A Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on charges of murder in a case involving an off-duty deputy who allegedly shot and killed another driver on North Loop 1604 last summer.
A Bexar County grand jury Thursday returned the indictment for first degree murder against 38-year-old Anthony Thomas in the shooting death of 29-year-old Mathew Jackson.
According to the statement from the district attorney’s office, the two men had pulled off to the side of the road after they were involved in a minor traffic accident. The D.A. said Jackson approached the uniformed officer’s vehicle, and the deputy opened fire, killing Jackson.
The family had complained after the incident that they could not get information from the sheriff’s department and called on the sheriff to open an investigation.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said Bexar County Sheriff's investigators began collecting evidence immediately after the incident in the early morning hours of August 31 of last year.
"We did that investigation and then filed that investigation with the district attorney for them to make the final decision," Pamerleau said. "And from the beginning, I've had full confidence in our investigators to do a professional, thorough, and complete investigation."
News reports at the time of the incident said Thomas fired eight times and struck Jackson once in the chest. Jackson died at the scene. The deputy was not on duty at the time of the incident but was wearing his uniform and badge.
Thomas was a 16-year veteran of the sheriff’s office. He had been on administrative duty until the indictment was returned. He is now on administrative leave pending dismissal proceedings.
