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Jeffrey Grimsinger, 23, was arrested Thursday in connection to the death of the 53-year-old Child Protective Services program director whose body was found bound in a Victoria County pasture on March 15.
“I will provide Mr. Grimsinger with as zealous a defense as possible,” Costas said Saturday. While he has met with his client, Costas said he couldn’t comment further because of attorney-client privilege.
In capital cases, two lawyers are appointed to represent a defendant. Costas said he expects the second to be appointed very soon.
Costas has represented others charged with capital murder in the past including Ryan Frazier who was charged with killing his parents, Sally and Daniel Frazier, and his younger brother, John, and then setting their house on fire in December 2002. Frazier pleaded guilty in May 2004 and was assessed two life sentences for his parents’ deaths and a 99-year sentence for setting the fire.
Victoria County Sheriff T. Michael O’Connor said Saturday there had been no new developments in the case Blackwell since Friday.
Blackwell was reported missing March 14 when she failed to show up for work at her part-time counseling job. Her home was found unlocked and her car was in the garage.
Her body was discovered the next day in a pasture on Hanselman Road in Victoria County about 10 feet from the roadway.
Blackwell had previously dated Grimsinger's father, Mike Grimsinger.
O’Connor said Saturday he couldn’t comment on a possible motive.
During the course of the investigation the younger Grimsinger became a suspect, according to an affidavit used to get the arrest warrant. But the affidavit does not say how or when he became a suspect.
While conducting surveillance of Grimsinger’s home and truck on July 31, police recovered a cigarette he tossed from his truck, according to the affidavit.
DNA from the cigarette matched that found on a cigarette left near Blackwell’s body and material recovered from under her fingernails, according to the affidavit.
Repeated attempts to obtain comments from Grimsinger’s family members Saturday were unsuccessful.
Similarly, Blackwell’s daughter Amanda Taulbee of Austin declined to comment.
“Right now I really can’t provide media comment,” she said during a phone call.