Woodway – A ranking suburban police executive allegedly disposed of child pornography his adoptive brother had stored on-line while he was incarcerated in a State Jail. That material could point to the identity of who set a blaze that killed a mother and two of her kids and provide the clues as to the motive behind the killings.
Videos of the molestation of a Bosqueville woman’s pre-school daughter and the arsonist who allegedly torched her trailer house in a fire-bombing that cost her life and two of childrens’ on February 16, 2012 became a possible bargaining chip in a federal investigation of the alleged murder in which fire became a weapon to rub out a woman who was seeking help for her problem with pornographers who exploited her child, according to a series of text messages.
Ashley Dawn Rogers had reached out to investigators who specialize in crimes against children in the months before she met her death in a fiery explosion of her trailer house on N. 19th St., according to former Lt. Kevin Fisk of the Waco Fire Department, the city’s lone arson investigator.
Brett Crook, an assistant chief of the Woodway Department of Public Safety visited his brother David at a State Jail, where David Crook, his brother by adoption, alleged he “tried to interrogate” him.
Asked why he believes the word of a man who is at present held under a $100,000 bond at the McLennan County Jail on charges of Sexual Assault of a Child since October 31, 2016, Fisk responded to four key questions.
1. Do the videos referred to in this message allegedly depict the sexual molestation of one of Ashley Dawn Rogers’ children?
KF: Brett Crook’s brother did, on multiple occasions, describe a video depicting such an act; several times describing, in consistent detail, who and what could be seen happening to the young child.
2. Is there a reference to another video that allegedly depicts an arsonist in the act of killing she and two of her children and attempting to kill her other child by setting her dwelling afire?
KF: I was told on multiple occasions a video of the fire, causing Ashely and her childrens’ deaths, accompanied the one referenced in your first question. During such occasions, I was provided consistent details of what one could see happening; as well as specific individuals present. The details provided by Brett Crook’s brother, for the most part, appeared consistent with descriptions provided by other individuals claiming to have seen the “fire” video.
3. Do you have personal knowledge that David Crook stashed these videos on-line, and that his brother Brett Crook allegedly destroyed or otherwise disposed of them?
KF: Any knowledge on my part would be simply based on consistent verbal admissions; as well as letters sent (by David Crook) to me personally; as well as jail letters he sent to his (then) girlfriend, all of which claimed the videos were safely stored online.
I have no personal knowledge, or evidence to “support” any allegations regarding Brett Crook destroying or disposing anything. I can only reference David repeatedly and consistently providing me verbal account of having only told his brother, Brett Crook, the location of said videos; should something happen to him, David Crook, while he was incarcerated. David, upon his release, alleged the account the videos had been stored under, had been deleted and/or shut down.
4. Why did you not pursue this knowledge in an attempt to make a criminal case?
KF: I actively sought such video evidence; doing so right up until the day I was relieved of all investigative authority and received, in writing, threats of termination should I be found to be investigating anything or communicating with any prior informants.
David Crook wrote to his brother Assistant Chief Brett Crook of the Woodway DPS upon his release from State Jail:
“Not sure what your problem is with me but I do know you lied to me…you came to see me in prison…I know who was sitting in the parking lot while you tried interrogating me…well you and Kevin Scott can kiss my fucking ass…watch any news lately…well check this out you running your mouth about me has compromised my safety big time and you are real close to crossing the line with interfering in a federal investigation…so whatever opinion you may have of me or my involvement with Kevin Fisk or the investigation into capital murder, I suggest that you keep it to yourself…as it stands you are the only one I told where the videos were being stored…soon after they disappeared…so you think real long and hard before you speak to any other agency in reference to me.”
According to Chief Crook, his brother David was a source of credible and reliable information, unless he felt abused by a law enforcement officer, at which point he fed them false information.
Said Fisk in a text message to Crook, “…I will continue to stand behind the fact that I’ve found him to be far more credible and reliable than many people currently wearing and/or hiding behind a badge…”
All of this came out in an investigation of an officer safety complaint lodged by Chief Crook against his brother. In a text message to Waco Deputy U.S. Marshal Kevin Scott and Fisk, he said, “My brother is apparently back on drugs full time. Apparently he has lost his mind.”
In his text message of March 7, 2014, Crook explained that he feared for the safety of Bellmead Police Officers should they happen to encounter his brother where he was living at the Delta Inn on I-35 while under the influence of drugs.
In another message from March 9, 2014, Crook told Fisk, “Since it has taken you 34 hours to return my calls and knowing how may brother manipulates people I have a right to be concerned. I now know for a fact that you share sensitive information directly with him over the safety of officers, and I can no longer discuss this with you. You made the decision to ignore my warnings about his credibility…I have not and will not talk about your case to anyone, but when you refuse to talk to me and share info with criminals and threaten officers’ safety, I cannot stand by…You have a paranoia about everyone he has contact with now, including me apparently…”
In support of a complaint, Chief Crook engaged in a dialogue with Fisk in which Fisk told him, “I understood David to be upset with you and you alone. I feel his anger and concern with you to be justified should his allegations be found true. Essentially I did forward your text on to David…” He added that he did not consider David Crook to be a threat to officer safety.
Crook disagreed. He concluded his complaint by writing, “Fire Marshal Fisk has created a situation that puts me, my family, and other law enforcement personnel in danger…”
Fisk’s immediate supervisor, Fire Marshal Kevin Vranich cleared him exceptionally in the complaint by saying he did not violate the penal code as charged, and that he could find no hostile intent in what he had done.
“It has been determined the allegation of misuse of official information does not meet the element of the code (PC 39.06). There is no interfering with investigation evidence that supports the complaint. As to showing poor judgement, Lt. Fisk answered questions ask of him honestly and there is no intent to harm other officers or citizens.”
Should one wish to read the redacted investigative file in its entirety, one need only click these highlighted links: