Sunday, August 7, 2016

Events Surrounding the Death of Mary Elizabeth Tipton in February 2015 Raise Many Questions About Justice System in Cameron County

Mary Elizabeth Tipton
Ralph Tipton last spoke with his wife Mary on Friday, February 27, 2015.  Mary told him her cell phone was running out of charge or minutes. It was the last time they would ever talk.  The next day Mary was struck by a white Volkswagen driven by Marisa Govea Hernandez, while walking on FM 803, sometime between 6:30 and 7:00 PM.

To this point, Marisa Govea Hernandez, has suffered no legal penalty, not for her hit-and-run accident causing death, not for leaving the scene, not for failing to render aid.  She was released on $500 bond over a year ago, followed by a number of peculiar, shadowy actions by the Cameron County District Attorney's office.  We will detail those incidents in future stories.  


Ralph Tipton,  was still living at the family's residence in Port Arthur, Texas, while his wife Mary visited relatives in Brownsville in February 2015.  While in Brownsville, Mary stayed at the Deluxe 6 Motel, on frontage road at I-69 and FM 511. Saturday night, February 28, 2015 she evidently walked around the block containing Deluxe 6. Couch Road runs along the north side of the motel, connecting the frontage road with FM 803. Three or four warehouses are clustered together along that first block of FM 803 just past FM 511. 


Deluxe 6 Motel on I-69 Frontage Road
Mrs. Marisa Govea Hernandez, the driver of the white Volkswagen, and a passenger never identified, did not stop to see what they had hit. They were only a very short distance from Marisa Govea Hernandez' home, causing one law officer to speculate that the Volkswagen had not reached full speed before hitting Mary Tipton.  Mrs. Hernandez son, Mauricio Hernandez, a deputy sheriff with the Cameron County Sheriff's Department, admitted to Detective Thomas Clipper of the Brownsville Police Department that he'd been out during the night of the accident with a flashlight, hunting for what his mother had hit. At first he told Officer Clipper his mother had hit an "animal," but later speculated that animal was probably a "skunk."

His mother, the driver of the hit-and-run vehicle, was not interviewed by BPD Detective Clipper, only opening the front door a crack to hand out her ID.  Her son, the deputy sheriff, did all the talking for her with Detective Clipper.

Multiple pictures of the mother's white Volkswagen showed a smashed windshield and damage much larger than a skunk could cause.


Three days later, a construction worker, walking down FM 803, discovered the body of Mary Tipton, face down in a ditch, close enough to the seen from the Hernandez home.  She was directly under a street lamp. The autopsy did not indicate whether Mrs. Tipton died immediately from impact or during her three days in the ditch along FM 803.


Ralph and Mary Tipton had been together nineteen years, raising together Ralph's twenty year old son.  The plan was to move back to Brownsville with Ralph working for his brother, Francisco Tipton, an attorney specializing in immigration law.  Mary, who'd been active for several years in advocating for battered women, hoped to start her own non-profit after settling in Brownsville.

Today's phone conversation with Ralph was primarily to learn more about Mary.  Her husband explained that Mary loved to write poetry and sent us a sample:


Why exist

if existing means loving with conditions?

LIVE, don't just simply exist

and be universally satisfied......


Subsequent stories will deal with actions by Detective Clipper, his transfer to a desk job while on the case, the inept prosecution of the case by District Attorney Luis Saenz' office,  lead prosecutor Guzman, possible malpractice by Attorney Oscar Alvarez of McAllen, a secret hearing to arrange a plea deal without Mr. Tipton's knowledge and many, many irregularities in the handling of evidence, erasing of video and a number of untruths told by the public servants involved in the case.  

We will also detail how Rachel Kram, Court Reporter, responded to Mr. Tipton's legal request for a transcript of the plea hearing.

28 comments:

  1. They should go after not only BPD and county,and Alvarez Attorney for malpractice

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  2. Sad for the family. No one deserves to die on the side of the road like that much less be left alone to die like that. What are the details of the plea deal?

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  3. Bpd and the Alvarez attorney should go under my investigation. Mrs.Hernandez son is a sheriff with Cameron county. Well that might make some sence into all this something not right being done. Why would he do all the speaking for his mom when he wasn't there . I just don't agree something very wrong going on here . I hope and pray Mr. Tipton gets the justice for his wife Mary r.i.p.....

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    1. Thank u for speaking up! And I agree fully! A FULL INVESTIGATION into all these "back scratchers" should be done....not just on this case, but MANY incidents from the past where their integrity and loyalty for the citizens is concerned!!!!

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  4. 90% of the hotels in the US have telephones! What was she doing walking there? Was she suicidal?

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    1. You're an idiot!

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    2. You must know something about her to say that.

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    3. Taking a walk is not suicidal. Have you ever heard of taking a walk to enjoy the air? Besides, its not her fault for being hit, smashed into the windshield and not receiving aid. so your question is irrelevant. What's relevant is the DA not recusing themselves and bringing another team to handle the investigation. This looks like a cover-up, typical.

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    4. No.....she WAS NOT SUICIDAL and I can't believe your actually asking that???
      She was walking to buy a PHONE CARD for her personal phone.....regardless of the HOTEL PHONES working....is walking to a store illegal these days?

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    5. I believe on the police report says that she was at fault for walking on the that roadway! On drugs? Wearing all black? Was she wearing a light belt? Don't make sense

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  5. First of all Mrs. Govea should have been questioned immediately! And 2nd why would the son go check if it was an "animal" that his,mother "supposably hit. This is so wrong, leaving her on the side of the street is inhumane. She was somebodys,daughter, sister, wife, cousin..i pray that her jusband gets justice and may the Lord give him strength through all of this. RIP MARY.

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    1. So many people would be charged in that case. Im sure he found the woman and left here there to die. She would sue them if she had lived.

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    2. EXACTLY!!!^^^^^^^
      That's one comment in all this "finger pointing" that's actually made sense!!!! Thank u!

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  6. the reason why she was walking for a "phone card" in a dark road while it was raining and cold is beyond anyone. Before you cared less and allowed for your wife's photo to be posted in such a horrific way nobody knew what she was wearing. Now we do. It was dark cold rainy on a two way street where there is no sidewalk and she was wearing a black jacket. Anyone could've been the driver who fatally struck her. You also posted a picture of the drivers car. It makes more sense, based on the area of the car hit, that it's possible your wife dove? Mr. Tipton, you claim there was a police report of the accident. Let's keep that word in mind, accident. That doesn't seem like the driver or her son were trying to hide anything. If there wasn't a report of an accident in that area, would you ever have known who the driver was? If the driver didn't come forward, would you ever know? The police officer searched and did not find anything. Someone who is trained to do this didn't find a thing. So how could anyone else with no luck? It's rumored that you should have a big compensation if everything is in your favor. But according to what you've been posting, not even your lawyer sees the need to keep this going. Its understandable, what you MIGHT be going through. I say might because only you and God know your true intentions. I hope you have peace with yourself, and just let your wife rest in peace. She doesn't need to be remembered the way u allowed social media to see her on this page. You are not one to judge. After reading some comments I can see you have some skeletons in ur closet as well. You are not the first or last person this has or will happen to. I'm sorry for the family's loss. The people who truly cared about her. And I'm sorry for the driver. She must be going through a hard time too. Again, nobody is to judge. I would like to hear the drivers side of the story one day. Maybe everyone shouldn't be so quick to judge.

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    1. Sorry for the driver what the hell are you smoking.The driver had an opportunity to do the right thing from the beginning regardless whether she was walking through snow , fire or rain somebody killed this lady and didn't give two shits about her .Of course people are judging ,this was handled very bad.I f this investigation was done properly and interviewed the mother not the son (deputy) and did a blood analysis on the driver ,there is no way she thought she hit a skunk or raccoon.To top it off the officer or detective bought the story after seeing the damage on the car bullshit

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    2. Sorry for the driver? Rumored that there is a big compensation? Walking while it was dark and cold?? Exactly whose ass are you trying to lick clean Mr/Mrs Anonymous???
      SHE WAS A HUMAN BEING!!!!

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  7. the reason why she was walking for a "phone card" in a dark road while it was raining and cold is beyond anyone. Before you cared less and allowed for your wife's photo to be posted in such a horrific way nobody knew what she was wearing. Now we do. It was dark cold rainy on a two way street where there is no sidewalk and she was wearing a black jacket. Anyone could've been the driver who fatally struck her. You also posted a picture of the drivers car. It makes more sense, based on the area of the car hit, that it's possible your wife dove? Mr. Tipton, you claim there was a police report of the accident. Let's keep that word in mind, accident. That doesn't seem like the driver or her son were trying to hide anything. If there wasn't a report of an accident in that area, would you ever have known who the driver was? If the driver didn't come forward, would you ever know? The police officer searched and did not find anything. Someone who is trained to do this didn't find a thing. So how could anyone else with no luck? It's rumored that you should have a big compensation if everything is in your favor. But according to what you've been posting, not even your lawyer sees the need to keep this going. Its understandable, what you MIGHT be going through. I say might because only you and God know your true intentions. I hope you have peace with yourself, and just let your wife rest in peace. She doesn't need to be remembered the way u allowed social media to see her on this page. You are not one to judge. After reading some comments I can see you have some skeletons in ur closet as well. You are not the first or last person this has or will happen to. I'm sorry for the family's loss. The people who truly cared about her. And I'm sorry for the driver. She must be going through a hard time too. Again, nobody is to judge. I would like to hear the drivers side of the story one day. Maybe everyone shouldn't be so quick to judge.

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    1. You're an asshole, Anonymous.

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    2. I don't understand the blaming on the District Attorney Luis Saenz. He has nothing to do in this accident. Poor investigator's work or BPD investigator's fault. Don't know if her case has been finalized or not. The title of this article seems to attack the DA personally.

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    3. Because he and the police department are the main ones covering up ALOT of info on this entire case.....I guess THAT'S why it seems that way? Regardless...there are questions that NEED to be answered.....why things were handled the way they were is ridiculous. Corrupt justice systems is the downfall of the United States....when a woman is hit and left to die in a ditch and it doesn't matter???? Is when things NEED TO BE LOOK INTO.....PERIOD.

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  8. The above comment must be from the criminal' sons. The picture must hunt them if they have any remorse. If the victim had been an "animal" like a dog or a cat maybe then Saenz, Lucio and the judicial system might have reacted differently. Keep showing the pictures and let the one who caused the murder relive her nightmare.

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  9. The problem is that RD 803, is A piece of shit, people have to swerve to miss pot holes, and there is no shoulders much less, a sidewalk... it is definitely hard to walk there especially if she wasn't familiar with the area, repeated reports and complaints have been filed with the city and supposedly Noone is in charge of FM 803, I know I pay a shit load of taxes, so where's all this money going,?????

    Not Fix out streets!

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  10. The problem is that RD 803, is A piece of shit, people have to swerve to miss pot holes, and there is no shoulders much less, a sidewalk... it is definitely hard to walk there especially if she wasn't familiar with the area, repeated reports and complaints have been filed with the city and supposedly Noone is in charge of FM 803, I know I pay a shit load of taxes, so where's all this money going,?????

    Not Fix out streets!

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  11. Give Mr Tipton some cash money so he can be satisfied & happy!

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    1. Money doesn't "fix" everything......and that is NOT what this is about.
      Glad to know where YOUR priorities lie Mr or Ms "Anonymous"......

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  12. Mary was a wife...a mother...and a friend to many. It does not matter why she was walking on that road, that is irrelevant! The main focus here, REGARDLESS of what she was wearing, is that she was struck down like an animal, and left there while others had knowledge of her body being there. And just for the record....that black "jacket" wasn't a jacket....it was a body bag.
    Everyone wants to point fingers and to call names.....and during all that needless drama....the MAIN POINT is getting further and further pushed away....MARY TIPTON WAS A VICTIM OF HIT AND RUN....IT WAS ALL HANDLED WRONG FROM THE GET GO.....BY THE AUTHORITIES! Any and every "legal" person that has had their hands in this investigation has been crooked from the get go. $500 bail? Come on.....That's what u get for hitting someone's dog or stealing a bicycle....THIS IS THE DEATH OF A HUMAN!!!!!
    It's as corrupt as corrupt can get....people (LEGAL PERSONNEL) have been caught in lies, covering up, and trying to get this swept under the rug without the families full knowlegde. Let me ask you...if this was YOUR wife, or Mother, or daughter.......HOW WOULD YOU BE TRYING TO HANDLED IT???
    Unfortunately taking it into your own hands doesn't work these days in the USA....so THIS is what u get when u try to go about things legally??? It's like a slap in the face. Mary Tipton (Rest her soul) was a human being. She mattered. She had hopes and dreams and a life that was important just as much as anyones......why is that so easy to sweep this away like it never happened? Why are the higher ups turning the other cheek? Why is it when the department of Guzman was contacted and questioned, they HUNG UP on someone without answering anything pertaining to the case? WHY WAS SHE LEFT THERE FOR THERE DAYS????
    Why is the culprit still out and walking/sriving around without any kind of reprimand or any kind of consequences????
    MARY WAS ALIVE. NOW SHE'S NOT.....and how DARE anyone try to place the blame on HER of all people, when all she was doing was walking on the side of a road going to purchase a phonecard. (It doesn't matter of the hotel had phones....she was attempting to refill her PERSONEL CELL PHONE....since when is THAT a crime?!)
    The legal system is failing this family....failing Mary and her existence and anything she stood for. And it's sickening....to think that ANY life counts this LITTLE this day in time, to be thrown in a ditch and forgotten.

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  13. Justice for Mary Tipton
    Why would the son go check if it was an "animal" and especially call EMS. Come on no need to call unless of an emergency. She totally knew what she had done and it's so wrong in an levels.

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  14. I would be thrilled to see Tyrion and Jon stealing two dragons for themselves
    and take them away from Dany :P LOL.

    Game of Thrones s07e06

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