4-29 Police search for Godley school vandals yields no suspects

Police still have no suspects in the March 10 vandalism at Godley High School, but all the graffiti has been cleaned up.

Cynthia Smith, Godley Independent School District superintendent, said the school did not file claims on the damages, which police originally estimated at around $10,000, because they did not exceed insurance deductibles.

"We used a little elbow grease and our local maintenance people have been able to clean it up," she said. "It's something we're putting behind us, and we're moving forward."

Sgt. Luther Cosby of the Godley Police Department said police received a tip that a black pick-up truck was seen in the area at the time of the vandalism. The investigation is on-going, he said.

Over spring break, vandals peppered the school's exterior and several vehicles with obscenities and the words "Carter Riverside" and "CRHS Eagles," apparent references to Fort Worth's Amon Carter-Riverside High School.

Among the property spray painted in blue and red: the band and agriculture vans, trash cans, the old baseball complex's dugout and bricks and windows outside the school's new wing. Smith said the district's deductible on vehicles is $1,500 each.

The school's maintenance crew quickly worked to clean up the roadside sign but could not remove all the graffiti before classes resumed March 17.

When damages exceed $1,200, graffiti is a state jail felony, carrying up to two years in jail.

Cecelia Speer, student affairs executive director at the Fort Worth Independent School District, said at the time that the district was waiting on police to provide leads before conducting an internal investigation.

"With a high school the size of Carter-Riverside, we can't call every student in and question them," she said. "Just because the [Carter-Riverside] name was used doesn't always necessarily mean someone from that school did it."

Smith said the district would still press charges if suspects are found.

"If someone did come forward, we would press charges for some restitution," she said.

Cosby urged anyone with information about the crime to call Godley police at 817-389-2500.

Lowell Brown can be reached at 817-645-2441 or at