FILE - Handcuffs sitting on a table. (Bernd Wüstneck/picture alliance via Getty Image)
CANYON, Texas - A Randall County grand jury has indicted eight West Texas A&M students in connection with a February break-in at a building that formerly housed a university fraternity.
WTAMU students indicted
What we know:
The indictments follow a Feb. 12 incident at 24700 Hix Drive in Canyon. According to the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived at the property around midnight to find eight people leaving the building.
The property owner reported that the group did not have permission to be onsite and pointed to "No Trespassing" signs posted on the doors. Investigators determined that a north-side door had been forced open, damaging the lock. Surveillance video from inside the building showed the group walking through the premises with their faces covered.
The individuals indicted on charges of burglary of a building are:
- Jantz Ryker Botoz
- Nicholas Stone Carpenter
- Tristan George Hernandez
- Kyle Joe Guerrero
- Jonathan Javier Huerta
- Diego Federico Garza
- Austin Daniel Vecino
- Dustin Lane Hoppe
Authorities reported that several members of the group admitted to entering the building after learning the fraternity was closing. One individual reportedly intended to steal a fraternity flag, which was later recovered by jail staff during the booking process. They found the flag hidden in his pants.
Zeta Kappa chapter of Alpha Tau Omega
Dig deeper:
The Zeta Kappa chapter of Alpha Tau Omega at West Texas A&M University officially ceased operations following the revocation of its charter by the national fraternity.
The closure was announced in a statement by the Zeta Kappa Board of Trustees on Feb. 12, the same day Randall County deputies arrested the eight individuals.
In a "profoundly difficult" statement released to alumni and supporters, the Board of Trustees confirmed that the National Fraternity had revoked the undergraduate charter, ending the chapter's official presence on campus.
What they're saying:
"The chapter’s story is measured not by its final semester, but by decades of impact," the board stated. "While the undergraduate chapter will no longer operate, the spirit and legacy of Zeta Kappa remain alive in its alumni."
The West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) Campus Police assisted the Sheriff’s Office in the initial investigation.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Randall County Sheriff’s Office.