Oct 9, 2009 12:47 pm US/Central
Police: Remains Of Missing Coppell Woman Found
LEWISVILLE (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Coppell police say they have found human remains that could be of a woman who vanished in April.
Kathleen Garza was last seen leaving a Coppell grocery store on April 16 with 75-year-old
Leroy Tellgren, who is accused of killing her.
Tellgren has been in the Denton County jail since April 20. He's accused of capital murder in Garza's death.
Police say, late Thursday Tellgren told investigators where to look to find Garza's remains. Police then searched in a field near State Highway 121 and Fish Hatchery Road in Lewisville, and found clothing, bones and hair. It's unclear how long the remains might have been at the location.
We're told that earlier Thursday Denton County District Attorney Paul Johnson called Garza's widower, Raul, and told him search teams had found the remains of his wife.
"I don't know if shocking is the right word, but we've been preparing for this day," Raul Garza told CBS 11 News.
Police said the found items and remains will be turned over to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office to be processed and analyzed.
On Friday afternoon, Garza's widower said the found remains had been confirmed as those of his late wife via dental records.
We also talked on Friday to Tellgren's attorney, Phillip Hayes. He talked about the discussions Tellgren had with police, saying, "Mr. Tellgren wants the family to have peace and he wanted a fair sentence for himself."
Hayes also said Tellgren hopes the recovery of Garza's remains helps the family with closure.
"Of course it brings relief to the family and closure we've been seeking for a long time now," Raul Garza told us Friday.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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