Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell was injured and her husband, Fred Mitchell, was killed in a stabbing at their Lewisville home early Monday, police said.
The couple’s 23-year-old grandson, Mitchell Blake Reinacher, has been arrested and charged in connection with the attack.
Lewisville police responded to a call at approximately 3:53 a.m. in the 1000 block of Springwood Drive, where they found Bobbie Mitchell, 76, and Fred Mitchell, 75, suffering from apparent stab wounds. Both were transported to a local hospital, where Fred Mitchell was pronounced dead shortly after 5 a.m. Bobbie Mitchell remains hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said.
Reinacher faces charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is currently held in the Lewisville City Jail, with a bond set at $1 million for the murder charge and $500,000 for the aggravated assault charge.
“My dear friend, colleague and mentor Precinct 3 Commissioner Bobbie J. Mitchell has suffered a huge tragedy this morning,” Denton County Judge Andy Eads posted on social media. “I ask that you keep her and her family in your prayers as she recovers. Her beloved husband, Fred Mitchell, a longtime friend, will be greatly missed. Please honor their privacy as the family navigates this horrible tragedy.”
State Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) also called for support, stating, “Please join Leslie and me in prayer for Denton County’s most beloved public servant, Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, as she attempts to recover from this attack while mourning the death of her husband, Fred,” Fox 4 KDFW reported.
Bobbie Mitchell, a longtime public servant, represents Precinct 3, which includes the Lewisville and Flower Mound areas. She previously served as a Lewisville City Council member and was the city’s first black mayor.
The investigation is ongoing, and police have not released additional details about the circumstances leading to the stabbing.