From Holden:

Let the sheriff tell you.

“We’ve known these people (witnesses) for years. They are honest and wouldn’t call us, telling us a lie,” [Sheriff Ramon Salinas III] said. “I talked to an eyewitness who said it was a definite accident. We knew Mr. Whittington was being cared for.”

Hell, rich Republican lobbyist Katharine Armstrong is good people. She even hired former sheriff Ramiro Medellin Jr. as a ranchhand and let him live on the ranch!