Chapter 130: A Failure of Justice-The Murder of D’Lisa Kelley

February 4
27 mins

Episode Description

The 2014 unsolved murder of D’Lisa Kelley has raised serious questions about investigative decisions and accountability.

In this episode, I explore the timeline of her case and the concerns surrounding the law enforcement response. The investigation draws additional scrutiny due to the involvement of a Dallas police sergeant who was later connected to the controversial 2016 death of Tony Timpa, a man who died while restrained by officers during a call for help. The overlap between these cases raises difficult but necessary questions about oversight, responsibility, and how repeated controversies can impact public trust and justice outcomes.

If you have any information about the murder of D’Lisa Kelley, you can call the North Texas Crime Commission at 877-373-8477   or visit their website to submit a tip  at www.ntcc.crimestoppersweb.com

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Barry, A. (2017, April 1). Cold Case 2014: Missing Person Case Turns into Homicide. Who Killed Young Mother D’Lisa Kelley? NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/cold-case-2014-missing-person-case-turns-into-homicide-who-killed-expectant-mother-dlisa-kelley/13955/Binion, B., & Binion, B. (2023, September 28). Tony Timpa wrongful death trial ends with 2 out of 3 cops getting qualified immunity. Reason.com. https://reason.com/2023/09/27/tony-timpa-wrongful-death-trial-ends-with-2-out-of-3-cops-getting-qualified-immunity/Case, P. C. (2023, November 21). Cold Case Spotlight - D’Lisa Kelley - Project: Cold Case. Project: Cold Case. https://projectcoldcase.org/2016/07/03/cold-case-spotlight-dlisa-kelley/Dallas Police internal investigation launched in D’Lisa Kelley case. (2014, March 29). NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-police-launch-investigation-into-911-call-about-slain-pregnant-mother/1973171/Eiserer, T. (2014a, March 12). Dallas police seek help in locating missing pregnant mother. WFAA wfaa.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20140316154407/https:/www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-police-seek-help-in-locating-missing-pregnant-mother--249913821.htmlEiserer, T. (2014b, November 18). Tapes raise new questions in unsolved murder case. wfaa.com. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/tapes-raise-new-questions-in-unsolved-murder-case/287-304608176FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. (2016, March 15). Murder woman’s family sues Dallas police. FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. https://www.fox4news.com/news/murder-womans-family-sues-dallas-policeKalthoff, K. (2014, March 18). Friends, relatives hold vigil for slain Dallas mother. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/friends-relatives-hold-vigil-for-slain-dallas-mother/205956/Kelley Alert Foundation. (2015a). 01. Initial call from grandmother (D’Lisa Kelley). Soundcloud. https://soundcloud.com/911tapes/01-1-initial-call-from-grandmother-dlisa-kelley?si=958757c79e7e49aeaa5923ca8cb9b49a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingKelley Alert Foundation. (2015b). 03 Operator called Seargent (D’Lisa Kelly). Soundcloud. https://soundcloud.com/911tapes/03-2operator-called-sergeant-dlisa-kelley?si=3d54961ad4aa46edb31c1ab9e18591f8&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingLassiter, E. (2014, November 18). Audio Evidence: New 911 Calls in Pregnant Mom Murder Case. CW33. https://cw33.com/news/audio-evidence-disturbing-new-911-calls-in-pregnant-mom-murder-case/Lopez, R. (2024, February 3). “We could’ve found her”: D’Lisa Kelley’s family reflects on police investigation into her murder 10 years later. wfaa.com. https://www.wfaa.com/article/syndication/instagram/crime-reporters-notebook-dlisa-kelley-was-tortured-and-murdered-dallas-a-decade-ago-her-family-thinks-police-could-have-done-more-to-save-her/287-1a1af961-bd61-40b5-a8ed-ceaf21028a88Massie, G. (2023, October 2). Jurors share regret over verdict in trial for man who died when officer kneeled on his back. The Independent. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/timpa-dallas-police-trial-jurors-b2422609.htmlMurdered: D’Lisa Kelley | Dallas, TX | Uncovered. (n.d.). https://uncovered.com/cases/dlisa-kelleyMyParisTexas, MyParisTexas, & MyParisTexas. (2019, June 10). Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs the go-ahead on the Kelley Alert. MyParisTexas - Rapid. Reliable. Respected. https://myparistexas.com/texas-gov-greg-abbott-signs-the-go-ahead-on-the-kelley-alert/Osibamowo, T. (2023, September 27). Federal jury awards " million to Tony Timpa’s son, finds 3 Dallas police officers liable for his death. KERA News. https://www.keranews.org/criminal-justice/2023-09-27/tony-timpa-verdict-wrongful-death-lawsuitSobell, C. (2021, March 16). Law and Disorder: Who Killed D’Lisa Kelley? Medium. https://medium.com/the-mystery-box/who-killed-dlisa-kelley-2014-cold-case-sparks-criticism-of-dallas-pd-88e6e4a910a1SWIFS investigative narrative. (n.d.). DocumentCloud. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6226349-SWIFS-Investigative-Narrative/Timpa v. Dillard - MacArthur Justice. (2023, November 12). MacArthur Justice. https://www.macarthurjustice.org/case/timpa-v-dillard/

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