Two Twin Peaks shooting suspects post bond; others wait for bond reduction hearings

McLennan County Jail officials said on Wednesday that 177 people were arrested after the Twin Peaks shooting, not 170 as previously reported. As of Wednesday night, only two of them have been able to post $1 million bond.

The same bondsman, Joe Ash, who owns Ash Bail Bonds, posted bail for Jeff Battey, from the Fort Worth area, and Christopher Stainton, from Lago Vista, last week.

Ash said two other families are also deciding whether to post a $1 million bond or wait for a possible bond reduction in June.

Ash posted bond for Battey and Stainton last week after getting calls from their families and other bondsmen in the area who could not post that large of a bond.

Both families paid 10 percent of that $1 million, or $100,000 each.

Ash could lose $1 million per suspect if the two men do not make their court appearance. Ash said the risk of that happening is minimal with Battey and Stainton.

"Either the person themselves or the family owns businesses or whoever they work for, they have been there for several years. Neither of them has a criminal background history. There was just no reason to be alarmed by it, they're just everyday people,” said Ash.

The two suspects out on bond currently have ankle monitors and other bond restrictions, such as a curfew.

Two other bondsmen in Waco say they are willing to post the bond, if the families can afford their services.

However, Charlie Pickens, with Pickens Bail Bonds, said he has never posted $1 million bond because the risk outweighs the gain.

If after the bond hearings, some of those bond amounts are reduced, Pickens says he may be willing to post those bonds.

Court documents show some of the suspects asked for bonds to be reduced as low as $10,000. Others are requesting the bond to be set at $60,000.

As of Wednesday, approximately 20 people have scheduled bond hearings for June 5, 12 and 19.