Teen Attack Suspects Had Crime Records

A 16-year-old Hispanic boy remains in critical condition today after police say he was beaten and sodomized with a plastic pipe by two white, teenage attackers.

Authorities say Keith Robert Turner, 17 and David Henry Tuck, 18 are under arrest for the attack, which happened after they believed the boy had tried to kiss a 12-year-old girl at a party Saturday at her home in Spring, Texas.

The suspects are accused of forcing the teen outside the house, beating him, cutting him with a knife, sodomizing him with a pipe, and shouting epithets "associated with being Hispanic."

Then, police say, Tuck kicked the pipe, causing even more damage.

Police say both the victim and the 12-year-old girl are Hispanic, as is about a fifth of the town, a suburb of about 36,000 people about ten miles north of Houston.

Lt. John Martin of the Harris County Sheriff's Department says the attackers poured bleach over their victim, in an apparent attempt to destroy DNA evidence, and then left him for dead. He was found there 12 hours later, by one of the youths who had attended the party.

"He was severely beaten. Oh, I couldn't believe it. His face was so swollen. Lips, everything. There was just blood everywhere," neighbor Nancy Benavidez told KHOU-TV.

Benavidez says she didn't hear anything unusual Saturday night.

"I feel bad," says Benavidez. "I wish I would have been able to hear something so we could have helped."

The victim, whose name was not released, has head injuries, severe internal injuries and cuts on his chest. He is in critical condition.

Sheriff's Department Lt. John Denholm says investigators believe the attack was prompted by the age difference between the 12-year-old girl and the 16-year-old boy.

"The two suspects were being mean and vicious and looking for any excuse to stomp somebody," he said.

Denholm said the 12-year-old girl and her older brother witnessed the attack, but made no effort to stop it.

Investigators say no adults were supervising the party, where evidence was found indicating use of both marijuana and the prescription drug sedative Xanax.

Police say both suspects have been charged with aggravated sexual assault, which carries a maximum of five years to life in prison.

Prosecutors are considering whether to add hate crime charges.

"Whether it is one, or isn't a hate crime, and it may be - that will make no difference here," Trent said. "This is already a first degree felony and it can't be elevated any higher. There's nowhere to go beyond this, unless the victim dies."

The 17-year-old is being held on $100,000 bail. Tuck's bond was initially set at $20,000, but it was revoked Thursday. He is being held in the Harris County Jail.

Authorities say if the victim dies and the attack is ruled a hate crime, Tuck could face the possibility of the death penalty. The other suspect is too young to face execution.

KHOU reports investigators say this isn't the first run-in with the law for Tuck, who is on probation for a cross-burning in Liberty County, or Turner.

In addition, Turner was supposed to be in jail when the attack happened, according to KHOU. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to evading detention on March 3rd. He was transferred to Montgomery County where he was serving time for a theft conviction, and was released April 11, a full month early.

Sources tell KHOU that Tuck also has an extensive criminal record as a juvenile. Charges of assault on a public servant, aggravated assault with bodily injury and two other assault charges.

At Klein Collins High where at one time, both suspects and the victim were students, some students tell KHOU that both suspects had a reputation for violence.

Turner was known for his fits. "He was violent. He would go into these little fits where he would just beat every body up. All the time," a student told KHOU.

Another student told KHOU that Tuck "had tattoos on him of Hitler's birthday and all that stuff."