KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department have arrested a Gilmer man in connection to an early Wednesday morning shooting. According to our news partner KETK, 31-year-old Leslie DeLuca of Gilmer was charged Thursday with capital murder of an unnamed person, during an attempted robbery in the parking lot of a Judson Road Taco Bell. DeLuca was also charged with unlawful possession of metal or body armor by a felon. He is being held on a $75,000 bond. The victim has not been identified.

TYLER – What: Starting on Monday, July 8, Hoar Construction will be closing multiple streets in Downtown Tyler to begin construction on the Smith County Courthouse.

Where:
Erwin Street, from Spring Avenue to Fannin Avenue, will be completely closed.
Fannin Street, from Erwin Street to Ferguson Street, will be completely closed.
Ferguson Street, in front of the Smith County Annex Building, will remain open to drivers, but the parking spaces will be inside the construction fencing. No parking will be available in front of the Annex on Ferguson Street.
Most of Spring Avenue, between Erwin and Ferguson, will be blocked off and closed, but one lane will remain open for people driving around the courthouse.
Spring Avenue, next to the Smith County Jail, from Erwin Street to Elm Street, will reverse southbound only for driving and parking.

When: Monday, July 8 until July 31, 2025. Please note this is a year-long closure.

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County officials awarded volunteers with Texans on Mission Disaster Relief Team with a Smith County Community Hero Award on Thursday, after the group helped more than 100 residents clean up their properties damaged by the severe weather in late May and early June. Texans on Mission Disaster Relief Team, historically called Texas Baptist Men, has worked all over Smith County for the past three weeks. Continue reading Texas Baptist Men volunteers honored

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 2110 has been reopened this week after Road and Bridge crews repaired the washed-out road and replaced the culvert damaged from the severe weather earlier this month. According to a news release, several Smith County roads suffered wash outs and undermined culverts or bridges caused by storms in late May and early June throughout the county.

CR 3203 and 381 remained closed while the Road and Bridge Department is waiting on new pipes to replace the culverts that were undermined by severe weather. Continue reading Smith County roads update

ANGELINA COUNTY — An appeals court has refused to take up the criminal case of former Angelina County Judge Meydon Lymbery. According to our news partner KETK, Lymbery was indicted for violating the Open Meetings Act, which sets the regulations that government entities must follow for holding meetings and when they are allowed to take action. He was found guilty on one count of violating TOMA last December after pleading not guilty. In February, the Twelfth District Court of Appeals issued an opinion affirming the judgement of the trial court.

Back in April, Lymbery filed for discretionary review from a higher court stating that the charge stemmed from a “spontaneous social gathering” of him and several county commissioners, and that the state had not sufficiently proved he violated the act.

On Wednesday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to review his petition.

PALESTINE — A man was arrested in Palestine after witnesses said he was shooting a handgun in the area of Larry Street Park. According to our news partner KETK, officers responded to a shots fired call on June 22 at 4:21 p.m., and found 48-year-old Floyd Conley Jr. Officers described Conley as appearing “heavily intoxicated” and had ammunition on him. Witnesses at the scene told officers that Conley fired the weapon, reloaded and continued to fire. They said when officers arrived, he threw the gun in the woods. Officers found empty shell casings in the area that matched the ammunition Conley had on his person. Conley was booked into the Angelina County Jail.

“I commend the Officers for their quick response and arrest of this suspect.” PPD Chief Mark Harcrow said. “Its a miracle that no one in the area was injured.”

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department said a Taco Bell employee was shot and killed Wednesday morning after a unknown suspect attempted to rob them. According to our news partner KETK, police responded to a shooting at the Judson Road Taco Bell parking lot around 12:40 a.m. The restaurant employees were said to be outside while power was out in the area when an unknown suspect walked up and attempted to rob them. The suspect reportedly shot an employee and stole a car, Longview PD said. The employee was later pronounced dead at the scene. The car was recovered nearby.

The police department said they are actively investigating with the help of the Texas Department of Public Safety Rangers. A person of interest has been identified. Officials said more information will be released as the investigation develops.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1110 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.

TYLER – City of Tyler said in a release that there will be repairs Thursday and Friday, June 27 and June 28, to a portion of Cumberland Road. That part is between Old Jacksonville Highway and Blue Mountain Boulevard. Repair crews will be out both days from from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Drivers can expect delays in the area and should follow the road crews directions. There will be lane closures with one lane of traffic. City officials ask motorists to detour to Blue Mountain Blvd and use caution while traveling on this road, as workers will be present.

TYLER – Ahead of a televised debate this week, former President Donald Trump holds an 8% advantage with a sample of registered Texas voters when voters consider candidates on the ballot, according to the latest survey by The University of Texas at Tyler Center for Opinion Research. The advantage is 6%, with likely voters on the assumption this is a high turnout election like four years ago. Continue reading UT Tyler pre-debate poll

CARTHAGE – Officials in Carthage approved a maximum price of $3.7 million to construct a standalone police headquarters according to our colleagues at KETK. Carthage police and fire currently share an address at 321 W. Panola St. The fire department will stay in their current building, but police will move to the new headquarters when it is finished. According to City Manager Steve Williams, the city will pay for the new headquarters out of the city budget. They plan to start moving dirt in early July, and the project is expected to take about a year to finish. Williams said that both their fire and police departments have outgrown their old space, and this move will also afford the fire department more room.

TRINITY COUNTY – UPDATE: The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office announced that they have arrested one of the two men.

ORIGINAL STORY: Our news partners at KETK report that a manhunt was initiated for two men in Trinity County on Wednesday after officials said they received a report about a theft. According to Sheriff Woody Wallace, two men were seen on a man’s property on US 287 near the county line and when units responded to the scene they reported seeing one man on a tractor and another on a side-by-side that attempted to leave the property. Both of the men initially fled on the vehicles before running into the woods where tracking dogs have responded to assist in the search. Continue reading UPDATE: One of two Trinity County men arrested

TYLER — Managers of the SPCA of East Texas Facebook account noticed several posts on their page on Saturday, that they did not publish. According to our news partner KETK, the posts, that are still up, include pictures of dogs ready for adoption, but with a catch. The post alleged applicants had to pay a deposit, something the shelter does not require.

“Our main page had been hacked, all of the administrators were taken off the page and nobody was able to access,” Karen Kilgore, with the SPCA of East Texas, said. Those who hacked the account posted several dogs, including French bulldogs and yorkies, and asked for a $400 deposit. “We do not take deposits. We go with best fit, so a lot of people realized something was up, it must not be us, but some people did not. They fell victim and lost several hundred [dollars], one lady I know at least $600,” Kilgore said.

The shelter still does not have access to their Facebook account, a platform they used to promote animals that needed forever homes. Continue reading SPCA East Texas says their Facebook was hacked

UPDATE: The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office said Spykes is in custody.

TRINITY COUNTY – The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a manhunt for a person that was reportedly involved in a shooting on Tuesday. Spykes was allegedly involved in a shooting, in which the victim’s condition is currently unknown. Spykes is described as 6 foot 1 inch, with brown hair and blue eyes. The sheriff’s office said he was wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and white shoes.

According to our news partner KETK, officials are searching for Shyan Spykes who was last seen at around 12:30 p.m. at the Pine Crest subdivision. Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace said they have dealt with Spykes in the past. Continue reading Manhunt ends in Trinity County, suspect in custody