Dr. Angel Durr told the Community Police Oversight Board on Jan. 14 that her mother, Lanetta May Washington, was murdered in South Dallas on April 25, 2021 and that, despite video evidence and officers being at the scene, no arrests have been made.

"I was the one who had to ID her body," Durr said. She told the board the case was later characterized to her as an "accident," even though her on-site inspection showed a clear bullet mark on a pole that she said indicated the shooter's position. Durr said the case was unassigned after 90 days, that reassignment required months of her own persistence, and that she was advised to hire a private investigator if she wanted progress.

Durr asked how the department is modernizing investigative tactics, how it is upskilling personnel and using data and technology to drive decision-making, and how the department tracks work done on a case and accountability for unresolved matters. She said she has offered her own expertise and volunteered to help with data work, and she said she had already filed a formal complaint with the OCPO.

OCPO and board members thanked Durr for speaking and said staff would follow up on her complaint. The turnaround on homicide work and victim-family communication was a recurring theme of the meeting; Durr pressed the board for timelines, more transparent case tracking, and clearer accountability for cold homicide investigations.

Why it matters: Families of homicide victims frequently cite lack of sustained follow-up as a source of trauma and distrust. Durr's testimony asked the board to consider whether OCPO and DPD can do more on cold-case management and on using data science to prioritize unsolved violent crimes for investigation.

What's next: Durr said she had completed a formal complaint and requested follow-up; OCPO acknowledged receipt and said staff would follow up and that Durr had asked for a response. Board members and OCPO staff said they would work to ensure the complaint receives attention and to investigate whether procedural changes or data tools could improve case reassignment and tracking.