Van Zandt County Inmate Attempts Suicide in Cell

CANTON — The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s office are investigating an attempted suicide by an inmate in the county jail in Canton. The attempt was discovered by Jail staff early Thursday morning during a routine count period. The jail staff found the inmate hanging with a bed sheet tied around his neck. Jail staff immediately summoned help and removed the sheet from around the inmate’s neck and began first aid. Once first responders and Ambulance personnel arrived the inmate was transported to Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler for further treatment. The inmate is Larry Maples of Ben Wheeler. He is in custody on the following charges of Sex Abuse of Child Continuous: Victim under 14, Capital Murder INSF Bond, Criminal Attempt-Murder INSF Bond.

In March of last year, Maples contacted authorities and confessed to shooting two persons. Investigators determined that Maples had arrived at a residence on Farm Road 26 west of Canton, and shot the owner, identified as Moses Clemente, 47, of Canton, following a brief altercation. Authorities say Maples then shot and killed his wife, Heather Maples, 34, of Ben Wheeler.

Heather Maples was pronounced dead at the scene by a Van Zandt County Justice of the Peace. Clemente was transported to Mother Francis Hospital in Tyler where he was treated for a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Following the shooting, Sheriff Lindsey Ray said Heather Maples and Clemente had a relationship before she married Larry Maples.