In an arrest warrant affidavit released Tuesday, Royse City police say the wife of a well-respected University Park firefighter conspired with her lover to kill her husband.
Capt. Robert Louis Poynter III was shot and killed in what police described as an "ambush slaying" late in the evening of Sept. 9. His wife, Chacey Poynter, called police and told officers her husband had been shot.
When officers arrived, they found Poynter, an 18-year veteran of the University Park Fire Department, in a vehicle dead of an apparent single gunshot wound.
Police initially said Chacey was arrested after information she provided to investigators was suspicious and conflicting.
After having been read her rights, police said in an arrest warrant affidavit that Chacey Poynter provided a written statement and told them she had been seeing a man, 37-year-old Michael Garza, of Quinlan, while married to Robert. She said her husband abused her both physically and emotionally and that he'd filed divorce papers while asserting that she would not get custody of their daughter.
Chacey Poynter said she told Garza of the alleged abuse and that he said he was a "shot caller" and could order people killed if she wanted. At about 7 p.m. Sept. 9, Chacey and Garza met up at his residence where they discussed hurting Robert so they could be together.
"Chacey advised she was told by Garza to have Robert Poynter meet her in 'deep' Dallas so they could make 'it' look like a robbery," police said in the affidavit. Garza then began placing a camouflaged shotgun and shells on the kitchen table and told Chacey to "relax and smile."
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Police said Chacey Poynter told them she and Garza had sex that night at his residence before putting their plan into motion. According to the affidavit, Chacey and Garza took her Jeep to a remote area where she dropped off Garza. Chacey told police she then moved her vehicle to an area where it appeared stuck and called her husband for help.
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Chacey told investigators she met her husband at the end of the road and walked back with him to the Jeep where Garza was waiting nearby. After Robert moved the Jeep back onto the road, Chacey said she yelled, 'Stop' and Garza fatally shot him in the head with his shotgun.
Garza, according to Chacey's statement, planned to burn Robert's truck and his own clothes to destroy the evidence, but that didn't happen. Chacey said after Garza killed her husband she began screaming for help and called 911. She said Garza took her phone, hung up on 911 and threw it in the mud where she couldn't' find it.
Chacey told police she did not want her husband dead, "she only wanted him to hurt the way he made her hurt."
Police officers arrived at the location at about 11 p.m. and began talking with Chacey about what took place. Garza left the scene but surrendered to the Hunt County Sheriff's Department Sunday night following a manhunt.
The person who owns the land where Poynter was killed reported seeing a truck in the area prior to the murder and shared the license plate number with police. Investigators said the truck was registered to Garza. Additionally, police said Garza had a photo of himself on Facebook holding a camouflaged shotgun.
Police have charged Chacey Poynter with second-degree felony conspiracy to commit murder with another and is being held on $500,000 bond. Garza has been charged with first-degree murder. Jail records do not list attorney's for either Poynter or Garza.
In a previous interview with NBC 5, University Park Fire Chief Randy Howell said Poynter was a devoted and loving dad to his three daughters, ages 21, 17 and 6, and he'd often talk lovingly about his girls with his colleagues. Howell described Poynter as a great mentor and leader who was passionate about his job.
According to University Park city officials, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to University Park Firefighters Association Local 2092, 3419 Westminster Avenue., P.O. Box 338 Dallas, Texas 75205.
Visitation for Poynter will be held at the University Park Fire Department on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
A funeral service will take place at Highland Park Presbyterian Church Thursday, Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. with the University Park Fire Department Chaplain Nelson Bell officiating.
A Last Alarm ceremony will be held in Goar Park at 3800 University Boulevard at the Gazebo.
Arrest Warrant Affidavit
