Fannin County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a woman whose body was found lying beside State Highway 11 outside of Bailey Sunday. Area residents' commutes to church and to run errands were detoured as one man reported officers had the roadway closed for at least three hours for the investigation.

A press release issued by FCSO states that a motorist discovered the body of a 57-year-old female who lived in Bailey as they passed through the area around 7 a.m. Her remains were reportedly discovered a short distance west of the intersection of Highway 11 and State Highway 78. The woman's car was located not too far from her residence a few minutes after the body was discovered. At the time of the investigation, it appeared the woman had left her car on the county road and walked across pastures towards Highway 11 where her body was found.

The Leonard Graphic has received the unfortunate news that the bodies of the three Leonard residents reported missing this week were discovered early Saturday afternoon. Fannin County Sheriff's deputies - who have worked around the clock since Wednesday on this case - recovered the remains of 73-year-old Harold Harpst, 79-year old Sue Harpst and 48-year old Regina Taunton in neighboring Grayson County. The silver 2007 Dodge Caravan also reported missing with the three has not been located, however. A source stated that their cause of death was undetermined at this time, but that Sue Harpst's 52-year-old son, Thomas Taunton - who was named as a person of interest from the beginning and arrested Thursday in Louisiana on capital murder charges - remains their prime suspect.

After making an over 200-mile one-way trip to Louisiana Thursday, Fannin County law enforcement officials did not find the bodies of three Leonard residents who are missing - but, they did not come up empty handed. The latest press release from Fannin County Sheriff Donnie Foster states that additional evidence was located inside the vehicle and utility trailer of 52-year-old Thomas Taunton, who is suspected of murdering his mother, 79-year-old Sue Harpst, his step-father, 73-year-old Harold Harpst; and his sister, 48-year-old Regina Taunton.

Jan. 19, 2011

A source close to the investigation into the disappearance of three Leonard residents confirmed late Thursday that Thomas Taunton, 50, was taken into custody in Louisiana at an automobile dealership. Taunton, however, has not been arrested or charged with any crime - he is only wanted for questioning in the case. Taunton's Ford truck and a utility trailer being pulled behind it were taken into possession by authorities in Louisiana, but authorities were awaiting a search warrant by Fannin County Sheriff's Office to open it.

The case began Wednesday after police received information that there may be three people missing from the county. Officers went to the location on State Highway 78 north of Leonard, but were unable to make contact with anybody at the residence. After gaining entrance and searching the property, they still were unable to locate anybody at the home, but did see several suspicious things that led them to believe foul play was involved. Due to the fact that no bodies have been found, police have deemed the investigation a missing persons case.

Dec. 22, 2011 - Early Sunday, Dec. 18, the Leonard, Bailey and Wolfe City Volunteer Fire Departments were dispatched to a structure fire on FM 816 in Bailey. After battling the blaze and watching it spread, the firefighters believed the home couldn't be saved. They entered the front of home where the Christmas tree was located and removed all of the presents for the family of seven. The house didn't burn down after all, but it isn't livable, and Christmas was saved for the Killgo family.

The home belonged to Robert Killgo, his wife, Frances, and their five girls ages fourteen to six. Robert's mother, Linda Lines, reported that the fire started in a detached garage behind the house and grew so large that it spread to the residence.

Nov. 10, 2011 - Flags at Leonard City Hall flew at half-staff and the regular monthly meeting of the Leonard City Council was canceled this past Tuesday night as the news that Leonard Elementary teacher and Leonard City Councilwoman Tammy Barnes was tragically killed in a head-on collision earlier in the day. Many found it hard to find the right words to say, and the faces in the school halls carried looks of sorrow and tear stains from her fellow staff members, students and student’s parents deeply grieving for their friend.

Barnes will be remembered for many things - her beautiful smile, her huge heart, her passion for teaching kids, her angelic voice that just about everybody in Leonard had heard at one public event or another, her appreciation for all types of music, and her all-around love for people.

Leonard's oldest business, The Leonard Graphic, is now back under hometown ownership, effective Tuesday, Nov. 1. Jason and Betsy Blevins purchased the business from Echo Publishing Company, the parent company of the business since late 2006.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed and felt quite privileged to be a part of the Leonard community for these past several years," Scott Keys, president and chief operating officer of Echo Publishing Company, said Tuesday afternoon. "Leonard has such a bright future ahead of it as a growing community. While we would have loved to be a part of that growth through The Graphic, we felt the best opportunity for the newspaper was to be owned by someone living, working and playing in the community."

Leonard Police Chief Rex Clark released the following statement Friday morning about the fatality accident that occurred north of Leonard Thursday evening, July 21:

June 23, 2011 - The first order of business at the monthly meeting of the Leonard City Council last Tuesday, June 14, was to swear in newly elected/appointed council members. Mayor Bill Yoss gave the oath of office to returning council members Steven Bolin and Larry Thompson and to new council members Tammy Barnes and Darrell Grintz.

New City Administrator Allecia Booher had a document drawn up showing the City Secretary answers to the City Administrator and not the City Council and the council passed the new ordinance unanimously.

June 23, 2011 - In one week's time, Leonard officers handled four cases on traffic stops where the drivers had been drinking prior to getting behind the wheel. In three of the cases, the drivers were arrested and taken to jail.

The first case came on Sunday, June 5, when an officer observed a gray Chevrolet Malibu cross the center line of traffic, and initiated a traffic stop for that offense. The officer observed a large box of beer in the back seat of the vehicle, smelled alcohol and noted that the driver appeared nervous. After first denying having had anything to drink, the driver, a 22-year-old Leonard resident, later admitted he had after the officer found five empty beer cans in the vehicle. Standard field sobriety tests were administered, and the driver was able to complete them satisfactorily. The officer attempted to take a breath test, but the breathalyzer was not working correctly. The driver and his vehicle were released to another adult.