Officials appear to support anonymous campaign weaponizing family tragedy to silence scrutiny
To learn more about the background and contribute to the effort to hold officials accountable, visit the fundraiser at: gofundme.com/f/stand-with-david-flash-against-corruption.
Photo: A childhood photo of Michael Flash, remembered by his older brother David as a joyful, kind-hearted boy who brought light into every room. Michael was shot and killed in 2011 at the age of 19. His death is now being exploited in an anonymous smear campaign reportedly backed by Jeff Davis County officials.
A smear campaign targeting Big Bend Times publisher David Flash has crossed a new line—invoking the 2011 shooting death of his younger brother, Michael Flash, in an anonymous online attack. The website behind the campaign appears to have the cooperation—or at least the consent—of county officials now featured in its materials.
The site, BigBendTimes.org, is not affiliated with Flash’s publication, despite mimicking its name. It was launched to undermine Flash’s reporting on government accountability in Jeff Davis County. Its posts are anonymous, often lengthy, and focused on discrediting Flash personally, rather than addressing the substance of his reporting.
In a recent post, the site referenced the death of Flash’s younger brother, who was shot and killed in Kyle, Texas, in 2011. The post falsely claims involvement by Flash’s mother and attempts to use the tragedy to question his character and mental health.
“David, please listen. Jeff Davis County is not Hayes County. Our sheriff isn’t the one who went after your mom,” the post states, despite the fact that Flash’s mother had no involvement in the shooting. It continues by predicting jail time for Flash and compares him to the Westboro Baptist Church, saying, “What a sad life… Maybe that will be enough time to think about what you are.”
Michael Flash, 19, was killed by his mother—who is not related to David Flash’s mother—during a domestic incident. The woman was charged but later acquitted at trial. The event left a deep emotional impact on David Flash, who helped raise his younger brother and remained close to him throughout his life.
In a 2023 memorial post titled Remembering Michael Flash: He Trusted His Cape, Flash described the pain of the loss and the guilt he still carries. “He did not deserve to die. He did not bring this on himself,” Flash wrote. “He had a lot to offer the world and we are all at a loss because he is not here with us living his very best life.”
The post on BigBendTimes.org marks the first time local political retaliation against Flash has involved his personal tragedy. And it does not appear to be the work of a lone critic. County Judge Curtis Evans and Justice of the Peace Mary Ann Luedecke both appear in photographs published by the site. In one article, a photo of Luedecke standing next to a county-owned truck includes a caption stating it was “taken with permission,” suggesting her awareness and approval.
The same article includes unusually detailed justifications for the truck’s features—down to whether its radio “can be considered advanced”—despite longstanding questions raised in Big Bend Times reporting about why a justice of the peace has a take-home vehicle at all.
Observers have pointed to the site’s tone, access, and specificity as signs that it is being authored or supported by individuals within county government.
“This is not simply anonymous criticism,” Flash said. “This is an abuse of power—county officials cooperating with a site that weaponizes personal tragedy to silence a journalist.”
Jeff Davis County officials have not responded to public questions regarding their participation in the site.
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