One Dead in Ozona as Strange Illness Afflicts Top County Officials

OZONA, TX – Authorities and citizens in the town of Ozona are asking questions about a mysterious sickness that has afflicted two county officials who worked at the Crockett County Courthouse Annex, 909 Ave D in Ozona. One of the two has died.

Just as the town was mourning the death of one of the victims, Crockett County Treasurer Karen Webb, news spread through town that a similar illness that purportedly took Webb’s life had also afflicted Crockett County Justice of the Peace Evelyn Kerbow, according to the local paper there, the Ozona Stockman. Kerbow was airlifted to a burn unit in Lubbock, the Stockman reported.

The Stockman reported that Webb’s family reported she had blisters, bruises and sores on her body. She was only 53 and died at a hospital in Lubbock.

The location of the Crockett County Courthouse Annex is southeast of the main courthouse:

In a statement released to The Stockman, Crockett County Judge Fred Deaton announced he had closed the courthouse annex building. In a statement released to the Stockman Monday afternoon, he stated:

“Crockett County has contacted Texas Department of Health Dr. Anderson from El Paso with the state’s epidemiology department about two county employees, one whom passed away and one seriously ill, in a short period of time. To err on the side caution, the county decided to close the courthouse annex until the department of health is able to resolve this concern for the county.”

Ozona is 84 miles southwest of San Angelo, TX. Here is the obituary of Crockett County Treasurer Karen Webb.

The photo above was taken by Larry D. Moore and used on Wikipedia in Wikipedia's entry about the main courthouse in Ozona. The annex is southeast, next to the main courthouse.