TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — The Travis County District Attorney’s Office dropped felony charges against two men accused of dumping dead dogs into a South Austin creek due to “insufficient evidence.”
Fred John Riess, 61, and Rafael Cantu Baez-Riess, 51, had been charged with intentional or knowing unauthorized discharge, a third-degree felony related to waterway pollution. Prosecutors said multiple suspects, evidence storage issues, and the timing of the incident prevented them from ethically moving forward.
“The Travis County District Attorney’s Office must be able to prove all elements of a charge beyond a reasonable doubt,” the office said. “We have made the difficult decision to dismiss the cases.”…