Coppell murder-suicide unraveled web of deception surrounding mayor, daughter

Formby, et al. tell the story:

The shocking crime unleashed a torrent of secrets that had been hidden behind Jayne Peters' almost-perfect public façade.
http://dallasne.ws/bdzAwE

Coppell mayor's use of city-issued credit card raised questions

Brandon Formby (w/Hoppe, Munsil and Nielsen) reports:
Hours before Coppell Mayor Jayne Peters and her 19-year-old daughter, Corinne, were found fatally shot in their home, City Manager Clay Phillips asked the city attorney to investigate Peters' use of her city-issued credit card.
Phillips said late Thursday that he tried unsuccessfully for months to get receipts from the mayor that would corroborate the legitimacy of several charges. Phillips said the mayor always politely promised to provide the receipts but never followed through.
http://dallasne.ws/9IJZvK

Deaths of Coppell mayor, daughter ruled murder-suicide

Brandon Formby has the story:
Coppell Mayor Jayne Peters apparently fatally shot her college-bound daughter in their house and then killed herself, city and county officials said today.
http://dallasne.ws/axJGWn

U.S. agencies join Mexico's inquiry into killings of 3 tied to American Consulate

Alfredo Corchado reports on heightened US involvement following slaying of consulate worker, 2 others in Ciudad Juárez:

MEXICO CITY – Teams of U.S. and Mexican agents on Monday poured into the grim streets of Ciudad Juárez, following leads in the murder of an American consulate worker, her husband and another Mexican acquaintance, amid vows that the killings will not go unpunished as so many thousands of others have in Mexico's widening drug war.

Cartels use intimidation campaign to stifle news coverage in Mexico

Another fascinating story from Corchado in our Mexico City bureau:

REYNOSA, Mexico – In the days since a long-simmering dispute erupted into open warfare between the Gulf drug cartel and its former enforcers, the Zetas, censorship of news developments has reached unprecedented dimensions along much of Mexico's border with Texas. A virtual news blackout has been imposed, several sources said, enforced by threats, abductions and attacks against journalists.

In the past 14 days, at least eight Mexican journalists have been abducted in the Reynosa area, which is across the border from McAllen. One died after a severe beating, according to reports that could not be independently verified. Two were released by their captors. The rest are missing.

Read on here.