Southwest
Houston cleaning up 'drug-addicted rats' infestation in evidence property room
The Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office announced a change this week to how evidence is stored and processed for criminal cases after a rodent infestation caused some issues.
Police Chief Noè Diaz announced in a press conference that in October the HPD noticed the rats were consuming old marijuana in the evidence property room.
“400,000 pounds of marijuana and storage and the rats are the only ones enjoying it,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire walks through the Houston Police Department evidence room. (Houston Police Department)
“Think about it, they are drug-addicted rats. They’re tough to deal with,” Peter Stout, CEO of Houston Forensic Science Center said.
Whitmire says the overall problem is that so much evidence is stored that it is no longer needed.
“The problem has been so much evidence is kept and stored that it is no longer needed; that has no impact on the resolution of that charge that conviction, or even that innocence,” he said during the press conference.
He went on to announce that they will be working with the DA to make sure the evidence is properly handled and if it’s no longer needed there will be space for property that is important.
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Police Chief Noè Diaz announced in a press conference that in October the HPD noticed the rats were consuming old marijuana in the evidence property room. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
HPD says there are 1.2 million pieces of evidence currently being stored, and it is no longer relevant.
Before this, evidence like sticks, tennis rackets, bicycles and even rocks were kept for sometimes decades from cases that were solved long ago.
They say that a combination of communication and laws are the main source preventing the destruction of the evidence in a timely manner.
They also said this has caused rats and mold to accumulate in the evidence locker, risking the contamination of new evidence.
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A Houston police cruiser bearing the insignia of the department. (Houston Police Department)
“Now that this has come to light, I think you’re going to see a lot of pushback from the defense about the integrity of evidence used against people they represent,” said Anthony Osso a criminal defense attorney in Houston.
All narcotic evidence obtained before 2015 will be cleared from the shelves and destroyed with the cooperation of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Forensic Science Center.
Records of the evidence will be kept indefinitely.
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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