ArchivesLa Rita Theatre files lawsuit against former treasurerLa Rita Theatre files lawsuit against former treasurerBY BILL KELLY In a stunning development, the La Rita Theatre announced on its Facebook page last week that it had removed board member and treasurer Josh Beecher after discovering “potential misappropriation of funds from the theatre.” The La Rita Theatre Board of Directors hired counsel and has now filed a lawsuit against Beecher. The La Rita posted the official petition that it filed with the 69th District Court against “Joshua Beecher and Beecher Body Shop, LLC.” The petition, in Section IV, Summary of the Case, alleges that Beecher “conducted a large scale fraud that siphoned off hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization into Beecher’s pockets. In addition, by falsifying official board meeting minutes, he secured a bank loan in the Theatre’s name-without proper authorization-and then directed the loan proceeds into a personal account under his control, so that now the Theatre faces the devastating possibility of losing its historic building to foreclosure.” In Section V of the petition, Factual Background, it is stated that in August of this year that the Theatre’s president and vice president began a review of some of the Theatre’s account. The petition then alleges that they discovered that Beecher was “using the Theatre’s accounts for his own personal benefit.” It is further alleged that a preliminary investigation revealed that Beecher, who did have signature authority over the Theatre’s accounts, wrote “substantial personal checks to himself, as well as checks to his personal business entity, Beecher Body Shop.” There are further allegations that, “Beecher also wrote checks on the Theatre’s accounts for suspicious reasons, including to American Express, a non-local bank, and to the Small Business Administration.” The petition then states that the Theatre didn’t have such a credit card account and that Beecher had not been authorized to “enter into any Theatre account, loan or other transaction with any non-local bank or the Small Business Administration.” One final allegation in this section concerns claims for reimbursement to the City of Dalhart for funds collected as a results of hotel and occupancy taxes held by the City for the Theatre’s benefit. The petition then states, in the same section (Paragraph 12), that the president and vice president sent out notice to board members, including Beecher, on September 3, 2025 of a specially-called board meeting to be held the next day to discuss financial improprieties involving the Theatre’s financial activities. In Paragraph 13, the petition states that Beecher did not attend the meeting on September 4, 2025, but delivered a letter to the board, with an excerpt from that letter being included in the petition. (Anyone wishing to read this excerpt may find it, along with the entire lawsuit petition, on the La Rita Theatre Facebook page.) In the next paragraph (15) of the petition, it is alleged that further investigation has revealed that Beecher applied for and obtained a substantial loan from a non-local bank in the name of the Theatre, with the loan being secured by the Theatre’s building in downtown Dalhart, and further alleges that Beecher used falsified board minutes that purported to show that he had authority to borrow money from the bank. In paragraph 16, the petition states that proceeds from the unauthorized loan were deposited into a Theatre bank account on December 16, 2024, but were then allegedly transferred to a Charles Schwab investment account established by Beecher, and that the Theatre does not have current access or control to that account. There are further allegations that Beecher persuaded the board of directors, on June 13, 2024, to allow him to withdraw funds from an account with the Amarillo Area Foundation to deposit into a Charles Schwab account, which was to be established for the benefit of the theatre. The petition alleges that Beecher instead used that account to “further his fraudulent activities,” and that it was set up with his own social security number instead of the Theatre’s tax identification number. The petition also states that Beecher was presented with a written demand on September 5, 2025 for access to the account, but alleges that Beecher has so far failed to provide the information needed. In the final paragraph of the Factual Information section of the petition, it is alleged that the total amount involved in this matter is estimated to be between $500,000 and $750,000. The petition asks for trial by jury in the matter. It also asks for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, specifically asking that the court order Beecher and Beecher Body Shop to refrain from the following activities: transferring any Theatre assets; transferring funds into or out of the Charles Schwab account controlled by Beecher; transferring funds into or out of any financial account of the Theatre; transferring funds out of any account controlled by Beecher, or by Beecher Body Shop; transferring any cash in the possession of either Beecher or Beecher Body Shop; transferring funds out of any other entity account owned or controlled by Beecher; and acting or purporting to act on behalf of the Theatre. In the final section, Prayer for Relief, the petition asks that the Theatre recover judgement against Beecher and Beecher Body Shop for damages in amounts to be determined by the jury; that the court impose a constructive trust over any assets in possession, custody or control of Beecher and Beecher Body Shop that are traceable to the conduct that is alleged; that the court require Beecher and Beecher Body Shop to account for all funds and assets of the Theatre; that Beecher Body Shop make restitution for any misappropriation of any of the Theatre’s assets or funds; and that Beecher and Beecher Body Shop disgorge any profits from any misappropriated Theatre assets or funds. It also asks that the Theatre be awarded reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees and recoverable court costs from Beecher and Beecher Body Shop. No further information on the exact date of the trial or any other actions by the court was available at press time. 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