1994-04-19

#people/F/Fine/Tommy #location/lake/meredith #offense/murder #people/B/Bratcher/Cheyann

Tuesday, April 19, 1994
94-172 - Lake Meredith (Texas) - Probable Drowning

B.D.B., 26, and T.E.F., 25, both of Amarillo, were on their way across the lake at 1 a.m. on April 9th when B.D.B. fell out of their nine-foot inflatable raft. Fine searched for B.D.B. for about an hour and a half before notifying rangers. Neither of the men was wearing a PFD. A multi-agency search for the victim was underway at the time of the report. [Patrick McCrary, LAMR, 4/9]

Tuesday, January 31, 1995
94-172 - Lake Meredith (Texas) - Follow-up on Drowning

B.D.B., 26, and his brother-in-law, T.E.F., 25, both of Amarillo, were on their way across the lake in an inflatable raft around 1 a.m. on April 9, 1994, when B.D.B. reportedly fell out of the raft. Rangers recovered B.D.B.'s body from the lake ten days later. A joint investigation into the incident was begun by the park and county sheriff's department when inconsistencies were detected in T.E.F.'s story of the incident, which were amplified by suspicions raised by B.DB.'s parents. The FBI also became involved. T.E.F. subsequently admitted to getting B.D.B. drunk, causing him to fall out of the boat by making the boat lurch, then leaving him to drown. T.E.F. said that he first started thinking about the act after watching TV coverage of an accidental double drowning on the lake the previous year. T.E.F., who is now trying to recant his confession, will be arraigned in federal court on murder charges shortly. Investigators have also learned that B.D.B.'s spouse took out a substantial life insurance policy on him during the winter of 1993-1994. Charges of conspiracy and/or insurance fraud may be filed against her and her mother. Both were present at the lake at the time of the incident, although they were waiting on shore. [Larry Neilson, CR, LAMR, 1/29]

Monday, May 8, 1995
94-172 - Lake Meredith (Texas) - Follow-up on Homicide

The sister and parents of T.F., who was charged last year with the murder of his brother-in-law, B.D.B., have been indicted on twelve counts of conspiring to commit murder and committing mail fraud in an attempt to defraud B.D.B.'s insurance company. T.F.'s sister was married to B.D.B.. B.D.B. and T.F. were crossing the lake in an inflatable raft around 1 a.m. on April 9, 1994, when B.D.B. reportedly fell out of the raft. Rangers recovered B.D.B.'s body from the lake ten days later. A joint investigation into the incident was begun by the park and county sheriff's department when inconsistencies were detected in T.F.'s story of the incident. Investigators also learned that B.D.B.'s spouse took out a substantial life insurance policy on him during the winter of 1993-1994. [Larry Neilson, CR, LAMR, 5/1]