FUENTES FAMILY ASKS FOR THE LATE JUDGE TOM GREENWELL’S ASHES TO BE RETURNED: Part 1 of 3

Editorial:  PART 1 OF 3

FUENTES FAMILY ASKS FOR THE LATE JUDGE TOM GREENWELL’S ASHES TO BE RETURNED

Nueces County, TX – The late District Judge Thomas “Tom” Greenwell, one of the most respected professionals at the Nueces County Courthouse, took his own life (via a gunshot) – but leaving a written last will and testament bestowing all his lively possessions to  Albert Fuentes (his best friend).  A few critics opined that Sheriff Jim Kaelin for the most part both hijacked and monopolized the investigation into Judge Greenwell’s death targeting a few key members of the Albert Fuentes’ family. 

Even after Judge Greenwell’s body was cremated – his “ashes” set off a political wrangle unkindly maneuvered by a few Republican politicos.  Sheriff Jim Kaelin in a telephone interview with the editor of this newspaper made it seem like he was taking care of “one of their own (a Republican?)” (emphasis added) and he legitimized it by stressing it was clearly in his jurisdictional turf.  But some critics pointed out initially that Kailin used the crisis to aggrandize his political image and more specifically to personally label those involved: i.e., the “wrong-doers”, the “vindicators” and the legitimate “mediums of information.”  In other words, Kaelin had postured himself to be the ultimate authority in the “ins and outs” of the exploration.

Sheriff Kaelin launched a full-blown investigation (a cooperative prearrangement with other entities) both implicitly and explicitly making Albert Fuentes (and a few members of his family as persons of interests).  One media entity claimed that Judge Greenwell was under duress and possibly being extorted. 

“EXTORTED!!!” – this word was enough to make the story go viral and generate a quasi-nationwide media frenzy.  The systematic “demonization” of some members of the ALBERT FUENTES’ FAMILIA had begun.  Kaelin reported that huge “sums of money” were being channeled (or ending up in the hands) of a two specific persons.  One member of the Republican party at the time referred to Sheriff Kaelin as “OUR KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR!”. 

After Sheriff Kaelin had frozen his target (the FUENTES FAMILIA), the negative focus target was further amplified.  The volume of the “demonization” was raised when District Judge (of the 105^th) Angelica Hernandez place a phone call to late Judge Greenwell’s brother residing in a northern state claiming the Fuentes family was composed of thugs and drug users and trouble-makers.  Her objective: to acquire power of attorney from a surviving relative.  According to the surviving brother, the same judge had claimed that a “millionaire” by the name of Mike Scott was very generous and was going to assist in organizing an impressive funerary observance.  According to sources, Sheriff Kaelin offered him, the surviving brother, a one-way flight to attend the observance. . . Later, when the Fuentes found out about the surviving brother’s ordeal, offered him (i.e., the Judge’s brother) a place to stay as well as a return ticket.  When all was said and done, Judge Hernandez (and the political clique) involved ended up with Judge Greenwel’s “ashes” and held their own victorious rituals. 

After a failed and long-winded attempt to find links of “extortion” linked to key members of the FUENTES FAMILIA, Sheriff Kaelin called a press conference and announced the results of his investigation:  Judge Thomas “Tom” Greenwell had taken his life it appeared due to “financial debt.”

Time cycled by but the political obstacles and accumulated negative stigmatization persisted against the FUENTES FAMILIA.  A few law enforcement officers who reside in their general area still continue to haunt their daily course of living.

It was not until recently that the ALBERT FUENTES FAMILIA  recently agreed to meet with the editor of these newspapers (El Pueblito and El Defenzor) and express their main concern: “The spirit of Judge Thomas ‘Tom’ Greenwell has not rested in peace.”   Albert Fuentes shared two notarized letters addressed to Judge Hernandez requesting the “ashes” (of the late Judge Thomas “Tom” Greenwell) be returned or the whereabouts of the “ashes” (if they have been scattered in a specific location) be known.  Albert Fuentes plans to put an inscribed bronze marker at the hollow location.  There has not been any fruitful response from her.

[Notes: The Fuentes family is far from the negative portrait released by Sheriff Jim Kaelin to the media.  Many members of the Fuentes family are professionals. They are a close-knit family that took in Judge Thomas “Tom” Greenwell as sort of an adopted family member.  One of  Albert Fuentes’ uncles (Alejandro “Alex” Fuentes -- a musician and artist -- who has long hair and is free spirited in nature) was unjustly harassment over a prolong period of time; it resulted in health issues.  The younger family members of the family idolized Judge Greenwell and referred to him merely as “Thomas” or "Tom".  Photos of Judge Greenwell can be found pinned everywhere -- from the portrait of La Virgen De Guadalupe to the kids' rooms.  The beloved Judge Greenwell was a reference person and role model. . .Daily prayers for Judge Greenwell are ritualized daily by the family in an attempt to placate the toll of the restlessness that took place during the Sheriff Kaelin inquiry. They feel Judge Greenwell's spirit is not at peace. They want to bring closure to the whole foul event -- they want to erect a memorial in his honor: for his history as a human being to live on in the community.  They feel Judge Greenwell's history has been squashed and quasi-erased by the politics cited in the article. There was a point where Sheriff Kaelin seemed to have become so irate and desperate when he felt his hypothesizes were proved wrong.  Kaelin went as far as to question Albert Fuentes’ girlfriend in the following manner: “Did Judge Tom Greenwell pay for the pampers of that baby?”]