Arrests made in Baytown man's murder

(6/12/06 - KTRK/BAYTOWN) (KTRK) -- Police in Liberty and Baytown were investigating three separate crimes this weekend only to find they all point to one murder. That victim was found nude in a Liberty County field Friday morning.

In addition to potentially solving a murder, police also made several arrests of people believed to belong to the Aryan Brotherhood, a gang known for violence. Police say a preliminary investigation shows a Baytown man was murdered because the gang needed his truck for parts.

Neighbors became worried when the victim's sister showed up last week with a flyer. She was distributing his picture, in hopes of finding some clue to his whereabouts. Neighbors say Robert McCartney, 49, had lived in a small frame house in Baytown for at least 17 years. He lived alone and frequently went fishing.

Liberty County Sheriff's deputies found McCartney's body in a remote field near Dayton on Friday. He was found nude and stabbed to death.

That same day, police in Baytown were investigating a burglary of a department store. A Crime Stoppers tip led them to a small yellow house in Baytown. Investigators say that's when they saw a fire in the backyard.

Baytown police arrested Michael Brandon Faught, 22, and Randall Wayne Carter, 32. Police say both are members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang. They were charged with engaging in organized crime. Five other alleged gang members, including two women, were also arrested.

One street over from McCartney's house and within minutes of the arrests, police found McCartney's truck, which had been part of the missing person's report filed earlier. Police say they found several items belonging to McCartney at the yellow house, including his wallet, which Faught was allegedly trying to burn.

Neighbors say McCartney will be missed and they'll remember him as a good friend.

"He was very friendly, very nice he was always hanging out with us, barbequing," said neighbor Alicia Flores. "We would go fishing on the weekends with him."

Baytown investigators declined an on-camera interview, but told Eyewitness News the suspects admitted they needed truck parts for a high ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood. They spotted McCartney at a Wal-Mart and forced him to drive to Liberty, where he was murdered.

Investigators expect to upgrade charges against one or more of the suspects to capital murder. All seven suspects remain in Harris County jail.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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