TRAVIS HILL
LAVACA COUNTY — In a bizarre twist, following a Fayette County Grand Jury’s return of an indictment against Lavaca County Justice of the Peace Travis Hill on July 16, Hill was actively pursued by investigators for various criminal charges. The arrest and indict- ment of Hill were filed in Fayette County because the criminal offenses for which he was charged occurred within Fayette County.
Former Lavaca County Justice of the Peace Travis Hill was arrested on July 11 on charges of Compelling Prostitution, Solicitation of Prostitution, and Sexual Assault. All three charges are felonies.
Hill was booked into the Lavaca County Jail in Hallettsville, and a bond was set in accordance with Texas law. According to a press release from the Lavaca County Sheriff's Office, the magistrate also issued an Emergency Protective Order on Hill for the protection of the victim of the alleged crimes against Hill. He was then transferred into the care and custody of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Jail in La Grange.
Hill was released from the Fayette County Jail on July 12, subject to several conditions on his bond. He was ordered to report to the Lavaca County Community Supervision and Corrections Depart- ment within 72 hours to be fitted with a GPS ankle monitor.
Hill failed to appear in district court, where he was scheduled to represent clients as a criminal defense attorney. Although this was not connected to his present criminal charges, under the law Hill was not barred from practicing law due to his arrest. It appears the district court was prepared to address this unique situation with Hill, but he did not appear in the courtroom. Hill also failed to report for his GPS ankle monitor placement. This raised concerns and showed that Hill violated the conditions of his bond set on July 12.
After investigators established probable cause that Hill was avoiding law enforcement and evading apprehension, a Lavaca County magistrate judge issued arrest warrants for bond revocations on all pending charges. At that time, a Fayette County Grand Jury returned indictments against Hill for the charges for which he was arrested.
The Texas Rangers, the Attor- ney General of Texas office and the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Of- fice pursued leads to find Hill and later, the warrants were picked up by the United States Marshals Service out of the Victoria Division. Hill was found at a residence on July 16 in a remote area of Gonzales County where he sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound while the Marshals Service was attempting to safely bring him into custody.
Because of the circumstances, the Texas Rangers are conducting the investigation into the death of Hill, and the case remains active.
The Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office maintained contact with the identified victims during the
course of the manhunt to ensure
their safety.
Lavaca County Sheriff’s Of- fice Steven E. Greenwell issued the following statement: “While the apprehension of Mr. Hill has come to a tragic conclusion, our commitment to transparency, accountability, and justice remains unchanged. This investigation did not end with Mr. Hill’s death. Our investigators, alongside our law enforcement partners, continue to pursue every credible lead, identify any additional victims, and thoroughly investigate the full extent of the alleged criminal conduct brought to our attention. We are equally committed to determining whether any other individuals knowingly participated in or facilitated Mr. Hill’s criminal activity and will seek accountability wherever the evidence leads”.
Greenwell continues, “We un- derstand there is significant public interest in this case, and we also recognize that misinformation often fills the void when investi gators cannot immediately release information.
The citizens of Lavaca County deserve accurate information, and we remain committed to providing updates as soon as doing so will not compromise the integrity of the investigation, jeopardize future protections, or unnecessarily expose victims to additional trauma.
I am grateful for the professionalism and cooperation demonstrated by every agency involved, including the Texas Rangers, the Office of the Attorney General, and the United States Marshals Service. On behalf of the Lava- ca County Sheriff's Office, I also want to thank our investigators, deputies, dispatchers, prosecutors, and federal partners for their unwavering dedication throughout this difficult and ongoing investi gation.”
