Man accused of killing pregnant ex-girlfriend works for Dallas sheriff

The man accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend in Arlington last week previously was a detention officer for the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and is currently working in the courtesy patrol division, the department confirmed Thursday.

Keith Haynes, 27, was arrested at his apartment in Plano on Wednesday, accused in the shooting death of Kenishia Walker, 25, on Friday.

Haynes was initially hired as a detention officer by the sheriff’s department in June 2013 but resigned a month later for personal reasons, spokeswoman Melinda Urbina said.

The department hired Haynes as a detention officer again in September 2015, and then transferred him to courtesy patrol, a civilian division that assists stranded motorists on highways. Urbina said he “voluntarily demoted” to courtesy patrol.

The department Thursday was aware of Haynes’ arrest and had “initiated administrative proceedings concerning his employment,” Urbina said.

Fugitive officers took Haynes into custody Wednesday evening on a capital murder charge.

Walker, his ex-girlfriend believed to be pregnant with his child, was found dead Friday morning at her townhome in the 2200 block of Ridge Run Road in southeast Arlington.

Her 8-year-old son found her unresponsive, and then contacted a neighbor, who called 911.

The boy, who was unharmed, told police that he saw Haynes at the home about 2 a.m. Friday, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. When he awoke later that morning, he found his mother wounded in her bed and Haynes, whom he identified as “Moosie,” was gone, he told police.

Detectives contacted Walker’s mother, who provided Haynes’ real name and said that Haynes and Walker previously were in a relationship.

Police also talked to a friend of Walker’s, who said Walker told her March 30 that Haynes was going to kill her, the affidavit said.

Walker sent her friend screen shots of her conversations with Haynes.

“If I ever come up dead please show the police this and other screen shots,” Walker texted her friend, according to the affidavit.

Haynes confirmed to detectives that he was believed to be the father of Walker’s unborn child, a boy, and that he was in a relationship with another woman, who is also pregnant with his child.

He denied killing Walker and said he last saw her on April 12, two days before she died, the affidavit said. He said he found out about Walker’s death from a friend.

Cellphone records obtained by police showed texts between Walker and Haynes indicating they had been in an argument.

One text, received by Walker at 10:43 p.m. April 13, indicated that Haynes would be at Walker’s home in 40 minutes, the affidavit said.

Haynes remained at the Arlington Jail on Thursday with his bail set at $250,000.

This story was originally published April 20, 2017 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Man accused of killing pregnant ex-girlfriend works for Dallas sheriff."