A public statement issued by Klein Investigations and Consulting last Thursday suggested that a suspect had been identified in the May 27 vandalism of the Justice for Thomas Brown sign on Main Street.

“We are receiving questions regarding an incident in Canadian Texas regarding the Thomas Brown case, where, a sign was damaged and had to be replaced,” the private investigator, hired by Brown’s family following his Thanksgiving 2016 disappearance, reported on his firm’s Facebook page last Thursday. “We have been advised that a suspect is now under investigation and has requested a lawyer, which is his right. We are not at liberty to announce this subject’s name as we have been asked not to.”

If a suspect has been identified, it has not been reported to either County Attorney Kyle Miller, whose office is responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases in this county, or to Sheriff Brent Clapp, whose office is charged with enforcing the law, investigating crimes, and serving warrants for an individual’s arrest should one be charged.

The familiar “There’s a Killer Among Us” sign, located at the corner of Main and 4th streets, was vandalized at 10:41 pm on Friday night, May 27, according to the video from surveillance cameras, which captured images of a black or gray pickup traveling south on 4th Street, pulling up to the curb at the intersection with Main, and stopping. The driver could be seen getting out of the pickup and walking around it and toward the sign.

The next morning, the word “Penny” could be seen scrawled in paint over the lower portion of the sign, presumably referring to Penny Meek, Thomas Brown’s mother.

Following up on Klein’s allegation, we asked both Clapp and Miller if they were aware of a suspect having been identified or requesting a lawyer. Both responded bluntly.

Talking by phone on Thursday, Sheriff Clapp said he was not aware of any suspect having been identified, assuring The Record that if a suspect is identified, “You will be the first to know.” Yesterday (Wednesday), he again confirmed his statement.

We also contacted County Attorney Miller last Friday, who stated, “As of yesterday, there is no suspect. That is the official word from the Sheriff’s Office.”

KIC’s post closed by noting, “If what we have been advised is true, it does answer some questions in the case. If, or when, we are allowed to speak about it—we will.” His post has not been updated since Thursday, June 9.

The sign has since been replaced with a new one. If identified, the vandal will face a charge of criminal mischief valued at less than $100—a Class C misdemeanor.