Active Criminal Investigation Still Open Even After Hill Death

The Texas Department of Public Safety says an “active criminal investigation” remains open in the case involving Travis Hill.

Hill was the Lavaca County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace who authorities say ended his own life on July 16 as U.S. Marshals attempted to take him into custody. That was the same day a Fayette County Grand Jury indicted Hill on three felony charges related to prostitution and sexual assault.

Following Hill’s death, the Record filed a public information request for documents related to the case, including those held by the Texas Rangers, which led the investigation. On Monday, July 27, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to our request. DPS provided some basic arrest information, including a partially-redacted supplemental report that briefly describes an interview between a victim and Texas Ranger James Sears.

However, DPS declined to release other materials we requested, such as video, audio recordings, correspondence and investigative files related to the Travis Hill case, citing the “open and active criminal investigation.”

Hill’s death, it seems, has not ended the investigation.

In addition to serving as a justice of the peace, Hill was also a criminal defense attor- ney.

The redacted supplemental report that DPS provided to the Record stated that Ranger Sears interviewed a woman at the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office on July 9. The report described the woman as “a possible witness and source of information regarding the investigation into Justice of the Peace Travis Hill.”

According to the report, the woman “stated that she contacted attorney Travis Hill in April after being arrested on a theft charge in DeWitt County.”

“Hill responded quickly to her home in DeWitt County when she was aware that officers were waiting outside to execute a warrant for her arrest,” the report said. “During this initial meeting at her residence, (the woman) stated that Hill made unwanted advances.”

What follows are about seven lines of redacted text. It then says the woman “stated she felt coerced into limited compliance, fearing Hill would withdraw representation if she refused.”

Seven more lines of redacted text follow. Page numbers indicate the supplemental report was three pages long. Only the first partially-redacted page was provided to the Record.

DPS included an incident report listing some administrative details in their release to the Record. The incident report states that Lavaca County Attorney James Reeves asked the Rangers to conduct a special investigation. The incident report states Ranger Sears was notified by his superiors to move forward with the investigation on May 28.

Hill was initially arrested on July 11 in Lavaca County on felony charges of compelling prostitution, soliciting prostitution and sexual assault. The Lavaca County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case due to its close relationship with Hill as both a justice of the peace and defense attorney.

Lavaca County Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Mark Yackel set Hill’s bond at $200,000. Yackel also signed a protective order prohibiting Hill from contacting his alleged victim(s). Hill was initially booked into the Lavaca County Jail and was then transferred to the Fayette County Jail. He posted bond. Terms of his bond stipulated that Hill was supposed to report within 72 hours of his release to the Lavaca County Probation Department to be fitted with a tracking device.

According to a media release from the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office, Hill failed to show up at the probation office. He also failed to appear in court on July 15, when he was scheduled to represent clients as a criminal defense attorney.

The following day, July 16, a Fayette County Grand Jury indicted Hill on the three felony charges of compelling prostitution, soliciting prostitution and sexual assault. Fayette County District Attorney James Herbrich told the Record that Hill owned a residence in Fayette County, and that the alleged crimes took place there. Hill’s bond was revoked that same day.

“On July 16, 2026, at approximately 8:30 p.m., members of the United States Marshals Service located Mr. Hill at a residence in a remote area of Gonzales County,” said a media release from the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office. “Members of the USMS attempted to safely take Mr. Hill into custody and provided him the opportunity to surrender peacefully. During that encounter, Mr. Hill sustained an apparent self-inflicted fatal gunshot wound. Mr. Hill was later pronounced deceased on scene.”

No one else was injured in the encounter, the release stated.

Regarding the Record’s public information request, DPS has since requested a ruling from the Texas Attorney General for an exception to the Public Information Act. DPS cited section 552.108(a) (1) of the Texas Government Code, which provides an exception to release for potential evidence that would interfere with the investigation and prosecution of a crime.

On Monday, the Record asked a DPS attorney handling the request whether any additional suspects are under investigation at this time, and if so, we offered to withdraw our request pending the conclusion of the investigation. The attorney did not answer the question.

State law provides the Office of Attorney General up to 45 days to issue a ruling on the Record’s request.