The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:
Name: Thomas "Bill" Dillion
Rank: Senior Captain
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 22
Date of Incident: 03/14/2012
Time of Incident: 0900hrs
Date of Death: 03/14/2012
Fire Department: Houston Fire Department
Address: 1205 Dart ST, Houston, TX 77007-4223
Fire Department Chief: Terry A. Garrison
Incident Description: Senior Captain Dillion arrived with other firefighters at the scene of a residential cooking fire.As he approached the entrance to the apartment building he experienced a medical emergency and collapsed. Dillion was treated immediately and transported to the West Houston Medical Center Hospital where he passed away from a cause still to be determined.
Incident Location: 7520 Cook Road, Houston, TX
Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Tribute is being paid to Senior Captain Thomas "Bill" Dillion at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
To date, 19 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2012. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm
WASHINGTON – Jessica Tata, a U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted Fugitive, arrived at Hartsfield-JacksonInternationalAirport in Atlanta shortly after on a flight from LagosInternationalAirport in Lagos, Nigeria. Tata was captured Saturday in Port Harcourt, Nigeria by Interpol and U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security agents.
In February, Tata, who owned and operated Jackie’s Day Care in Houston, allegedly left the premises leaving seven children alone in the house with a pot of oil on a burning stove resulting in a deadly fire.
Tata, 22, is wanted in Houston on four counts of manslaughter, six counts of reckless injury to a child, three counts of abandoning a child under 15 and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
After HarrisCounty authorities discovered she had fled the local area, they referred the case to the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force.
The U.S. Marshals added the Texas daycare provider to their 15 Most Wanted fugitive list March 4. The U.S. Marshals worked domestically and with international investigative resources in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to bring Tata to justice.
Since Friday, two Interpol – Lagos agents were in Port Harcourt working leads and information provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, Interpol Washington, and Department of State Diplomatic Security. Based on these leads, the IP – Lagos agents were able to locate Tata and take her into custody.
“When Jessica Tata chose to flee from the consequences of her actions that left four innocent children dead, we made her capture a top priority” said Geoffrey Shank, U.S. Marshals Service Acting Assistant Director of Investigative Operations Division. “I thank our deputies, and domestic and international partners, for their tireless persistence in bringing this fugitive to justice.”
“Diplomatic Security’s Regional Security Office in Nigeria maintains an excellent working relationship with local law enforcement personnel who helped facilitate Jessica Tata’s capture,” said Jeffrey W. Culver, Director of the Diplomatic Security Service. “With today’s announcement, Diplomatic Security, working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals, sends a strong message to criminals: there is no safe harbor outside the United States.”
"You cannot thumb your nose at the justice system, whether it be domestically or abroad,” said Elizabeth Saenz, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. “Justice will be served. Jessica Tata has learned this thanks to the global efforts of the many and unknown.”
Investigative entities involved in the case are the USMS Gulf Coast Violent Offender and Fugitive Task Force, Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department, Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Interpol Washington, the U.S. National Central Bureau, Interpol – Lagos, DOJ Office of International Affairs and the USMS Investigative Operations Division.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Marshals have added a Texas daycare provider to their 15 Most Wanted fugitive list.
Jessica Renee Tata is wanted on four counts of manslaughter, six counts of reckless injury to a child, three counts of abandoning a child under 15 and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
On Feb. 24, Tata who owned and operated Jackie’s Day Care in Houston allegedly left the premises leaving seven children alone in the house with a pot of oil on a burning stove.
The Houston Fire Department (HFD) responded to the residence at , following a 911 call reporting a fire. Upon arrival, the HFD discovered the seven children inside, four died from their injuries and three survived the fire.
The HFD arson investigation determined the pot of oil left on the burning stove was the cause of fire. Investigators also determined through recorded video surveillance at a nearby store that Tata arrived at the parking lot and entered the store at The video shows her leaving the parking lot at
HFD investigators attempted to interview Tata on the morning of Feb. 25, but she refused to answer any questions about the fire. During a second attempt to interview her later the same day, she told investigators to refer all questions to her lawyer. This is the last time law enforcement saw Tata.
The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offender and Fugitive Task Force were called in to help locate Tata. The Task Force discovered Tata flew to Georgia Feb. 26 and suspect she has fled the country.
“Jessica Tata chose to flee from the consequences of her actions that left four innocent children dead,” said T. Michael Earp, U.S. Marshals Service Assistant Director of Investigative Operations Division. “We will do everything within our power to ensure she has her day of judgment in a U.S. court of law.”
On Feb. 28, the 180th District Court charged Tata with reckless injury to a child and a warrant was issued for her arrest. On Tuesday, the court charged her with six counts of reckless injury to a child and three counts of abandoning a child under 15, both charges are felony offenses. The Southern District of Texas charged her with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on Wednesday. An Interpol Red Notice has also been published.
A grand jury indicted Tata on four counts of manslaughter Thursday in the 180th District Court.
Tata is a black female, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.
A reward up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading directly to Tata’s arrest.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office or the
U.S.MarshalsServiceCommunicationsCenter at 1-800-336-0102.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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