News Flash

Calling all student artists! The City of White Settlement is looking for help designing “I VOTED” stickers for the 2026 election season. Three winners will be selected, 1 from elementary, 1 from middle school, and 1 from high school, and the winning designs will be made into real “I VOTED” stickers used during the 2026 elections! To participate, the artist must be in grades 1-12 and must live in the WSISD area. 

Artists need to create an original design that includes the words “I VOTED”. You can use any colors or styles that you like. Once completed, email the artwork as a png, jpg, or jpeg to aarnold@wstx.us. You can also turn in your design by mail or in person to City Hall at 214 Meadow Park Drive. Artwork is due by March 10th and winners will be announced at the April City Council meeting. 

If you have any student artists in your life, please consider informing them about this opportunity. This is a great way for students to get involved with local government and have their design seen by all who vote in the 2026 elections! Be creative, be original, and be a part of voting fun!

CURBSIDE BULK SERVICE REMINDER: Curbside bulk pickup for WEEK D will begin on Monday at 7 am. Bulk piles must be in place by 7 am on Monday. Your bulk pile can be 8 feet long, 6 feet deep, and 4 feet tall and can contain limbs, brush, yard debris in clear bags or paper lawn waste bags, furniture, and appliances without refrigerant. For more information and to see the interactive route map, please visit https://www.wstx.us/1540/Waste-Collection

Hey there! Want to be a part of the next big vendor sale? Sign up today to showcase your wares at the Vendor Village Bazaar! The City of White Settlement is hosting a fantastic vendor event in the Splash Dayz parking lot on March 14th, from 9 am to 2 pm, and we'd love for you to join us. There will be food trucks, music, and the Farmers Market right next door—it's going to be a great day! Register now at wstx.us/recdesk. We hope to see you there!

Every Tuesday morning, bring your little ones to the library for a delightful mix of stories, songs, and fun activities or crafts.

Storytimes are designed for preschool-aged children, but all ages are welcome. Most sessions include a small craft, and any leftover crafts will be available as take-and-makes at the front desk.

We look forward to seeing you and your little ones at the library!

Second Thursdays | 3:30–5:30 PM | September – April

Get ready to experiment, invent, and explore at TinkerLab—a hands-on drop-in program where curiosity leads the way!

Each month, dive into exciting STEAM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) that spark creativity and encourage discovery. Whether you're building, creating, or just tinkering, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

TinkerLab is open to all ages (grown-ups too!), but kids under 11 should bring an adult. No need to arrive right at the start—drop in anytime during the session and stay as long as you like.

Come explore, imagine, and make something amazing each month at TinkerLab!

On Thursday, June 27, 2024, the White Settlement Police Department received a credible tip that a missing teenager was seen with an adult man near University Drive and I.H. 30 in Fort Worth. With the assistance of the Fort Worth Police Department Real Time Crime Center, officers and detectives from both agencies responded to the sighting. 

The adult man was located near S. University Drive and the I.H. 30 service road. Based upon an interview with WSPD detectives, he provided additional information that the missing teen was staying inside a nearby restaurant.

Aubrie Morgan was located inside a restaurant in the 1500 block of S. University Drive and was transported to a local hospital to get fully checked out. At this point, she appeared to be healthy after being gone for almost a week.

The adult man was arrested for felony warrants out of the City of Fort Worth, not connected with this case. Investigators are working to determine how the runaway teen ended up in Fort Worth and how she knows this adult man. It would be inappropriate to speculate on additional theories, relationships, or motives at the early stages of this investigation. 

The man was transported to the Fort Worth Police Department City Jail. 

Once the teen has been medically cleared and interviewed by investigators, she will be released to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (Child Protective Services) for final disposition. 

To protect privacy for the family, no additional details will be released. 

“We want to thank the community for keeping a watchful eye on this case and providing tips,” said Chief of Police Christopher Cook. “We are grateful that this teen, who ran away from home, was found safe and will continue to work with state agencies to ensure her positive wellbeing.”

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement has approved the City of White Settlement Police Department as a “CONTRACT TRAINING PROVIDER” for Texas law enforcement agencies in North Texas through May 14, 2029. As part of the contract training provider agreement, the police department can now host a variety of law enforcement training classes to assist agencies with best practices, legislatively mandated training, and other contemporary topics that are important to the policing profession. The department recently hosted the International Association of Chiefs of Police Women’s Leadership Institute, in addition to other regional training opportunities over the past year. 

One of the main topic areas that the department plans to unveil is related to Texas Senate Bill 1852, which requires all peace officers to attend ALERRT Level 1 active shooter training at least once prior to August 31, 2027. To assist area agencies, the department plans to host ALERRT classes that focus on active shooter responses and training. 

“We are thrilled to add this capacity to our training center, which is housed at the Pecan Grove Convention Center,” said Chief of Police Christopher Cook. “This process started over a year ago and I am grateful to TCOLE Director Gregory Stevens and TCOLE Presiding Officer Kim Lemaux, Police Chief for the University of Texas at Arlington, for supporting this important endeavor. Police officers across Tarrant County will be better served and have more access to critical topic areas that impact our profession and make us stronger.”

As part of the process of obtaining this license, the department was required to create a Training Advisory Board to oversee all training. This board, made up of citizens from across the community, meets as needed to discuss training areas and topics. The department is also required to follow all administrative rules and regulations governing training processes and classes.

The White Settlement Police Department announces multiple arrests in the homicide of 33-year-old Savanna Parker, who died from multiple gunshot wounds during a home invasion burglary on Friday, January 30, 2026, in the 600 block of Meadow Park Drive. These major arrests are the result of significant investigative work, license plate reader and video technologies, and extensive collaboration and assistance from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. 

Following the homicide, the department leveraged license plate reader technology and video cameras obtained from private and public sources (digital doorbell footage, security cameras at public buildings, and citizen-provided video) to identify the suspect vehicle that fled the scene. 

With the information that identified the vehicle, detectives worked with the Fort Worth Police Department Real-Time Crime Center to further review an extensive network of license plate readers and cameras across North Texas to assist in fully identifying the suspects. Investigators were able to identify the shooting suspect as a juvenile offender. A delinquent conduct capital murder arrest warrant has been obtained for this juvenile. Due to the Texas Public Information Act and Texas Family Code related to the confidentiality of juvenile information, no identifiable information regarding the juvenile offender can be released by the City of White Settlement. 

Here is a summary of the investigative work completed in this case:

• Investigators determined that three individuals arrived in a vehicle that was parked on Whitney Drive, which is west of the residence where the homicide occurred.

• The vehicle was driven by Marissa Nicole Ocon and the direction of travel from Fort Worth, to the entry of our city, and exiting our city was captured by license plate readers and/or video systems. 
• Two male suspects exited the parked vehicle on Whitney Drive and walked up to the residence. 
• At least one male suspect entered the residence by forcing entry through a door on the south side of the residence and began to ransack the location appearing to look for something or someone. 
• The other male suspect is believed to have stood outside in the yard. 
• Both male suspects wore hooded sweatshirts, gloves and face coverings. 
• One of the residents, later identified as the victim, confronted the suspects and started recording video on her cell phone. 
• As the juvenile male suspect exited the home, he turned and fired a handgun striking the victim multiple times. The victim later died at the hospital. 
• Following the home invasion burglary and shooting, the two male suspects ran back to the waiting car and fled the city. 
• Detectives with the Fort Worth Police Department, Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, and the White Settlement Police Department began working through the video, license plate reader information, and other evidence to determine where the suspects resided.
• On Friday, February 6, 2026, 23-year-old Marissa Nicole Ocon was taken into custody after officers set up surveillance in South Fort Worth and conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. She has been charged with one count of Capital Murder and remains in the Tarrant County Jail.
• Also on Friday, February 6, 2026, the Texas Department of Public Safety Special Response Team assisted the White Settlement Police Department in the execution of a search warrant in the 8300 block of Horned Maple Trail in South Fort Worth. The resulting search yielded significant evidence that further solidified this case investigation.
• On Saturday, February 7, 2026, 31-year-old Maribel Apodaca-Guzman, an associate of one of the suspects, was arrested at a residence in the 1300 block of Burmeister in South Fort Worth by the White Settlement and Fort Worth Police Departments. She has been charged with one felony count of Hinder Apprehension or Prosecution. She remains in the Tarrant County Jail.
• Also on Saturday, February 7, 2026, the vehicle used to drive to and from the shooting scene was located in Dallas and transported back to the White Settlement Police Department for processing on Sunday.
• On Monday, February 9, 2026, 17-year-old Julian Xavier Ramirez was arrested at a school facility in the Lake Worth I.S.D. by the White Settlement Police Department and Texas Rangers. He has been charged with one count of Capital Murder.
• The juvenile remains at large and is believed to be in Mexico. The department is working with the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, El Paso Police Department, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety to bring the juvenile offender back to the Tarrant County Juvenile Court. 

“I am extremely proud of the level of teamwork, collaboration, and partnership that occurred with our local, state, and federal partners during this case,” said Chief of Police Christopher Cook. “On the investigative side of the house, I want to personally highlight Texas Ranger Travis Dendy along with our White Settlement Police Department investigators including Sergeant Steven Person, Corporal Laura Gonzalez, Detective Geovanny Ramirez, Detective Gasper Martinez, and Lieutenant Brad Bukowski for their relentless pursuit of the facts to bring closure to our community and the victim’s family. From our initial WEST COMM Dispatch Center response, to the Patrol Division response, to the intensive search and follow-up on the day of this incident and throughout this investigation, I am proud of our team’s efforts to bolster public safety and hold these offenders accountable.” 

On Friday, January 30, 2026 at 3:03 p.m., the White Settlement Police Department responded to a shooting in the 600 block of Meadow Park Drive. Initial call details relayed to our responding officers indicated an adult woman was shot with multiple suspects described as male teens or young adults fleeing the scene on foot. Due to the proximity of the shooting scene to local daycares, an elementary school, and middle school, the department requested a secure lockdown of all exterior doors at these facilities out of an abundance of caution. 

As officers arrived on scene, they located an adult woman in her 30s with multiple apparent gunshot wounds. The woman was transported to a local hospital where she was later pronounced deceased. Investigators determined that two to three males, described as being late teens or young adults, were last seen running from the home westbound on Wyatt Drive. It is believed the suspects are no longer in the immediate area.

The suspects appear to have been wearing dark-colored clothing, black hooded-sweatshirts that were pulled over the top of their heads, and black face coverings. It is believed the suspects entered the home through a door on the south side of the residence. As the suspects were trying to flee from inside the residence, one suspect, while standing outside, started to turn towards the adult woman and point a handgun at her. The suspect then discharged the handgun multiple times, striking the woman who was still inside the home while the door was open. 

The department is releasing some still photographs of the shooting suspects. Anyone with information is asked to contact WSPD Sergeant Steven Person at 817-246-7070 Ext. 419. Tipsters can also remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of those responsible (817-469-TIPS). 

The Fort Worth Police Department Real-Time Crime Center, Helicopter Aviation Unit, and detectives assisted with the response and investigation today. The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office is assisting with the crime scene investigation. The Westworth Village and Sansom Park Police Department responded to provide K-9 assistance and perimeter patrols. The White Settlement I.S.D. Police Department also assisted the department by sending officers to the scene. 

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the identity of the deceased once next of kin have been notified. The case remains under investigation and the department is working leads. 

Report #26WS02220

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Brave the chill (or maybe the spring-like weather) and jump into something bigger than yourself. Grab your friends, your best costume, and join the White Settlement Police Department for the upcoming Polar Plunge. To register to take the plunge and/or donate, scan the QR code on the flyer or click here.

Mark your calendars now for another exciting time with our special athletes, city employees, and police officers as we host the 2026 Polar Plunge on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 405 N. Las Vegas Trail at Splash Dayz. All the fun starts at 8:30 a.m.