KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – A woman arrested for abuse of a corpse after a baby was found dead in a bucket had given birth to the child in a toilet moments before, according to her arrest warrant. The warrant said deputies with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office were called to a home in the Lindale area March 15, where the baby was found, and spoke with the homeowner, who showed them a red mop bucket that had been placed outside. According to our news partner KETK, the homeowner reportedly told officials she lived at the home with her roommate, Jazzlyn Cooper-Holmes, 23, of Longview, who later told detectives during an interview that the baby found was hers. The warrant says Cooper-Holmes told detectives she gave birth to the child in a toilet around 4 a.m. on March 12 and “only looked at it once.” Continue reading Warrant: Mother gave birth to baby in toilet before placing it in bucket

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to approve new hours of operation for the Animal Shelter. The Commissioners Court voted in October to extend the hours the shelter was open to the public, including opening during lunch and staying open until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and opening on Saturday. Animal Control and Shelter Supervisor Amber Greene said they did not see an increase in people coming in to the shelter to adopt dogs during the extended hours and it resulted in compensatory time being worked by the employees. Continue reading Smith County Animal Shelter changes hours of operation

LONGVIEW — The High Street Bridge between Nelson Street and Marion Drive in Longview will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, March 22 and 23, as part of TxDOT’s bridge reconstruction project. During this closure, traffic will detour on Nelson and Fredonia Streets and Marion Drive, according to a city news release.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Nathaniel Moran gives KTBB an update on the battle in the House over President Biden’s proposed budget. Moran says, “I can tell you there’s so many things inside of this budget that’s been proposed that are troubling to me. When you talk about… 40-plus billion dollars new for the IRS, above the 80 billion dollars that they were granted last year — and then things like climate change and ESG — so much money being presented in this budget to support those administrative policies down the road, things like 178 million dollars for civil right enforcement at the Department of education; we have to cut this nonsense out of the budget.” Continue reading Moran weighs in on budget, gun rights

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s office is warning the public of a scam call that people reportedly received about having a warrant out for missing jury duty. According to our news partner KETK, GCSO says the scammers have used Lt. David Falco’s name when making calls. The Sheriff’s Office says it does not call people about warrants. In a prepared statement, GCSO says, “Please do not pay warrants over the phone and always contact the law enforcement agency to verify the information.”

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office seeks your help solving some burglary and theft cases. According to a news release, the Sheriff’s Office has recently been receiving several reports of such incidents in the western areas of the county. Officials say they have also found out that similar cases are being reported near Chandler. A person and vehicle of interest have been established through continuing investigations as well as information received by the Sheriff’s Office, according to the release. Continue reading Help sought identifying burglary suspect

TYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation is hosting a virtual public meeting with an in-person option regarding the six-lane widening project on FM 2493, more commonly known as Old Jacksonville Highway. Officials encourage you to participate and share your comments on improving safety and mobility along the highway from Loop 323 to FM 2813. The virtual public meeting is available from 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 21, through Wednesday, April 12. The in-person public meeting will be held in a come-and-go format March 28 from 5-7 p.m. at the Regional Training and Development Complex on the Tyler Junior College West Campus. Click this link for all the details.

KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department said they found a substance which tested positive for fentanyl during a recent traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, officials said the owner told them she had to spike her meth with fentanyl because “meth just wasn’t doing the trick anymore.” KPD said in a Facebook post, “We hear about fentanyl on TV, but it is here in ETX.” They added that Kilgore youth haven’t gotten into fentanyl yet but that the community has to be vigilant. “It is not something we are yet seeing with our youth, but we can’t say it will not happen in ETX. Let’s be very vigilant and stop it before it affects us,” Kilgore PD said. Continue reading Kilgore Police find fentanyl during traffic stop

MINEOLA – Officials are continuing to investigate a school bus crash in Wood County. According to DPS, at approximately 7:13 Monday morning, a Mineola ISD bus was traveling south on State Loop 564. A car was traveling north on the same highway. Officials say the driver of the school bus crossed the center stripe and collided with the car. The bus was occupied by students, three of whom were transported to local hospitals for minor injuries, according to a news release. The car driver was taken to UT Health Hospital in Tyler, and the driver of the school bus was transported to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, both with what are termed non-life-threatening injuries. Continue reading Mineola school bus crash under investigation

TYLER — Officials are following up on the death of a newborn infant. According to a news release, at approximately 7:20 p.m. on March 15, Smith County deputies responded to a location on US Hwy. 69 North near Tyler. Upon arrival, they were directed to the back yard, where they observed an overturned mop bucket covering the newborn’s body, wrapped in a towel. At that time, deputies secured the area and requested the assistance of investigators and the crime scene unit. During the investigation, the baby’s mother was identified as Jazzlyn Cooper-Holmes, 23, of Longview. She admitted to having the infant on March 12, wrapping the baby in a brown towel, placing the child in a red bucket, and placing the bucket outside behind the residence. Continue reading Sheriff’s Office investigating death of newborn infant

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department announced that Marteleus DeShon Epps, 37, was found dead north of Longview on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said Epps was found in the woods off Highway 155 near Gilmer, with his truck parked close by. Upshur County Sheriff’s Office is investigating his death and officials said “there is no immediate indication of foul play in this matter.” An autopsy has been ordered, which is set to be done by Forensic Medical Management Services in Tyler, officials said. Epps was reported missing on Saturday.

TYLER — The Smith County Collections Department’s annual Warrant Round Up is underway as of Sunday. “Smith County Courts have hundreds of active warrants they are seeking to clear,” Judicial Compliance/Collections Director Sheryl Keel said as quoted in a news release. “We are encouraging defendants to take advantage of the options available to settle outstanding warrants immediately.” Keel says once the arrest period begins, Smith County will target persons on the delinquent and/or warrant list, and arrests can take place at any location — including the defendant’s home, school, or workplace. “I urge you to contact the Judicial Compliance Department at 903-590-4624 to make arrangements on your case,” she said. For more information about warrants or citations, visit this link.

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of March 20. In Gregg County, work continues on US 259/SH 42 (Business) in Kilgore from Woodlawn Street south to the Rusk County line. The project consists of milling and in laying hot mix asphalt on all lanes and striping. Motorists should expect alternating lane closures. You’re asked to slow down and watch for workers. Expect delays. In Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a ditch maintenance crew on FM 2964 at various locations. A second crew will be on FM 14 performing bridge maintenance. Expect lane closures and flaggers controlling traffic at both locations. There will also be an herbicide unit at various locations throughout the county. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

MARSHALL — Police have made an arrest in a Marshall shooting death, and the suspect has been charged with murder. On March 16 at around 1:40 p.m., police responded to a 911 call on Randolph Street from a man who said he had been shot. According to a news release, officers found Adrian Rashad Ward, 34, suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Marshall Fire Department paramedics transported him to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Investigation by police detectives led to the arrest later that day of Johnthan Antione Reeves, 28, on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. That charge has since been upgraded to murder. Reeves remains in the Harrison County Jail.