Tarrant County authorities called in the public yesterday to help track down 35-year-old Lisa Mitchell, who investigators say is wanted on a murder charge after allegedly cutting off a court-ordered ankle monitor. Officials say Mitchell is actively dodging law enforcement and are warning residents not to approach her under any circumstances.
In a post, the Crime-Watch-Dallas said Mitchell is about 5-foot-9 and 230 pounds, with brown hair, and was last believed to be in the Fort Worth area. Deputies say she removed her monitor while out on release and has been avoiding officers since. According to the sheriff's office, Crime Stoppers may pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to her arrest.
How to report tips
Authorities are stressing that anyone who thinks they see Mitchell should not try to confront her and should instead call 911 immediately. For those who want to provide information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers of Tarrant County at 817-469-TIPS (8477), submit a tip at 469tips.com, or use the P3 Tips mobile app. The Crime Stoppers website explains how the anonymous tipline and online portal work for Tarrant County residents.
Why monitor tampering matters
Law enforcement officials say tampering with court-ordered ankle monitors has sparked manhunts across North Texas before, and it can make already serious cases even harder to investigate. In December, a Fort Worth-area murder suspect who allegedly cut off his ankle monitor stayed on the run for weeks before a multi-agency effort finally led to his arrest, a reminder of how quickly these cases can escalate. Local coverage of that earlier case is available from Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth.
Investigators are asking residents to share credible information through official channels instead of trying to track down Mitchell themselves. Anyone with details that could help the case is urged to call 911 or send an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers so law enforcement can follow up.
