Dallas, Texas – Dallas police officer Bryan Riser was arrested Thursday, accused of murdering two people in unrelated cases. Riser has been a member of the department since 2008 and was a member of the South Central Patrol. he has been charged with two counts of capital murder.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said the arrest was the result of an expedited internal affairs investigation and comes after the department received information from a witness that implicated Riser in both murders.The first murder occurred on March 10, 2017. The body of 31-year-old Lisa Saenz was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the 200 block of Santa Fe Trail, near the Trinity River.
Police said Saenz was kidnapped, and then shot and killed at the location. Police arrested three men and charged them with capital murder in Saenz’s death. Their charges are still pending according to Fox 4. According to court documents, one of the three is the witness who told investigators about Riser’s involvement on August 14, 2019.
Police said that witness told them Riser first contacted him about a plot to rob drug houses based on information provided by Riser. But that plan changed when Riser allegedly asked the witness to kill a man by the name of Albert Douglas, for $3,500. According to police, Saenz was reportedly the second hit ordered by Riser, two weeks later for $6,000, but Riser never paid because the three men were arrested.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Riser and the witness who spoke to police met at several locations and “discussed a plan to kidnap and kill Douglas. The suspect provided the witness with a physical description of Douglas and where he could be located.”
Court documents state FBI analysis placed Riser’s cell phone and squad car at locations where the witness said they met to plan the kidnappings and murders. That second victim had been reported missing by his family in February of 2017. According to witnesses, he was also kidnapped and murdered in the 200 block of Santa Fe Avenue but his body was never found.
The FBI and DPD’s homicide unit are still actively investigating, the chief said. Riser had been investigated for several years now, and continued on the job, until he was arrested Thursday morning.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson released the following statement following Riser’s arrest:
“While I understand this case remains under investigation, I am sickened to hear about these allegations. But I am grateful for our homicide detectives, who have worked to ensure that justice is served.
“My heart goes out to the victims’ loved ones. I cannot imagine the anguish they have endured. They, and all the people of Dallas, deserve answers in this case.”
