A slain North Texas district attorney and his wife were mourned Thursday by a shaken community that recalled the couple’s love, warmth and public service as law enforcement continued the search for their killers.
Mike and Cynthia McLelland shared a single, flag-draped casket inside a suburban Dallas church. Cynthia’s remains were cremated and placed inside the coffin with the body of her husband, the Kaufman County district attorney.
Friends and colleagues at the service described them as the perfect mismatch: an outgoing Army veteran known for his wit and humor, and a quieter partner who loved quilting and supported her husband’s work.
Dozens of law enforcement officers and public officials, including Texas Gov. Rick Perry, were among the hundreds who attended Thursday’s service, five days after the couple was found shot to death in their home near Forney, about 20 miles east of Dallas.
McLelland had addressed many of the same people two months earlier, after the slaying of Mark Hasse, one of his prosecutors. Hasse was gunned down near the Kaufman County courthouse while going to work.
No arrests have been made in either case. The reward for information leading to a conviction has been doubled to $200,000.
Christina Foreman, one of the five children the couple shared, said both her mother and stepfather “loved every minute” of their public service. She challenged the audience to stand up for what they believe in.
“They would have done it exactly the same way, because Mike believed in making a difference,” Foreman said.
Bruce Bryant, chief investigator for the district attorney’s office, broke down in tears as he remembered his former boss.
“We will not stop pursuing justice,” Bryant said. “We will not give up the good fight. We will not stop doing God’s work. We will pause only to celebrate the lives of those we have lost, but we will not stop.”
Surrounding the McLellands’ casket were mementos of their life together — portraits, a soldier’s jacket from Mike McLelland’s Army service and a quilt to commemorate one of Cynthia McLelland’s favorite hobbies.
Two officers stood watch as dozens more sat in the audience. Officers in …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News