referring to the suspect in text messages to Wall saying ‘he possibly pawned items in Beaumont.’

“The Chief said he was he was working on it. He was working on it. He was working on it,” Wall said.

Wall shared all the information requested via text messages, listing the items and values even including pictures and barcodes. She shared her wishes to press charges and said she was under the impression the case was filed with the Leon County District Attorney’s office.

When she wasn’t getting updates from the Chief, Wall went to the DA in August 2023 seeking her case.

“They said we don’t have it. It’s not here,” she said, so she went to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

In September she received word from an investigator, they were told the Chief told the DA he would be turning the case into him.

“Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Fast forward to Thursday of last week. I call the Chief,” Wall said, this is when the Chief broke the bad news. “We’re past the statute of limitations. So for three years, I had been asking him to file this case and he, he just wouldn’t do it.”

KBTX received a copy of the text from the Chief.

“I talked with the DA today. They turned down the request for a warrant. Their grand jury doesn’t meet for five weeks and that puts us past the cut-off for the [statute] of limitations so sorry for the screwup. They said you can make arrangements to pick up the evidence at their office,” the text read.

Wall says even though the person responsible for the theft won’t face charges, she says he did not win.

“You didn’t win. You didn’t win because the second he walked out of my life the most amazing person on the face of the Earth walked in. He won the battle. I won the war,” she said.

KBTX reached out to the City of Normangee, Normangee Police Department and Leon County DA’s Office for comment or clarification.

Chief Bush told us a response is expected Friday or Monday. This story will be updated when comments are made available.