Teen runaway indicted on murder charge in Texas killing
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A 17-year-old runaway from Texas' foster care system has been indicted on a capital murder charge in the death of a University of Texas freshman who disappeared as she walked toward her dorm in April.
Criner's family had an "extensive history" of allegations of abuse and neglect with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, according to agency records filed last year when the state asked a judge to take over his care and separate the teenager from relatives.
The slaying was the school's first on-campus homicide since former Marine Charles Whitman climbed to the top of UT's bell tower on Aug. 1, 1966, and opened fire, killing 14 people and wounding scores of others.