Sergeant Brett Ward of the McKinney Police Department has recently earned a distinguished accolade for his investigative acumen, the 2025 DA Greg Willis Super Sleuth Award. This honor, bestowed by the Collin County Criminal District Attorney's Office, highlights exceptional investigative work, and this year, only five detectives earned this recognition.
In a particularly intricate murder case involving the death of Shailene Velez, Sgt. Ward demonstrated an unyielding pursuit of the truth that stood apart from the norm. The defendant initially claimed that the shooting was accidental, resulting from a mishap while "clearing" his handgun. However, Ward was skeptical of the story, and his probing proved critical. According to a social media post from the Collin County DA's Office, inconsistencies in the defendant's account and the physical evidence prompted Sgt. Ward to dig deeper.
Through a comprehensive investigation, which entailed interviewing witnesses, analyzing the crime scene, and assessing surveillance footage, Sgt. Ward was able to piece together a narrative that exposed a pattern of control and potential escalation in the relationship between the victim and the defendant. This culminated in the chilling revelation that after Velez had expressed intentions to leave the relationship during a visit to New York, she was fatally shot in the face upon her return to Texas.
The diligence of Sgt. Ward's investigative process played a pivotal role in the courtroom, and a life sentence was handed down to the perpetrator, delivering long-awaited justice for Velez's family. In the words of the Collin County DA's Office, "Sgt. Ward's tireless work — interviewing friends, neighbors, pulling surveillance, and helping prosecutors build this case detail by detail — that made it possible to expose the truth." His involvement spanned across every aspect of the case, from the minutiae to significant hearings and trials.
