A Galveston County grand jury declined to indict Jennifer Laird and Derek Miller in February, but Texas City later reached a separate employment decision: the city terminated both after an internal review found policy violations connected to fictitious Facebook accounts. The city has described its workplace investigation as separate from the criminal proceedings, according to The Daily News and Chron.
The city has not detailed its workplace findings
Chief of Staff Joe Tumbleson told Chron that Laird, the communications director, and Miller, a multimedia specialist, were terminated last week after the internal investigation. The city has not identified the specific policies it says were violated or provided further details about the review; Tumbleson said the city would not comment further because the matter concerns personnel, Chron reported. The Daily News also reported that Laird declined to comment and Miller could not be reached for comment at the time of its report.
The criminal case centered on a Facebook profile
La Marque police investigated a profile using the name of councilman Joseph Lowry that posted praise for Texas City officials and defended city policies, according to The Daily News. Investigators alleged Miller created the account and that Laird later helped develop posts. Miller was arrested in June 2025 on a third-degree felony charge of online impersonation; Laird was arrested in September. Both were released on $10,000 bonds, according to KPRC 2 and reporting by i45NOW. The arrests and allegations did not result in indictments.
An April 2025 text exchange described by i45NOW showed Miller asking Laird what Lowry might say, with Laird proposing language for a post. Lowry, a critic of Texas City officials, runs the Lowry News Network, the report said.
Lowry wants the matter revisited
After the firings became public, Lowry expressed dissatisfaction with prosecutors’ handling of the criminal case and called for it to be reconsidered if new evidence emerged, KGTX 7 reported. The outlet said Laird and Miller could not be reached for comment when it published its report.
Communications department staffing
Texas City has announced no additional discipline or criminal charges arising from its internal review, according to Chron. Communications Specialist Camilla Rodeheaver remains with the city, and Kyle Hunter, the director of innovation and technology, is overseeing the department in the interim. The city’s staff directory lists the department and its personnel.
