Murder charges against Daniel Sullivan in the 2018 killing of his wife, Sophia Sullivan, have been dismissed, the Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Office says. Sophia Sullivan, a Marfa ISD teacher, was killed on March 16, 2018, in Fort Davis, and her death has remained a painful open question in the small West Texas community for more than seven years.
According to firstalert7.com, the sheriff's office said the charges were dismissed because of new developments in the investigation. The station reports that the case remains an active and ongoing investigation, and that no more information will be released at this time because of that ongoing work. Daniel Sullivan had been held in the Hudspeth County Jail on a $130,000 bond, per the same report.
Sheriff's Office Pushes Back on Rumors
In a Facebook post published Tuesday, the Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Office said the investigation remains ongoing and that no further information would be released at this time.
The department asked anyone with actual usable information to come forward. People with information about the case are asked to contact Lieutenant Robert Orr at 432-207-2280 or by email at [email protected].
A Case Labeled Both Cold and Active
The case has been described as both a cold case and an active and ongoing investigation, as bigbendsentinel.com notes. Lieutenant Robert Orr has been leading the renewed investigation into Sophia Sullivan's killing, according to bigbendtimes.com.
Reports differ on exactly how Daniel Sullivan's 2019 criminal trial ended in a mistrial. The Big Bend Sentinel reports that three jurors in that November 2019 trial refused to convict Daniel, leading to a mistrial, while Big Bend Times reports that the jury deadlocked 9-3 in favor of conviction, also resulting in a mistrial. Separately, a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Sophia Sullivan's mother resulted in a $7 million damages award against Daniel Sullivan in May 2023, per the Big Bend Sentinel's reporting.
For now, the Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Office says the investigation remains ongoing. Investigators are urging anyone with real information to reach Lieutenant Orr.
