By BJ Austin, KERA News & Wire Services
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-956333.mp3
Dallas, TX – Arlington Police credit tips from the public with the arrest of two suspects in Thursday's murder of Pastor Clint Dobson of NorthPointe Baptist Church, and the attempted murder of his assistant.
Tiara Richard with the department says one tip came from a woman who watched news coverage of the murder with Steven Lawayne Nelson and Anthony Gregory Springs.
Richard: There was some information about them actually talking about the news coverage of this and our tipster was actually there when they were talking and interacting.
Richard says within hours of the murder, the suspects were at the Parks Mall in Arlington - buying jewelry on a credit card stolen from the pastor's assistant, Judy Elliott - who was severely beaten.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner says Pastor Dobson was suffocated with a plastic bag. Springs led investigators to the assistant's stolen car on Friday. Nelson was arrested Saturday at his home about a mile from the church.
Saudi suspect in terror bomb plot waives hearing
A Texas student from Saudi Arabia accused of trying to build a bomb with chemicals and equipment ordered online has waived his right to a detention hearing.
Defense attorney Rod Hobson filed the document Monday that waives 20-year-old Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari's scheduled Friday detention hearing. The document states Aldawsari can later request a pretrial detention hearing.
Aldawsari was arrested Feb. 28 on a charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Court records show federal agents had traced his online purchases, found extremist posts he'd made on the Internet and secretly searched his apartment, computer and e-mail accounts.
The records show one of his alleged targets was the Dallas home of former President George W. Bush.
Perry pressures House GOP caucus over budget cuts
Gov. Rick Perry is pressuring Texas House Republicans to cut the state budget without tapping the state Rainy Day Fund. Perry met privately with the House Republican Caucus for about an hour Monday, urging the lawmakers to think twice about using about half of the $9 billion fund to help cover an expected budget shortfall of at least $15 billion.
Instead, Perry suggested looking to such reserves as those held by the University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems and public school districts.
Perry says he reminded the lawmakers of the Nov. 2 results and appealed to GOP lawmakers not to lose the confidence of fiscal conservative voters. However, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, says he still has sufficient Republican support for tapping the Rainy Day Fund.