Pair charged with vandalizing iconic Enchanted Rock in Texas

SAN MARCOS, Texas – A man and woman face felony charges after taking a can of spray paint to a beloved natural landmark in Texas.

A Facebook photo taken at Enchanted Rock led investigators to 24-year-old Charles Agawereh and 21-year-old Meredith Baird, both of San Marcos, who now face felony graffiti and drug-related charges, according to Texas Parks & Wildlife officials.

The photo shows the pair standing atop the pink granite dome, posing  next to the words "CA$H TRUCK."



The March 20 graffiti incident prompted a joint investigation involving the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, State Police, State Game Wardens, the San Marcos Police Department and the Hays County Narcotics Task Force.

Agawereh and Baird were booked at Hays County Jail and additional charges are pending in connection with a warrant execution.

The graffiti drew national attention and an outpouring of anger on social media.  Many were thrilled Wednesday to find out that an arrest had been made.

One Facebook user named Shannon Johnson wrote:

"Don't know about y'all but I've always felt Enchanted Rock was a sacred spot. It's appalling that anyone could dream of defacing it. They need to serve some serious time for taking away from the beauty of a landscape that should be enjoyed by all."

A man named Colin Chisholm wrote, "They're going to need that CA$H Truck for sure now!"

Enchanted Rock now rises over Central Texas, but the area has drawn visitors for thousands of years, according to the parks department.  More than 400 archeological sites have been discovered inside the park, which is the most-visited in the state's park system.