More than a newspaper. A Hood County legend since 1886
Hood County News Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Published Wednesday and Saturday Granbury, Texas 76048
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Stabbing victim improves Woman dies, man arrested for murder after rampage BY ROGER ENLOW editor
Carrie Smith has much to be thankful for this holiday season. Her mother, who wasn’t expected to survive a brutal attack that left her with multiple stab wounds, is slowly getting better in a Fort Worth hospital. “She’s improving every day,” Smith said Monday afternoon from John Peter Smith Hospital. “She’s doing way better than ever expected at this point.” Her mother, Belinda Lane,
67, was one of two women repeatedly stabbed with a kitchen knife in a Thanksgiving Eve rampage Injured victim by a 20-yearBelinda Lane old man who apparently was high on drugs, Sheriff Roger Deeds said. The other woman, Kimberly Lynn Harmony, 50, did not survive the bloody attack. Her body was found at Lane’s home in the 3900 block of Peak Road south-
west of Granbury. Jacob Russell Shaw was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and cruelty to animals. He killed a dog and stabbed others, Deeds said. Lane knew the alleged attacker, befriending him by giving him odd jobs and letting him sleep on the couch, Deeds said. Lane’s husband has cancer, and Harmony, a neighbor, was at the residence helping them when the rampage be-
gan, the sheriff said. Lane’s mother was airlifted to JPS Hospital for emergency surgery for stab Suspect wounds to her Jacob Shaw head and chest. She’s had other surgeries since. “They pretty much told us she wouldn’t make it the first night,” Smith said. “God has plans for her obviously. I’m very thankful at the point where she is. I didn’t expect her to be doing this well this
fast. Don’t get me wrong. She has a long way to go.” Lane has been communicating by writing notes, her daughter said. “We’re taking baby steps,” Smith said. Smith, a Lampasas resident, said she has many thoughts about the ordeal. “There’s anger, I’m sad, it’s scary. There’s so many different emotions. “You would never think something like this would happen to your own family, and there you are.” Smith and her four sisters
were reared in Granbury (the Miller family lived on Kessler Drive). Her mother worked as a nurse, retiring this year from a Fort Worth hospital. Through the years she worked at nursing homes in Granbury. Smith’s father died a year and a half ago. Shaw was still in jail at press time on bonds totaling $510,000. The sheriff’s office and the Texas Rangers continue to investigate the case. editor@hcnews�com | 817-573-7066, ext� 245
No (smoking) room at the inn Bagged contents of car ash tray leads to $250 hotel fee BY kaTHY cRuz hood county news
Greg Iadonisi was happy to spend a little money to pamper his wife on her birthday Saturday night. He rented a no-smoking room with a jacuzzi tub at a local hotel for $124. But the next morning when he checked his bank account on his phone he found that the room had instead cost him about $375. Iadonisi said that the hotel charged him another $250 because housekeeping claimed that the couple had smoked in the room. He claims they didn’t. Iadonisi said a check of the hotel’s security cameras ought to show that he and his wife left the room repeatedly that night to go outside and smoke or to smoke in her car. Iadonisi said that when he contacted the general manager to dispute the charge she showed no interest in checking the footage. He said she stated that the hotel was following policy and that she relies on what the housekeeping crew says. Iadonisi said he contacted his bank but was told that since it was a pending charge waiting to clear it could not be blocked. However, he can dispute it, Iadonisi said he was told. “It’s not right, in my opinion,” he said of the situation. Iadonisi said that he may file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. His wife, he said, intends to give the hotel an unfavorable re-
view on Expedia, the online booking site through which they rented the room. Iadonisi may have a difficult time getting his money refunded, though. He said that he and his wife emptied her car ashtray into an ice bucket bag from the room and carried the bag and its contents into that room. Amy Rasor, the Better Business Bureau’s Fort Worth regional director, said that Iadonisi is welcome to file a complaint online and she will be happy to work with him in an attempt to the resolve the matter. However, she said, it is likely that the couple carried the smell of cigarettes with them back into the room on their clothing and through the ice bucket bag. If the smell of cigarette smoke had permeated their clothing, it likely was transferred to the bedspread or duvet cover when they sat or laid on the bed. The reason the hotel charges the extra fee, she said, is because “they have to clean more than they normally would.” Other guests who may be highly sensitive to cigarette smoke would likely complain, she said. “I see both sides,” Rasor stated, but added, “that’s what we’re here for is to make sure everybody has a good marketplace transaction. We can do the mediation, and all of that is free.”
debbie schneider | hood county news
Spectators fill the square The Granbury Night of Lights Christmas Parade drew throngs of people to the square Friday night. Above: These Granbury girls stopped to visit with Cinderella on the square. Emerlynn Rose, 2, and AizLeigh Gomez, 5, were taking in the sights and sounds around Santa’s House after the parade. At left: The Granbury Living Christmas cards were part of the lighted Christmas parade. Lakeside Baptist Church sponsors the free event every other year. This year’s event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1415.
kcruz@hcnews�com | 817-573-7066, ext� 258 roger enlow | hood county news
Beyond the pale: Cat burglar turned out to not be a cat at all BY kaTHY cRuz hood county news
At first, Bernis Riley thought the animal that helped itself to her bait was a cat. A big white one. But then, after taking a courtesy closer look, she realized RARE COON: Bernis Riley that it was not a cat at all but thought the critter that ate her rather an albino raccoon. fishing bait was a cat but then reBernis quickly grabbed her alized it is an extremely rare albi- smartphone and took photos of the unusual sight. no raccoon.
133rd Year Number 26 Local, zone(s): 2 sections 16 pages plus supplements State: 2 sections 16 pages
Her husband, Mark Riley, a pastor at Connell Baptist Church in Fort Worth, told the HCN that Bernis encountered the coon at about 7:30 a.m. a few days ago.
STRaNGE ENcOuNTER
She had left shrimp that she had been using for bait on their boat dock and went out to do some more fishing, he said. The couple lives in North
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Richland Hills but bought a lake house here in August and have been coming here on weekends. “We love Granbury,” Mark said. “It’s such a charming town, and we’ve wanted to have a lake house forever.” The house they bought is on Williamsburg Court off Highway 144 in a neighborhood called Settlers Cove. It’s not far from Stumpy’s. Mark said that after Bernis
encountered the coon, they did some research on the Internet and found that albino raccoons are very rare – only one in about 750,000 are albinos. It was unusual for the animal to be out in the daytime, but Mark figures it was just hungry. “It had gotten her bait shrimp the night before, and I guess it came back for seconds,” he said.
Despite its washed-out look, the animal bore a faint mask and striped tail. Mark said that he and Bernis contacted Texas Parks & Wildlife and a local television station about their rare discovery. A coon has “a better chance of being struck by lightning,” Mark said, than being an albino. kcruz@hcnews�com | 817-573-7066, ext� 258
HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE: The Granbury Lady Pirates are
preparing to host the 2018 Van Griffith Kia Invitational at the James Wann Sports Center this weekend. Granbury will begin play against Sweetwater Thursday. 6A