Dallas police officer fired after arrest on 2 counts of capital murder

A Texas police officer who was arrested last week on two counts of capital murder has been fired, authorities said.

Bryan Riser, a 13-year veteran of the Dallas police force, was terminated during a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday, the department said in a statement.

An internal investigation determined that Riser "engaged in adverse conduct" when he was arrested on March 4, and he was terminated "for his actions," the department said.

A man came forward in August 2019 and told investigators that Riser directed him to kidnap and kill two people in 2017. The murders took place when Riser was off-duty, Police Chief Eddie Garcia said last week at a press conference after Riser was taken into custody.

Officials said his arrest stems from a 2017 internal affairs investigation. A lawyer for Riser couldn’t immediately be identified, Associated Press reported.

On March 10, 2017, officers found Liza Saenz, 31, with several bullet wounds in her body in the 200 block of Santa Fe Avenue.

The man stated that he had kidnapped and murdered Saenz at the direction of Riser, who also told him to kidnap a second victim, 61-year-old Albert Douglas, Garcia said.

Douglas was reported missing by his family in February 2017. His body was never found.

Garcia said Douglas was kidnapped and murdered on the same 200 block of Santa Fe Avenue.

The motive behind the murders is unknown. Garcia said the killings were not related to Riser’s police work and the investigation is ongoing.

Garcia said Riser had a relationship with at least one of the victims.

“The actions that have been investigated in no way reflect the actions of the men and women who wear this uniform," Garcia said.

Riser's conduct as a police officer and his arrests will be investigated, Garcia said.

Riser had been patrolling the streets of Dallas up until his arrest and officials said they will expedite the process to have him removed from the department.

Riser's attorney, Toby Shook, told The Associated Press that his client is innocent.

"He's driving around, patrolling, doing his job every day with a gun, without incident for nearly two years," Shook told the AP. "If you really thought he was involved in this why wouldn't you move on him in 2019?"

Riser will be able to appeal his firing, according to civil service rules.

ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.