COPPELL — The City of Coppell has released video of a man who left an envelope containing $10,000 in cash last Friday afternoon with a typed note asking that the money be used to reimburse the city for any and all credit card charges of former Mayor Jayne Peters.
Peters shot and killed her daughter then herself earlier this month.
The city said it had received requests about surveillance footage, but had previously replied that it didn't have any video.
"While re-verifying this, at around mid-morning today it was brought to our attention by an IT employee that we have been recording video for a citywide AV initiative including the camera that is located in the front lobby of Town Center," said Sharon Logan, the community information officer in an e-mail.
"We have confirmed that the person who dropped off the donation is David Murph," she said. Murph is an author and a historian and treasurer of the Coppell Historical Society.
We learned the money came from his wife, Jean Murph, who is the editor of the Coppell Citizen's Advocate, a local newspaper. She is also well known as the daughter of former Texas Gov. Price Daniel.
Jean Murph issued this statement Thursday afternoon:
"Regarding the information you have received from the City of Coppell on the video, my husband delivered the donation to city hall for me. The reason the donation was anonymous was for it to be representative of the many people in Coppell who cared about Jayne Peters and her family. I have no further comment."
A report issued by City Attorney Robert Hager on Wednesday said Peters made 68 transactions using her city credit card over an eight-month period. The purchases deemed inappropriate started last November and totaled $6,353.
Items purchased on the card ranged from clothing and groceries to restaurant meals and groceries.
The note left on the donation said: “Please use these dollars to reimburse the city for any and all credit card charges of Jayne Peters, with any remainder to go to the city."
"Now that we know who it is, it doesn't change the fact that we received the cash and it will be used for the intent for which it was presented," said Coppell City Manager Clay Phillips. "I don't have really a particular reaction to it being Mr. Murph having dropped it off, or just somebody else that we may have known."
E-mail rlopez@wfaa.com
