After more than three decades in journalism and 26 years at KPRC 2, veteran investigative reporter Robert Arnold is preparing to sign off for the final time.
Arnold announced that Friday, June 19, will be his last day at KPRC 2, bringing to a close a journalism career that has spanned 31 years and helped shape investigative reporting in Houston.
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“After 26 years at KPRC and 31 years as a journalist, I have decided to live life without a deadline,” Arnold wrote.
Before joining KPRC 2 in 2000, Arnold began his journalism career at KNUZ/KQUE radio and later worked the overnight police beat at KTRH radio.
“I joined KPRC in 2000, and the past three decades have been fulfilling, awe-inspiring, humbling, exhausting, joyful, and, most of all, a privilege,” Arnold wrote. “I am immensely grateful to everyone who trusted me to tell their story. I remember every face and every living room.”
Over the years, Arnold became known for his relentless pursuit of accountability reporting, digging through records, cultivating sources, and tackling complex investigations that made an impact across the Houston area.
KPRC 2 News Director Ana Lastra said Arnold’s contributions helped define investigative journalism at the station.
“Robert built a career here on accountability,” Lastra said. “He chased stories other people walked past, asked the questions sources didn’t want to answer, and turned documents and data into journalism that changed outcomes for Houstonians.”
Lastra credited Arnold with helping launch “The Evidence Room,” KPRC 2’s award-winning true crime documentary series, and said his work elevated investigative storytelling across the newsroom.
“Every season got better, in large part because of how he put them together,” Lastra wrote. “Robert knew the cases inside and out, and the victims’ families trusted him to tell them.”
Throughout his career, Arnold covered some of Houston’s biggest stories, including 31 named storms that impacted the Gulf Coast.
“Think about that — 31 times he stood between this community, and the worst weather Houston can throw at it, reporting through the wind and the aftermath when it mattered most,” Lastra wrote.
She also recalled Arnold’s tireless reporting during the Astroworld tragedy, when he worked sources, verified information and provided continuous updates as the story unfolded.
But colleagues say Arnold’s impact extends far beyond the stories that aired on television.
“He’s always a resource, ready to hand off a contact to a fellow reporter,” Lastra wrote. “Breaking news is happening? OK, Robert has already called three sources. He’s made this team better.”
In reflecting on his career, Arnold thanked the photographers, producers, editors and colleagues who helped bring stories to life.
“Any successes or accolades I have received over the years are a reflection of the talented photojournalists, editors, producers, and colleagues I have been fortunate enough to work alongside,” he wrote.
As for what comes next, Arnold offered a glimpse of the road ahead with a favorite quote from author J.R.R. Tolkien:
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
While Houston viewers may no longer see Arnold reporting from the field, his legacy of accountability journalism, mentorship and public service will continue to influence the newsroom he leaves behind.
“Robert, thank you,” Lastra wrote. “You leave this newsroom stronger than you found it, and you leave a standard the rest of us will keep chasing.”
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