Sally Ann Blackwell
Posted on 03/17/2006 7:46:05 AM PST by TX Bluebonnet
Family's desperate search ends in heartbreak when body is found
March 16, 2006 JASON COLLINS - Victoria Advocate For more than a day, family and friends didn't know what happened to 53-year-old Sally Blackwell. That uncertainty came to an end Wednesday afternoon when her body was found alongside Hanselman Road in Victoria County.
Lt. Mike Hernandez, with the Victoria Police Department, said the department is treating the death of Blackwell, program director of South Texas Child Protective Services, as a homicide.
They are awaiting an autopsy report, ordered by Justice of the Peace Beatriz Gonzalez, to confirm the cause of death.
Blackwell was last heard from Monday night.
Hernandez acknowledged Wednesday that the victim had received work-related threats but would not comment on them.
Officers were working late into the night Wednesday setting up floodlights and working with flashlights, searching the area between Tipton and Price roads for evidence in her death.
Hernandez said that they are not sure if Blackwell was killed at the scene or if her body had been dumped there.
About a half dozen family members have been staying at the Holiday Inn since Tuesday when Blackwell was first discovered missing. They worked to get the word out about her disappearance through radio and television announcements.
At about 5 p.m., just as they were preparing to hang fliers, they received word that Blackwell's body had been found, ending their desperate search.
The news shocked family members.
"We are hoping to wake up from a nightmare," said Holly Tachovsky, describing the overall mood as also one of disbelief. "Nobody thinks this will happen to them....
"This is now about finding justice for Sally Blackwell," said Tachovsky, Blackwell's niece. "We need to find that person so we do right by Sally."
Tachovsky said the family is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the killer's conviction.
Hernandez said that the last time anyone talked to Blackwell was about 9 p.m. Monday when a coworker and friend spoke to her on the phone.
Then on Tuesday she didn't show up for work.
"It is not like her. Everyone is totally shocked," Tachovsky said earlier Wednesday afternoon. "This is completely out of character....
"She is always calling people. She goes where she says she is going."
Blackwell was hired at CPS as a caseworker in the department's Cuero office in 1990, and in 1998 became a supervisor.
In 2001, she was promoted to program director in Victoria, where she oversaw 46 caseworkers, their supervisors and support staff in nine counties, according to information from Patrick Crimmins, spokesman for the state office.
Crimmins, in a news release, said that workers receive threats but are trained to handle workplace violence, to deal with difficult or hostile clients, what to do when visiting clients in the home and in personal security.
Tachovsky said Blackwell loved helping children and that her job with CPS was merely an extension of that.
"Protecting the children of Texas was her passion and her profession. She knew her job had risks but she was dedicated to it," Tachovsky said. "Not that we know it had anything to do with it."
Blackwell was one to take control and get a job done - no matter the circumstances.
"If Sally were here right now, she would be the calm-headed one," Tachovsky said. "She could talk you through your sorrow and grief."
Tachovsky said listening to people talk of their problems was something natural for Blackwell.
"You can tell her anything," Tachovsky said.
Her advice might not always be what the person wanted to hear but that didn't matter.
"She would not sugarcoat it for you," Tachovsky said. "It was always very practical and real-world."
Those at the Holiday Inn weren't alone in their prayers for Blackwell.
Blackwell's neighbor, Sheila Hoffman, described her as, "petite in size but big at heart. You can't imagine anyone wanting to do her harm," Hoffman said.
Victoria police had been called to Blackwell's home on Laguna Drive at about 1 p.m. Tuesday after she did not report to work. In their investigation, detectives headed to Hanselman Road.
It was already dark when officers began their search, and by 3 a.m. they gave up for the night, Hernandez said. Wednesday morning, the officers returned to the area.
"We were about 300 yards too far west," Hernandez said.
At 5:18 p.m., once the identity of the person found was confirmed, a detective from the police department told the family the news.
Family members hugged and comforted one another outside the motel.
"It is not over," Tachovsky said.
Anyone with information about Blackwell's death is asked to call the Victoria Police Department at 361-572-2744 or Victoria Crime Stoppers at 572-4200.
• Jason Collins is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6521 or jcollins@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Today's paper said she was strangled and that the investigation may extend beyond Victoria County as far as San Antonio.
Her daughter said the threats she received recently were the first ones that had ever really scared her.
Reason #1 why I carry a 1911 .45al ACP, concealed.
Wow, my home town. Parents and sister still there. I used to spend a lot of time in the Hanselman road area. I know the CPS is pretty busy in the area.
I wonder why they headed to that particular road?
I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often... my condolences to the family... but if you choose a profession where you destroy families (if she truly loved children she'd pick a nicer profession), you're going to make some enemies.
Obviously you've never looked at what some families are capable of doing to their children.
It's called Children's Protective Services for a reason.
Isn't that a little bulkie. Where do you carry it?
I'm about to take my test. I've got a Bryco 380 Semi Auto. It's very compact. Fits nicely in an ankle hoster or on a belt holster. Fires full metal jacket just find. Hollow points jam though.
My wife is in CPS. Children are burned with cig butts hot water irons.....but hey my wife is the one destroying the family eh?
One must think before they show their ass.
I think lots of parents are afraid they will get a visit from CPS because they spanked their child and some idiot filed a complaint. However, I doubt there are very many documented incidents of CPS destroying good healthy families. The vast majority of the CPS workers have good hearts and good intentions. I'm sure there are some lazy ones and a few bad apples. But, it is hard for me to imagine that the bad outweighs the good.
Damn. You and stinkerpot make a pair.
and to counter your wife ... I was accused of beating and molesting my children by my wife during our divorce procedings (no mention of this before I filed mind you) and had to go thru a full year investigation. Even once I was completely cleared, CPS refused to change thier recommendation that my ex get full custody.
My best wishes to your wife. My husband, a white male, was CPS worker in Detroit before he got his MSW. It wasn't until years later told me about some of the very scary situations he walked into.
Here in MI, a CPS worker was murdered -- shot dead -- by a woman who conspired with a friend to kill her. Her legacy is "Lisa's Law," which now requires that all CPS workers have a cell phone. It looks like KY needs a similar law.
Thank your wife for me. It's a thankless job that she does, but a very important one. I know there are going to be a number of people who will say that they had an unpleasant experience with CPS but most often (not always) CPS is there because there is a real problem.
Sally Blackwell Ping!
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