Julio “Trey” Reyes, the Katy ISD police officer who took former girlfriend and fellow police officer Rachel Hillsman hostage last August before taking his own life during an armed stand-off, had a previous history of emotional problems, according to records recently released by Katy ISD.
Records obtained by InstantNewsKaty through the Texas Public Information Act showed Reyes was placed on administrative in 2007 after threatening to kill himself.
In that incident, Reyes reportedly threatened to take his own life because of relationship problems with his ex-wife and Hillsman.
According to an April 30, 2007 report filed by KISD Police Cpl. Ryan Martinelli, Reyes was taken to a Sugar Land hospital after going on a “drinking binge” and telling others he was going to commit suicide.
According to information given to Martinelli by Reyes’ brother Randy at Sugar Land Memorial Hermann Hospital, Reyes learned that his ex-wife “had met someone else and was taking their son around him.” That, coupled with relationship problems between Reyes and Hillsman, apparently triggered the heavy drinking and suicide threats.
“Randy said he was called…to go to (ex-wife) Sandra’s residence because Julio was over there and threatening suicide. Randy said when he arrived that Julio was drunk and acting very erratic,” Martinelli’s report said. “Randy said that he has never seen Julio act like this and that he was not thinking rational at all.”
Randy Reyes and friend Mike Rozaro told Martinelli they called both the Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office and EMS because they feared Julio Reyes “would harm himself.”
“Randy said that when Fort Bend SO arrived, they tried talking Julio into going to the hospital on his own, at which point Julio advised them he was not going. Randy said that Julio would bow up and act like he was going to fight, but that he would then settle down,” Martinelli reported. “Randy said that Julio finally agreed to go to the hospital. Randy said that Mike took Julio’s duty weapon and he took the rest of Julio’s weapons, that way he would not have access to them.”
Martinelli also learned Reyes had written suicide notes to his ex-wife and son Jacob, telling them he loved them and “was sorry for what had happened.”
Martinelli also reported that he briefly interviewed Julio Reyes in the hospital’s emergency room. During that interview, Reyes told Martinelli that “there had been a little misunderstanding” and that he had been drinking heavily, but did not intend to take his own life.
“Julio advised us that that he had sent text messages about suicide the night before to his friend, Mike Rozaro, and his brother, Randy Reyes. Julio stated that he did it because he had been drinking heavily and having family problems,” Martinelli reported. “Julio advised that at no point did he intend to commit suicide.”
As he was returning to the KISD police headquarters, Martinelli said he received a phone call from Hillsman asking what was taking place. During the conversation, Hillsman expressed concern that Reyes might harm her.
“I advised her that I could not discuss (the incident) with her and she began to tell me that Julio had been cheating on her with another woman and (ex-wife) Sandra. Rachel said when she found out, that she split up with him,” Martinelli noted. “Rachel advised that she spoke with Sandra and found out that Julio had been seeing both of them. Rachel advised that she did not feel safe around Julio and that she was worried about what he might do to her. Rachel advised that she was leaving her house to go stay with her parents.”
Following the incident, Katy ISD Police Chief Mark Hopkins placed Reyes on paid leave.
“Pending the superintendent’s approval, you are being placed on administrative leave, with pay, effective on April 30, 2007 and until further notice. While on administrative leave, you shall make yourself available to the Chief of Police or his designee during the regular work day through normal means of communication,” Hopkins wrote in a letter to Reyes dated April 20, 2007. “Effective immediately, you shall not enter or remain on any Katy ISD property without expressed consent from the Chief of Police or his designee.”
The letter was copied to then-Katy ISD Superintendent Leonard Merrell.
In a follow-up letter, Hopkins removed Reyes from paid leave and informed the officer he would be allowed back to duty only after providing proof he had undergone psychological counseling.
“Effective at the end of the regular working day on May 15, 2007, you will be removed from administrative leave with pay. You may use appropriate personal leave until such time that you provide proof of your participation in psychological counseling to me or Captain Robert Jinks,” Hopkins wrote. “Furthermore, you shall sign a release for your treating doctor to report your attendance, cooperation and completion of treatment to me, Chief Mark L. Hopkins, or Captain Robert Jinks. Upon receipt of proof that you are participating in psychological counseling and a copy of the sign treatment release, you may return to regular police officer duty.”
The documents outlining Reyes’ 2007 suicide attempt were obtained through a public information request filed with the school district last August. The district initially sought to withhold the documents, claiming the information should not be disclosed to the public.
Through its law firm, Thompson & Horton of Houston, the school district asked for an attorney general’s ruling on the request. In a letter to the AG, attorney Christopher Gilbert asked whether the district could withhold the records.
“The district believes that the documents responsive to this request, or information contained within those documents, would be privileged from disclosure under sections 552.101 to 552.147 of the (Texas Public Information Act), including, but not limited to, the following exceptions: 552.101 Confidential Information and 552.102 Personnel Information,” Gilbert said in the letter. “On behalf of the district, we request a determination by your office that the exceptions stated above apply to the information requested by (InstantNewsKaty).”
The Attorney General’s Office subsequently ruled the school district would have to release documents related the 2007 incident.
Less than two years after this reported suicide attempt, Reyes took Hillsman hostage on Aug. 19, 2009 as she was leaving her mother’s Waller County home to report for duty. The abduction followed yet another break-up between the two.
The following day, law enforcement officers found Reyes holding Hillsman hostage in a vacant home on the north side of Brookshire. He ultimately took his life with a gunshot to the head after releasing Hillsman, ending a six-hour siege armed siege.
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