Little Elm Police Chief Rodney Harrison has issued a statement addressing criticism on social media regarding the department’s handling of the investigation into the death of Haley Cheney. Cheney, a young mother, died on December 3, 2023.
Social Media Criticism
Online posts have questioned the investigation, alleging that police rushed to rule her death a suicide without conducting forensic testing such as gunshot residue analysis, ballistics, or fingerprinting. Some posts have also suggested that Cheney’s boyfriend, whom they claim was violent toward her, was involved in her death.
Statement from Chief Harrison
Chief Harrison acknowledged the loss, expressing sympathy for Cheney’s family and her young son. He stated that while the department has refrained from responding to online narratives, they are confident in the facts and evidence collected. He also addressed harassment directed at officers and residents who have supported the department, including an instance where a community member was doxxed and received death threats.
In response to the ongoing criticism, the department has created an online FAQ document to clarify details of the investigation and address misinformation. Harrison urged the public to review the document (reproduced below) and cease online attacks.
The Little Elm Police Department remains committed to serving and protecting the community, according to the statement.
FAQ Provided by LEPD
What happened to Haley Cheney?
On December 3, 2023, Little Elm Police Officers responded to a distress call at Union Park regarding a reported gunshot victim. Upon arrival, officers found Ms. Haley Cheney in the passenger seat of her vehicle with a gunshot wound. Ms. Cheney was still breathing when officers arrived, and they immediately started performing life-saving measures until EMS arrived on the scene.
Ms. Cheney was transported to the hospital by EMS, where, tragically, she succumbed to her injuries a few hours later. At the time of the incident, Ms. Cheney was visiting the family home of her boyfriend/father of her child.
Following a thorough investigation conducted by the LEPD, in collaboration with the Denton County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, Ms. Cheney’s death was officially ruled a suicide by the Medical Examiner on December 5, 2023.
Who Investigated the case?
The investigation was conducted by the LEPD, involving three Officers, one Sergeant, three Detectives, one Captain, and later the Chief of Police. The Denton County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Texas Rangers also participated in or reviewed the investigation alongside the LEPD.
What does the Ring video show?
The Little Elm Police Department has carefully reviewed the original video footage from the incident. Below is a timeline of events as captured on the recording from December 3, 2023:
- 12:06 A.M.: Ms. Cheney’s boyfriend’s sister-in-law is seen entering Ms. Cheney’s car and sitting inside. During this time, the sister-in-law informs a family member and Ms. Cheney that Ms. Cheney cannot drive (due to being under the influence). They all go back inside the house. (Camera stops recording due to lack of motion detection.)
- 12:23 A.M.: Ms. Cheney is seen coming outside, visibly upset and crying, and sitting on the front porch. (Camera stops recording due to lack of motion detection.)
- 12:25 A.M.: The sister-in-law comes outside, hands Ms. Cheney her phone, and mentions that her mom has been trying to reach her. Ms. Cheney responds, “I don’t give a f***.” The sister-in-law then leaves the phone with Ms. Cheney.
- 12:26 A.M.: The sister-in-law and Ms. Cheney exchange a few words that are not clearly identified. Ms. Cheney says, “I don’t care,” still crying, then picks up the phone and stumbles toward her car. She is seen wearing white pants, with no visible blood on her clothing or on the ground leading to the car. There is no blood seen on her face or arms, as she is wearing a short-sleeve shirt. As she lowers herself into the vehicle, she bumps her head but sits down with the car door still open. The sister-in-law then returns to the house. The camera can see the door of vehicle, but it cannot see into the car. (Camera stops recording due to lack of motion detection.)
- 12:50 A.M.: The sister-in-law exits the house, looks inside the car, then goes back inside the house. (Camera stops recording due to lack of motion detection.)
- 1:00 A.M.: Ms. Cheney’s family arrives, and Ms. Cheney’s sister discovers Ms. Cheney in the passenger seat of the car with blood on her. Ms. Cheney’s sister then goes to get her family from their vehicle. The boyfriend’s mother says, “Call the police, she shot herself.” Ms. Cheney’s sister appears to pick up, manipulate the gun and places it inside the car door.
- 1:01 A.M.: Ms. Cheney’s family begins shouting, and the sister-in-law states, “She was just snoring.” Other family members from the boyfriend’s side come out of the house while they are on the phone with 911. Both families argue, with Ms. Cheney’s family claiming, “She didn’t shoot herself,” and placing blame on the boyfriend’s family.
- 1:02 A.M.: The argument continues, along with shouting and screaming.
- 1:03 A.M.: The boyfriend’s family points to the Ring camera footage, explaining they can watch the camera to see they didn’t have anything to do with her death.
- 1:06 A.M.: Little Elm Police Officers arrive on the scene, see Ms. Cheney still breathing, and are the first to begin performing life-saving measures. They ask where the gun is located, as it is no longer in Ms. Cheney’s lap.
- 1:06 A.M.: The boyfriend’s family is mentioned to be pulling up the Ring camera footage to show Ms. Cheney’s family. The boyfriend’s mother explains to Ms. Cheney’s grandmother that they were inside when the incident occurred, but when they went out to check on Ms. Cheney or take a smoke break, they didn’t see any blood. However, they did not approach Ms. Cheney closely. One of the boyfriend’s family members mentions Ms. Cheney drinking and cussing at someone earlier in the evening. Ms. Cheney’s grandmother states, “She never gets this way, she doesn’t drink.”
Ambulance arrives and transport Ms. Cheney to the hospital.
Could Haley Cheney have been shot before getting into her car like it has been suggested by her family?
No, according to the Medical Examiner this is not a possibility. The gunshot caused "catastrophic injuries" that would have made it impossible for Ms. Cheney to walk or speak afterward. Surveillance footage clearly shows Ms. Cheney walking and talking before entering her car. Additionally, there is no evidence of blood on her white pants, arm, face, or on the ground leading to the car, which further supports the conclusion that she was not shot before getting inside.
Can you see blood on Ms. Cheney while she is walking to her car?
No. The original video footage shows no visible trace of blood on the pavement as she walked to the car, on her white pants, or on her face or head.
What about the video online that shows blood on Ms. Cheney's face?
A review of the original, unedited footage confirms that some versions being shared online have been altered. In some instances, filters or other modifications appear to distort the appearance of the scene.
In the footage circulating online, it appears that Ms. Cheney is bleeding from her head. However, when comparing that frame at timestamp 29:11 to the very next frame at 29:19—where she is in the exact same position, if not at a better angle—the apparent red tint is no longer visible. This indicates that visual effects or alterations have been applied to the shared video. Additionally, the video exhibits chromatic aberration (fringing), which occurs when a lens fails to align all wavelengths of light at the same focal point. This fringing is due to the video's low bitrate of 2.64 Mbps, whereas native 1920x1080 resolution should have a bitrate between 3–8 Mbps, with up to 10 Mbps recommended for optimal quality.
What did the medical examination show?
The medical examination determined that the bullet entered through Ms. Cheney’s right temporal lobe, passing through the right temporalis muscle, right temporal bone, dura, right frontal and temporal lobes, and came to a stop in the left temporal lobe. The bullet’s trajectory was right to left, front to back, with no upward or downward deviation.
Toxicology results revealed that Ms. Cheney had a blood alcohol level of 0.173, which is more than double the legal limit for driving. Additionally, her blood contained 9.9 ng/mL of THC-COOH, a metabolite of THC.
Did LEPD interview the boyfriend and his family?
Yes, the LEPD interviewed the boyfriend and his family as part of the investigation.
According to statements provided during the investigation, the family reported that Ms. Cheney was not acting like herself that evening. They also disclosed that she and her boyfriend had been arguing due to cheating in their relationship. The boyfriend contacted Ms. Cheney’s mother several times that evening and asked her to come pick her up, as she had been drinking. This was the reason her family arrived at the residence around 1 a.m.
Why didn't LEPD conduct a gunshot residue (GSR) test?
Because the firearm was discharged in an enclosed space, the entire area was contaminated with gunshot residue (GSR). A GSR test would only confirm that a person was in the immediate vicinity when the firearm was discharged, not whether they fired the weapon. Given the close proximity of the gunshot to Ms. Cheney, she would have had GSR on her hands and body regardless of whether she discharged the firearm or someone else did. As a result, a GSR test would not have provided any conclusive evidence in this case.
Why didn't LEPD GSR test the boyfriend and his family?
There was no probable cause to conduct a gunshot residue (GSR) test on the boyfriend or his family, as video footage did not show any other individuals approaching Ms. Cheney’s car before she was shot.
How was the gun found?
Video evidence shows that Ms. Cheney’s sister removed the gun from its original position, manipulated it and placed it elsewhere at the scene. Because the firearm was moved and manipulated before officers arrived, the LEPD cannot provide definitive information on its initial positioning as they located the gun in the car door pocket.
Why didn't LEPD assist Ms. Cheney's family in taking her son?
The LEPD does not have the authority to determine child custody matters. These decisions are solely handled by Child Protective Services (CPS) and the family court system. Our role is to investigate criminal matters and ensure the safety of all individuals involved, but any custody-related concerns must be addressed through the appropriate legal channels. The LEPD did contact CPS that evening and spoke with the social worker.
Why didn't the Ring camera show the gun going off or a flash of light?
The Ring camera is motion-activated, not triggered by light or sound. This means it only begins recording when it detects movement within its range. If no motion was detected at the moment the firearm was discharged, the camera would not have captured the gunshot or any associated flash of light.
Did LEPD know Ms. Cheney's boyfriend or his family prior to December 3, 2023?
No, none of the officers involved in the investigation had any prior knowledge of or relationship with Ms. Cheney’s boyfriend or his family. To our knowledge, no other members of the LEPD have any personal connection to them. The investigation was conducted objectively and based solely on the evidence.
There is a narrative circulating online suggesting that LEPD had a prior connection to them because the boyfriend’s father works at Huffines Subaru in Plano and our Honor Park received a donation from Huffines Subaru in Corinth in 2017. However, the Plano and Corinth locations operate as entirely separate businesses, and we have had no communication with any Subaru stores outside of the Corinth location.
Was the boyfriend abusive towards Ms. Cheney?
As heartbreaking as this situation is, the LEPD’s investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding Ms. Cheney’s death, not a domestic violence case. While the text messages from years past and the accounts shared by her family are deeply saddening, they do not outweigh the physical evidence collected from the events of December 3, 2023.
Additionally, LEPD records indicate that neither Ms. Cheney nor her boyfriend ever contacted our department for a call for service or filed a report related to domestic violence. Therefore, we cannot speak to the presence of physical domestic violence in their relationship.
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