BURNET, Texas (KXAN) — Former Cedar Park Police Chief Sean Mannix will not become the new Burnet police chief, KXAN has learned.

Burnet’s mayor Crista Goble Bromley confirmed the news Monday morning.

Mannix retired from Cedar Park’s top police job in February after seven years.

He left Cedar Park police after the exoneration of Greg Kelley. Kelley was the former Cedar Park High School student wrongfully convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2014. Mannix led the department’s investigation into the case that put Kelley in jail for three years before his exoneration in 2019.

Kelley has an open lawsuit against Mannix and the Cedar Park Police Department about how they handled the case.

“The reason why we wanted this to happen guys is because it’s not about me, it’s about the next person,” Kelley said in front of the group. “We wanted to make sure that this guy did not want to come right next door to y’all’s town, because I know you guys love your town just like we love ours, and do this to somebody else.”

“The heartache and division it has created in our town is something that should never happen,” Kelley said.

Mannix was set to be sworn in as Burnet’s new police chief Monday. Supporters of Greg Kelley planned a protest against the hiring outside the Burnet police headquarters Monday.

  • Greg Kelley, middle, stands outside Burnet police headquarters during what was originally a protest Monday of the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix. Mannix was at the center of Kelley’s wrongful conviction of sexual assault of a child, for which Kelley served three years in jail for but was exonerated in 2019. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the Burnet police chief job Monday morning, city officials said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley, middle, stands outside Burnet police headquarters during what was originally a protest Monday of the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix. Mannix was at the center of Kelley’s wrongful conviction of sexual assault of a child, for which Kelley served three years in jail for but was exonerated in 2019. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the Burnet police chief job Monday morning, city officials said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley, middle, stands outside Burnet police headquarters during what was originally a protest Monday of the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix. Mannix was at the center of Kelley’s wrongful conviction of sexual assault of a child, for which Kelley served three years in jail for but was exonerated in 2019. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the Burnet police chief job Monday morning, city officials said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley and a group of supporters gather outside Burnet City Hall on Monday to protest the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix as its new chief. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the job Monday morning, Burnet city leaders said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley and a group of supporters gather outside Burnet City Hall on Monday to protest the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix as its new chief. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the job Monday morning, Burnet city leaders said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley and a group of supporters gather outside Burnet City Hall on Monday to protest the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix as its new chief. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the job Monday morning, Burnet city leaders said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley and a group of supporters gather outside Burnet City Hall on Monday to protest the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix as its new chief. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the job Monday morning, Burnet city leaders said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley and a group of supporters gather outside Burnet City Hall on Monday to protest the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix as its new chief. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the job Monday morning, Burnet city leaders said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)
  • Greg Kelley and a group of supporters gather outside Burnet City Hall on Monday to protest the city’s hiring of former Cedar Park police chief Sean Mannix as its new chief. Mannix “withdrew his acceptance” of the job Monday morning, Burnet city leaders said. (KXAN photo/Julie Karam)