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Sheriff’s department finds human remains
Published November 7, 2008
INGRAM — Human remains found Thursday in a shallow grave behind an Ingram residence are believed to be the homeowner, Allan Kowalski, say law enforcement officials.
The gruesome find at 145 Lago Vista Trail came 16 days after the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office stopped a man they say falsely posed as Kowalski. The incident began the KCSO’s unraveling of a suspected scheme involving theft, drug use and murder.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office is holding Charles Lee Tidwell, 45, who they say posed as 52-year-old Kowalski during the Oct. 22 traffic stop and who lived with Kowalski before his
disappearance.
Tidwell has not been charged with murder but sits in the Kerr County Jail on other charges. He was connected to the remains by Jeremiah McGregor, 31, one of two men the KCSO believes McGregor told investigators that one night while they were using drugs, Tidwell confessed he killed “Old Boy” (Kowalski) and pointed out where he buried the body.
McGregor, 31, and the second burglary suspect, Wayne Christiansen, 35, are being held at the jail. The two men told authorities that Tidwell, who they knew as Kowalski, allowed them to live in the house on Lago Vista.
After Tidwell was arrested, investigators believe the men cleaned out the house taking several rifles, furniture and other items.
Removing the body
The Department of Public Safety Lab and an anthropologist team worked Thursday to remove the remains from behind the secluded three-story house atop a steep hill only a few miles off of Texas 39 near Ingram Dam Lake.
Kerr County Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer said the remains will be sent to the Travis County Medical Examiner in Austin for positive identification and for the time and cause of death.
Clues indicate that Kowalski may have been dead since the end of August.
Hierholzer said Kowalski, who previously worked as an investment banker, bought the house and moved to Ingram from Pennsylvania.
The connection
Tidwell’s lawyer, Bob Galvan, told investigators that Kowalski let Tidwell move in with him and was trying to help Tidwell take care of legal troubles.
It is unknown how the two met.
Galvan said that Kowalski had become concerned with Tidwell and felt Tidwell’s actions might affect his reputation.
Investigation begins
Authorities have been working on the case since Oct. 22 when KCSO Patrol Sgt. Albert Luebano conducted a traffic stop on a gold 2001 Ford F-150 in Ingram.
Luebano learned the subject was wanted for an outstanding warrant for bond forfeiture on possession of a controlled substance.
Luebano asked for identification, and the driver produced an insurance card for the vehicle with the owner’s name — Allan Kowalski. But the driver wasn’t Kowalski, it was Tidwell.
Luebano asked for a photo ID, which Tidwell could not produce, but said he knew his driver’s license number and showed the officer a brown wallet with credit cards and a Social Security number with Kowalski’s name on it. He also had a copy of Kowalski’s birth
certificate.
“Luebano held the picture of Charles Lee Tidwell up to the driver and could see identifying details on the driver’s dimple, his jaw and the wrinkles between his eyes above his nose that matched Tidwell’s photo,” according to a press release. “These same identifying characteristics were not found on the photo of Kowalski.”
A tattoo of a Chevrolet symbol on Tidwell’s right arm served as another identifying mark.
Tidwell was arrested on the warrant and five other charges: failure to identify as a fugitive/giving a false identification, possession of a prohibited weapon, forgery of a government document, fraud and possession of a dangerous drug. He remains in jail on a $40,000 bond.
Kowalski’s whereabouts
Tidwell told authorities at the time of his booking that Kowalski was in South Africa and could not be reached by telephone.
Luebano confiscated the wallet and other identification papers, including an armed forces identification card, Texas hunting license and Health Care Value ID card and would wait for Kowalski to contact him.
Tidwell told authorities that he was taking care of Kowalski’s house and that Kowalski allowed him to have the wallet and its contents.
Finding clues
Further investigation revealed Tidwell obtained several credit cards in Kowalski’s name, with which he made purchases in Kerrville at Walgreen’s Pharmacy, Hastings Books Store, Wal-Mart and Cleaning Ideas. Investigators also discovered cash withdrawals and cash advances from Kowalski’s bank account, and the signatures on Kowalski’s checks had changed between Aug. 24 and Aug. 31.
Checks written after Aug. 31 were signed with Kowalski’s full name, but the first name was spelled either “Allen” or “Allan.”
One credit card purchase raising suspicion was for gallons of drain cleaner and Rid-X, a septic system treatment.
On Sept. 1, KCSO Deputy Jaiman Yarbrough stopped a red 1968 Chevrolet Camaro on Goat Creek Road for speeding.
The man did not show a driver’s license but presented a military ID card with the name of Allan Kowalski.
Yarbrough ran the name through dispatch and it returned with a valid driver’s license and issued the man a warning for speeding.
KSCO reports state that officers believed Yarbrough stopped Tidwell, posing as Kowalski.
Investigators said Tidwell changed his story during multiple interviews about the whereabouts of Kowalski claiming he was in South Africa, Mexico, Dallas, El Paso, Eagle Pass and San Antonio.
Tidwell also told authorities that Kowalski gave him permission to sell his antique vehicles.
On Oct. 29, KCSO Investigator Byron Griffin located a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette that belonged to Kowalski inside a storage unit in Center Point.
Investigation continues
While authorities are waiting on identification of the remains, Hierholzer said there’s more work to be done.
“There’s still some guns that are missing and a few cars unaccounted for,” he said. “We’ve recovered eight of 12 antique cars. They have done a fabulous job with this investigation. I’ve very proud of the job they have done, but we are a long time from being done.”
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