ELGIN, Texas — A grand jury has cleared a Travis County Sheriff's Office deputy of wrongdoing after he shot and killed a suspect in Elgin during an incident in September 2022.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza said on Thursday that the grand jury concluded its review of the Sept. 17, 2022, case involving Deputy Neil Reilly and did not return an indictment.
Rito Morales died after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds during a callout where Reilly fired his gun, Garza’s office said.
“The district attorney’s office takes the work of presenting all facts and evidence to a grand jury very seriously,” Garza said. “In this case, an independent group of members of the Travis County community heard the evidence and law and decided that Travis County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Reilly’s conduct was not unlawful.”
Two other people died during the 2022 incident, including Rito Morales’ wife, Kristin Morales, and Randi Mitchell.
According to a neighbor, a man who lived at the residence had a gun when officials arrived on scene. The neighbor said the man pointed the gun at his head and later toward police, which is around the time she heard shots fired.
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records show Rito Morales was a former Texas Department of Public Safety trooper. Court documents show he filed for divorce from Kristin Morales on Sept. 12, 2022, after 51 years of marriage.
“It’s devastating when a deputy must use deadly force in the line of duty,” Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez said. “Our internal investigation revealed Deputy Reilly followed agency policy and training, and I’m pleased the grand jury agreed. This result was a long time coming.”
Since Jan. 1, 2021, 98 cases against law enforcement officers have been presented to a grand jury in Travis County, and including these cases, 65 times the grand jury has returned a no bill, Garza said.