A former Dallas Police officer charged with capital murder walked free Wednesday after a judge ordered him released for lack of probable cause.
Bryan Riser was accused of hiring three men to kill Liza Saenz and Albert Douglas, who were shot in separate incidents near the Santa Fe Trestle Trail in 2017.
Judge Audrey Faye Moorhead ordered Riser to be released because of a lack of probable cause, meaning the case won’t go before a grand jury at this time.
DPD Detective Esteban Montenegro testified in court that he made a mistake in the sworn statement he wrote about his fellow officer, writing incorrectly that Riser’s cellphone data could place him in locations key to the crimes. That affidavit “worked its way up the chain of command” until the newly seated police Chief Eddie Garcia took command and had Riser arrested in early March. Riser was also fired from the department.
He was in jail with bond set at $5 million for a month.
One of three men accused in Saenz’s murder informed police that Riser hired them to kill her and Douglas, whose body was never found.
Riser became a suspect in the case in 2019 but was allowed to remain on the force until March 2021. Former police Chief Renee Hall said he wasn’t fired because they didn’t want to tip him off to the investigation.
Dallas County prosecutors say they repeatedly informed DPD that there wasn’t enough evidence to indict Riser, starting in 2019, KXAS reports. District Attorney John Cruzeot says detectives are still working the case, and if more evidence comes to light, new charges could be brought.
Riser isn’t being invited back to the force; Garcia says he was fired for administrative reasons besides the criminal charges.
Riser’s wife says the department owes him an apology.
“This department I used to love and respect, they have disrespected me,” Riser told reporters after leaving court. “They’ve embarrassed me and they’ve embarrassed my family all over make-believe lies. I was 100% innocent from the get-go. I just want to go be with my family.”
