Crime Time

Colorado gunman was complicated, troubled, parents say

More is coming out about Evan Spencer Ebel, the man suspected of  killing a Colorado prison official and a pizza delivery man before his own death in a shootout last week with police in North Texas.

His parents sent him to special camps for children with behavioral problems, but by age 20, he was in prison. There, he joined a white supremacist gang and ended up in solitary confinement, a place his parents believe soon worsened his troubled mind.

He was freed in January, but two months later, he was dead in Texas.

His mother, Jody Mangue, says her son was more complicated than news media stories imply.

"He was not a follower by any means," she posted in an online memorial site.

Read more in this report by P. Solomon Banda and Nicholas Riccardi of The Associated Press.

-- Bill Miller

Man killed in Decatur shootout had stuff to make bombs

Bomb making materials were found in the car of the man who was killed in a shootout Thursday with authorities in Decatur.

A search warrant released Tuesday described the materials.

Evan Spencer Ebel (shown here) is suspected of wounding Montague County Sheriff's Deputy James Boyd, who had stopped Ebel for a traffic issue.  

A chase ensued into Wise County, where Ebel died in a shoot out with police.

Deanna Boyd has our first report on the bomb components. Go here to read what she has so far.

Also, see this report by Kirk Mitchell of The Denver Post to get caught up on how Ebel is suspected in the execution-style murder a week ago of a Colorado prisons official.

The page also includes links to other stories on Ebel’s background, including his membership to a white supremacist prison gang, the 211 Crew.

 -- Bill Miller

Big Homie, Munch, Weasel indicted for racketeering

They go by the names "West," "Homicide," "Munch," "Big Homie" and "Weasel."

Federal prosecutors call them "indicted."

They were among 14 members of the Texas Syndicate prison gang who were indicted recently for conspiring to commit murder, robbery, drug trafficking and other crimes, according to a news release issued Tuesday from U.S. Attorney Richard Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

"The Texas syndicate is a dominant prison gang in Texas," according to the news release. "Membership is for life.

Read The Associated Press report here and a report from nbc5i.com here.

-- Bill Miller