KTBB News, Weather, Talk

MARSHALL — Marshall police are investigating a murder. On Wednesday around 4:35 p.m., officials say police got a call about a man lying on the ground in Powder Mill Cemetery, at FM 1997 and Buffo St. Responding officers determined that the man was dead and had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was identified as Akeivyon Diez McMillan, 20, of Jefferson. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to call police at 903-935-4575, contact Marshall/Harrison County Crimestoppers at 903-935-9969, or use the P3 mobile app.

TYLER — Tyler police have identified a second suspect in a homicide that came to light over the weekend. A warrant for murder was obtained on Christian Navon-Whitney Polk, 19, of Tyler, with a $2,000,000 bond. Police said his whereabouts were not immediately known and he is considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information on his whereabouts, you’re asked to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833. Continue reading Second suspect sought in Tyler homicide

TYLER — Smith County residents will get to take one free trip to the landfill during the annual Smith Countywide Cleanup, set for April. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office Environmental Crimes Unit and Commissioners Court are once again offering the Countywide Cleanup program, which allows residents to take one truckload of bulky items (3 cubic yards of solid waste) to the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free. During County Government Month, one voucher per resident is available in-person only at the Courthouse Annex on East Ferguson Street in Tyler, or any of the Justice of the Peace/Constable Offices throughout the county. The vouchers became available for pickup Monday, March 21, but can only be used Friday, April 1, through Saturday, April 30. Click here for more details.

CANTON – Former Van Zandt County Chief Deputy Craig Shelton won’t face criminal charges after admitting to using excessive force against an inmate, according to District Attorney Tonda Curry. According to our news partner KETK, Curry said Shelton entered into a pre-trial intervention contract addressing two potential charges against him. As part of that deal, along with other conditions, Shelton surrendered his peace officer’s license for life. Shelton allegedly admitted to hitting a handcuffed individual in the face without justification. Sheriff Steve Hendrix, Chief Deputy Jerry Wood, and Sergeant Blake Snell were questioned as part of the Texas Rangers’ investigation. According to their indictments, they all denied seeing Shelton hit an inmate. Continue reading Former Van Zandt chief deputy won’t face criminal charges

LONGVIEW – A Longview man who was shot and killed during a fight with a housemate ended up recording his own murder, according to arrest warrants obtained by our news partner KETK. 49-year-old Michael Ralston (pictured) was arrested for the killing of Eric Wynns, 44, on March 19. Two neighbors told investigators that Ralston and Wynns were having an ongoing “noise feud,” where they were both being “intentionally being loud to annoy each other.” A housemate told police that both were also hearing impaired, with Ralston being called the “Deaf Dragon.” After the shooting, police found Wynns’ cell phone next to his body, which was still recording. Several clips from earlier that night were also saved on the device.

SMITH COUNTY — A Whitehouse man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas Wednesday. Anthony D. Klein, 47, pleaded guilty to attempting to evade or defeat tax. According to information presented in court, for tax year 2016, Klein filed an IRS Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, with the Internal Revenue Service. On that form, he claimed that he had no taxable income and that he was entitled to credits in the amount of $5,836.00. In fact, he had taxable income of approximately $538,188.07 for tax year 2016. Continue reading Whitehouse man guilty of income tax violations

TYLER – Dr. Lance Groppel has been named the new deputy superintendent of administration in Tyler ISD. According to a news release, Dr. Groppel will lead the division that houses Curriculum and Instruction and K-8 School Improvement departments and initiatives. Trustees approved the hire during their March 28 meeting. Dr. Groppel joins the district from the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, where he is the executive director of instructional leadership. Dr. Groppel and his family will move to Tyler this spring, according to the release.

ATHENS – Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says six people were arrested late Tuesday and charged with the aggravated kidnapping of a female victim who was allegedly held against her will and severely tortured. Hillhouse said the woman had met the suspects online. A call about the incident prompted authorities to search a residence on Waverly Way in Athens. Arrested were Felicity Emanuelle Walker, 22; Summer Syler Lawrence, 45; Breonna Cheyenne Johnson, 22; Amanda Marie Andrews, 22; Shayne Joseph Anderson, 30; and Charles K. Bryant, Jr., 21. Hillhouse said the victim was being treated for her injuries. Continue reading Six accused of aggravated kidnapping

TYLER — Things are still looking good with COVID in the NET Health jurisdiction. But NET Health’s George Roberts says officials continue to keep an eye on BA.2 as its presence grows around the country. Roberts says the most recent information shows BA.2 now makes up 54.9 per cent of COVID cases across the U.S. — and close to 50 per cent of cases in the Texas/Oklahoma/Arkansas region. He tells us the numbers are low thus far, but he voices concern about higher figures in other parts of the world — along with part of the northeastern U.S., where the numbers are beginning “to tick up a little bit.” He adds that if the figures start to increase in East Texas, “we will certainly let everybody know.” Roberts still urges vaccinations. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

CANTON – An attorney for Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix is defending his client after Hendrix and two others were indicted. According to our news partner KETK, Kenneth Biggs issued a statement that reads in part, “The Van Zandt County Sheriff has been and will continue to be fully cooperative with any state or federal investigators who seek to acquire information related to this alleged misconduct. We believe the charges brought in this indictment are baseless and the Sheriff looks forward to defending the allegations in court.” Hendrix (pictured) and two deputies were indicted Friday and charged with providing false statement to a peace officer. Continue reading Attorney: Charges against sheriff “are baseless”

TYLER – A Lindale man is facing two counts of cattle theft after a months-long investigation by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA). According to our news partner KETK, 65-year-old Jesus Perez-Sanchez is facing two third-degree felony counts of theft of livestock worth less than $150,000. He was arrested March 11 after the investigation began this past December. Perez-Sanchez allegedly took three yearlings from an absentee landowner’s ranch to a livestock auction and placed one of them in his own name without the landowner’s consent. The second charge accuses him of taking a bull and cow to an auction and placing the cow under his own name, once again without the owner’s knowledge or consent. Perez was released from jail March 21 after posting a $50,000 bond. His next court date has not been scheduled.

TYLER – Tyler police say a worker was killed Monday morning after falling through the roof of the gymnasium on the grounds of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, Officer Andy Erbaugh said there was work in progress on the roof and the worker fell through to the gym floor around 9 a.m. It wasn’t immediately clear what made him fall, and Erbaugh said in a phone interview that TPD’s only involvement in the case was to make sure there was no criminal activity involved. The identity of the victim was not immediately known. The investigation will largely be handled by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

TYLER — Another suspect has been arrested in the case of a man whose body was found Saturday in Tyler. Police say 29-year-old Edna Deanne Jones of Tyler is accused of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a second degree felony with a $250,000 bond, and failing to report a felony, a class A misdemeanor with a $25,000 bond. She has been booked into the Smith County Jail. Earlier, police announced that 26-year-old murder suspect Timothy Eugene Jones of Tyler had been arrested in Dallas. Continue reading Another suspect arrested in connection with Tyler homicide

TYLER — A Tyler man pleaded guilty on Monday to child exploitation violations. According to our news partner KETK, Daniel Dylan Skipworth, 20, pleaded guilty to transporting a 13-year-old girl from Alabama to engage in sexual activity. Skipworth reportedly admitted in court that in April 2021, he transported a 13-year-old he met online from the state of Alabama to his residence in Tyler to commit the offense of sexual abuse of a minor. According to a press release, Skipworth’s conviction is the result of a cooperative effort involving the FBI, Tyler Police Department, and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office, who undertook the investigation after analyzing GPS data associated with the phone of a child who had been reported missing by her foster parents in Alabama. Continue reading Tyler man pleads guilty to trafficking Alabama teen

LINDALE — The City of Lindale has issued a boil water notice to customers on Woodsprings Road from Pearl Street to Shelly Drive and all of Shelly Drive. Crews started work to relocate a water main at 9:00 Tuesday morning. Contact the City of Lindale at 903-882-4948 with any questions.