HCSO sergeant suspended after alleged affair with witness to Goforth death

Investigator Craig Clopton, shown at a press conference regarding the case against David Ray Conley in the August shooting death of a northwest Harris family, has been relieved of duty. Investigator Craig Clopton, shown at a press conference regarding the case against David Ray Conley in the August shooting death of a northwest Harris family, has been relieved of duty. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff Image 1 of / 194 Caption Close HCSO sergeant suspended after alleged affair with witness to Goforth death 1 / 194 Back to Gallery

A Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide investigator has been relieved of duty after admitting to engaging in "consensual sexual conduct" with a witness to the shooting death of Deputy Darren Goforth.

The news prompted a lawyer for Shannon Miles, charged with capital murder in the death of the 47-year-old deputy, to question the integrity of the Sheriff's Office's investigation. Authorities there said the incident was an "anomaly" and pledged to keep working with the district attorney's office as the case moves forward.

A legally required disclosure made public on Friday revealed the investigator, Craig Clopton, acknowledged the misconduct to investigators in the D.A.'s office.

Clopton has handled many high-profile cases for the department, most recently heading the investigation into 48-year-old David Conley, accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend, her husband and six of her children.

Goforth was shot to death at a Cypress-area gas station around 8:20 p.m. on Aug. 28. Authorities said a man ambushed Goforth in the station parking lot, walking up behind him and shooting him repeatedly.

Miles, 30, was charged the next day and could face the death penalty.

Authorities have not yet provided a motive for the slaying.

RELATED: Judge limits access to records in deputy's shooting

About two weeks later, prosecutors revealed in a legally required disclosure that a woman who said she had been in a romantic relationship with Goforth had been at the crime scene when he died.

After that disclosure, Miles' attorney, Anthony Osso, said he would seek to remove the death penalty, saying that if Goforth was at the gas station to meet the woman rather than to gas up his patrol car, he would not be acting in an official capacity.

RELATED: Defense: Goforth was meeting a woman at the time of his death

He said the latest news would not impact that strategy, adding that he believed the witness who was with Clopton was the same woman who claimed to have been in a romantic relationship with Goforth.

"This development will probably have some impact of the credibility of this witness at time of trial and the integrity of the investigation by the sheriff's office," he said.

Officials with the district attorney's office declined to comment about the latest disclosure.

Clopton has been with the homicide department since 2006 and joined the sheriff's office in 1991.

State records do not show any previous disciplinary actions against the investigator, a married father of two who has several brothers also working in law enforcement.

"Craig Clopton has been an excellent investigator over the years," said Bob Goerlitz, president of the Harris County Deputies Organization, when informed of the news. "He's worked some high profile cases – as far as I know he's always done good work."

On Friday, Sheriff Ron Hickman said he was "appalled" by the news of the most recent disclosure and misconduct. He said in a prepared statement he took "immediate action."

The statement added that Clopton had been relieved of duty pending the outcome of a joint investigation with the District Attorney's Office.

"This investigator's conduct was unethical and inexcusable and does not reflect the core values of the Harris County Sheriff's Office," he said. "The misconduct of this individual investigator is an anomaly and does not represent the conduct of the men and women who work daily to protect the lives of the citizens of Harris County."

Above is a court document about Clopton's admission.