In accordance with a press launch shared by the McLennan County District Legal professional’s Workplace, Derek Daigneault, 29, of Wichita, Kansas was sentenced to life in jail on Thursday for the homicide of his cousin, Mandy Reynolds, 26, whose physique was discovered burning in a discipline in Robinson, Texas in April 2023.

“Like I informed the jury, in the event that they knew nothing else about Derek Daigneault aside from what he did to Mandy Rose Reynolds — taking pictures her within the head, driving her physique right here to McLennan County and setting her on fireplace like a bit of trash — if that’s all they knew about him, that alone would have been sufficient to justify a life sentence,” McLennan County assistant district lawyer, Ryan Calvert, stated in an announcement after the trial, in response to native CBS affiliate, KWTX.

“However as soon as we bought into the punishment part, the jury discovered he had been in bother his complete life, he was a multiple-time convicted felon, he had been in jail in Kansas earlier than for violent offenses, they even discovered he had shot one other particular person as a juvenile,” he added of Daigneault. “He’s simply an especially violent particular person, and he can’t be trusted with the protection of this or some other group. So life, we felt, was the one simply verdict.”

In April 2023, Robinson police discovered a lifeless physique on fireplace “burned past recognition” whereas responding to a report of a “brush fireplace” on Heston Circle, as famous within the McLennan County District Legal professional’s Workplace press launch on Friday.

Authorities stated they noticed a white canine close to the scene.

“Close by was a white canine which barked frantically at officers and refused to go away the world of the physique, but in addition refused to permit police to seize it,” the press launch learn. “The next morning, after the physique had been moved, a citizen discovered the canine sitting on the spot the burning physique had been the night time earlier than.”

“That citizen notified Robinson Animal Management, which then found that the canine, named Titan, was microchipped and belonged to Mandy Rose Reynolds,” the discharge continued.

Police stated they suspected the physique was Reynolds’, which led authorities to her residence in San Marcos, which they found to be “utterly empty, with all of her possessions eliminated,” and her automotive, a black Honda Accord, was nowhere to be discovered.”

In accordance with the McLennan County District Legal professional’s Workplace, police tracked Reynolds’ Honda to Wichita, Kansas. Wichita police discovered Reynolds’ car and tried to drag it over, which reportedly led to a high-speed automotive chase and the motive force crashing into one other car, earlier than fleeing the scene.

Police captured and arrested the person, who was recognized as Daigneault, Reynolds’ cousin, per the discharge. Contained in the car, authorities discovered a handgun within the driver’s seat.

The health worker recognized Reynolds’ physique through the use of dental information, per the discharge. In accordance with the post-mortem, it was found that Reynolds’ reason behind demise was a gunshot wound to the pinnacle. Police stated her physique was discovered inside a burned giant plastic storage container. A bullet discovered on the crime scene matched the handgun present in Daigneault’s — Reynolds’ — Honda.

As famous within the press launch, San Marcos Police discovered surveillance footage from a Walmart that confirmed Daigneault shopping for a “giant plastic storage container equivalent to the one Reynolds’ physique was burned in, a shovel, and a fuel can.” The video additionally reportedly confirmed him driving away from the shop with Titan “sticking his head out the automotive’s window.”

Police additionally later discovered the belongings lacking from Reynolds’ residence within the trunk of an deserted truck, per the discharge.

“The keys to this case have been a heroic and dependable canine named Titan and extraordinary cooperation between legislation enforcement businesses in a number of jurisdictions and states. That mixture has delivered justice for Mandy and security from a violent and harmful legal,” Calvert and ADA Alyssa Killin stated in an announcement famous within the press launch.

Daigneault is a nine-time convicted felon, per KWTX. The outlet reported that Reynolds’ household and Daigneault bought right into a combat throughout the latter’s sentencing.

Per the outlet, Reynolds’ mom, older brother, and stepfather gave sufferer influence statements. In accordance with KWTX, when Reynolds’ brother was talking on the witness stand, Daigneault yelled throughout the courtroom and accused his cousin of a criminal offense. Though the decide reportedly intervened and informed Daigneault to not converse, he allegedly didn’t hear and saved yelling at Reynolds’ brother, selling Daigneault to be escorted out of the courtroom.

After he left the courtroom, Daigneault’s relations — together with his brother-in-law-, mom and sister — bought right into a confrontation with Reynolds’ household, with Daigneault’s brother-in-law in the end being put in handcuffs after he punched certainly one of Reynolds’ kinfolk on her facet of the courtroom, in response to KWTX. He was later launched.