WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A Wichita Falls lawyer faces a felony stalking charge following his second arrest since Monday, May 8, 2023, after police said he “embarrassed, annoyed, alarmed, tormented, and harassed” his former girlfriend.
Dean Colin Godfrey, 34, of Wichita Falls, was booked into the Wichita County Jail on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, on one count of stalking. As of the publication of this story, he remains behind bars on a $7,500 bond.
The day prior, on Monday, May 8, 2023, Godfrey was jailed on a criminal trespass charge. He was released on a personal recognizance bond later the same day.
Affidavit reveals details of stalking charge
According to the arrest affidavit, officers with the Wichita Falls Police Department on Monday, May 8, 2023, were contacted regarding Godfrey, who they said had just been arrested the same day for trespassing on the property of his ex-girlfriend, the victim, after being barred.
Police said Godfrey had been released from jail on the criminal trespass charge “in a matter of just a few hours”. They said since being released, Godfrey had already been to the victim’s place of employment and had driven by her residence several times.
The affidavit said officers then responded to the victim’s residence and spoke with her. She told police she had recently ended a three-year-long relationship with Godfrey.
Authorities said the victim told them she sent a text message to Godfrey at around 4 a.m. on Sunday, May 7, 2023, not to contact her anymore, and since she sent the message, he’d attempted to call her 12 times from different phone numbers, leaving a total of eight voicemails.
According to the affidavit, the victim also told police Godfrey had sent eight text messages since 4 a.m. on Sunday, stating he would “make a scene” at her place of employment, saying “you ain’t getting off that easy,” and “you owe me more than this.”
The victim told police that on Monday, May 8, 2023, at around 5:10 p.m., she was leaving her place of employment when she saw Godfrey quickly approach her vehicle in his 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe, and that she believed he was going to hit her vehicle due to his reckless driving.
The affidavit said the victim told police Godfrey began yelling at her and called her “[expletive] crazy” and complained about her getting him arrested. She said she was in fear for her safety because Godfrey had become more aggressive in his attempts to contact her.
Authorities said they reviewed the text messages and voicemails sent by Godfrey to the victim. They said the following quotes were found on recordings left by Godfrey to the victim;
- “You’re being a really [expletive] person right now.”
- “You’re out of your [expletive] mind if you think that’s going to help me – Grow up! [Expletive]!”
- “You’ve pushed me into an enemy.”
- “You must have some real [expletive] sickness in your brain.”
- “I’m not going to let this go.”
- “What the [expletive] is wrong with you?”
- “I never thought I’d see the day I hated you like I do now.”
- “What the [expletive] is wrong with your brain?”
- “Get ready for a scene tomorrow at work. You leave me no other choice… Karma is a [expletive].”
The affidavit listed many other quotes left by Godfrey to the victim. It also said Godfrey told the victim, “What I can’t figure out is why you would have me arrested for criminal trespass when you know I have dozens of videos of you committing a felony,” and “Your mom has connections, but I do too (remember I was a DA), and I’m smiling while writing this just thinking about you in jail.”
According to the affidavit, Godfrey had again attempted to contact the victim at her place of employment on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, and left multiple voicemails. Authorities said the victim was told to stay home on Tuesday due to Godfrey’s actions and fear that he may cause more issues at the business.
Victim’s mother hired a private investigator
Prior to Tuesday’s arrest for stalking, Godfrey had been arrested on Monday, May 8, 2023, and charged with criminal trespass after police said he’d been observed on the property of his ex-girlfriend despite being barred.
According to the arrest affidavit on the criminal trespass charge, police responded to the victim’s residence on April 29, 2023, and made contact with a private investigator who stated they work for Bohn & Associates. Court documents show the investigator was hired by the mother of the victim.
The affidavit said the private investigator told police he observed Godfrey on the victim’s property after having been barred on April 27, 2023. Police said they later confirmed Godfrey was indeed barred from the residence.
Police said they then spoke to the owner of the home, who said at around 11:50 a.m. on May 4, 2023, Godfrey had physically walked onto the property, hopped over the fence line to the east of the residence, and began yelling at her daughter, the victim.
The homeowner told police that she believed Godfrey did not care about the fact that he’d been barred, and said he would continue to come to the residence and cause disturbances.
Police later said they were able to match the photos taken by the private investigator with Godfrey’s driver’s license and were able to positively identify Godfrey had been at the residence despite being barred.
Godfrey responds on social media
Following his release on bond from jail on Monday, May 8, and prior to his second arrest on Tuesday, May 9, Godfrey made a statement on the Dean Godfrey Law Facebook page regarding his arrest for criminal trespass.
In the statement addressed to clients and friends, Godfrey said the incident “was handled incorrectly by multiple parties involved” and said that the incident “should have never escalated to where it did.”
“What should have been handled as a private matter was unfortunately made public by factors out of my control,” Godfrey said in the statement. “I am adamant that I did nothing wrong except make poor decisions regarding who I choose to associate with socially and romantically.”
Godfrey concluded the statement by stating “Once the facts and evidence come out publicly, I will be completely cleared of this nonsense and I very much look forward to moving on from this soon,” and that he appreciated the patience of his clients and friends.
Court grants victim temporary protective order
A search of court records revealed that on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, the victim filed a civil case against Godfrey requesting a protective order due to Godfrey’s behavior, which she said had “escalated tremendously the last few months.”
The application for the protective order was filed in the 78th District Court. Attached to the application is an affidavit from the victim as well as the private investigator hired by the victim’s parents, both of which list reasons they believe an order should be granted.
In her affidavit, the victim said on the morning of April 23, 2023, she discovered Godfrey on the roof of her house. She said he’d disabled two security cameras and broken another one, and that she ended their relationship as a result.
The victim said in addition to having Godfrey barred from her residence, she blocked his phone number and blocked him on various social media accounts.
In the affidavit, the victim alleged Godfrey had inundated her with “multiple text messages from various phone numbers”, 17 phone calls, and 10 voicemails. She said Godfrey had encroached on her property twice despite being barred, and that on multiple occasions, he came to her place of work to harass her and left letters.
According to court documents, the victim said Godfrey hacked and took control of her emails and social media accounts. She also said he “returned” several items she’d given him over the course of their relationship by throwing them into her yard.
“His erratic behavior and harassment has me sincerely fearful,” the victim said in her affidavit.
A temporary ex parte protective order was filed on Tuesday, May 9, ordering that Godfrey’s license to carry a handgun be suspended. Other conditions of the order include:
- Prohibited from committing an act against the Protected Person resulting in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault
- Prohibited from communicating directly with the Protected Person in a threatening manner
- Prohibited from communicating a threat through any person to the Protected Person
- Prohibited from going within three city blocks of the Protected Person’s residence or place of employment
A hearing regarding whether or not the temporary protective order will become a final protective order is scheduled for May 26, 2023.
