Drug raid at Elgin property where police say double murder, other crimes happened
ELGIN, Texas - A police raid shut down multiple roads in the early morning on Friday, March 1, in Elgin.
Elgin police say they have conducted numerous investigations into violent crimes, drug trafficking, and "continued and unyielding nuisance activities" at 817 S. Martin Luther King Blvd, including a double murder in March 2023.
During the raid Friday morning, EPD arrested four people on multiple drug charges:
- Angela Alvarado: Delivery of a Controlled Substance for <1G of Cocaine, State Jail Felony
- Ivan Cook: Delivery of a Controlled Substance for >=4G, 200G of Methamphetamine, Felony 1
- Anthony Joiner: Delivery of a Controlled Substance for <1G of Cocaine, State Jail Felony
- Jamaal Bradley: Possession of a Controlled Substance for >=4G, 200G of Crack Cocaine, Felony 2
EPD also seized multiple firearms, various narcotics, US currency, and electronics during the raid.
Police say they have been conducting surveillance and made multiple arrests at this property over the past year.
They have also requested the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to assist with the investigation into criminal conspiracy of multiple people staying at the property.
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Police say the house has been a problem for years.
"I think the anecdote is that one of my senior officers here at the police department grew up in Elgin, and he remembers hearing about and knowing about that place when he was growing up here," Elgin Police Chief Chris Noble said.
Officials say there were other people at the house during the raid, but they may not have been involved with drug trafficking, or there wasn't enough probable cause for warrants.
"It's a very big compound... with multiple structures that are occupied by numerous individuals. You can even rent a room and a car, if you will. There are kind of containers or sea crates that are used as living spaces, motorhomes," Noble said. "The owner of the property does have a warrant for his arrest, but due to his medical condition, we were not able to take him into custody at this time."
Noble says the city is going after the house for code violations. Police will also approach the Bastrop County District Attorney's office to have the property declared a common nuisance.
He says the goal is to help clean up the neighborhood.
"It's one of the first things you see when you come into Elgin," Noble said. "That's not an image that we want to portray as a city."
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact Sergeant Nichole Brimhall at 512-801-5750 or nichole.brimall@elgintexas.gov.