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RUSK COUNTY – In the 1983 KFC murder case, which resulted in the deaths of five people, Rusk County authorities are getting ready to name a third suspect. Our news partners at KETK report that Mary Tyler, Opie Hughes, Joey Johnson, David Maxwell, and Monty Landers were kidnapped from a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Kilgore on September 23, 1983. They were then driven to a remote oil field in Rusk County, where they were shot and killed.

Within a week, authorities named Romeo Pinkerton and Darnell Hartsfield as suspects. But it was not until 2005 that indictments were returned, as DNA evidence from the scene connected both men to it. Hartsfield died in prison in 2023, and Pinkerton is currently serving a life sentence. Continue reading New suspect to be named in KFC murders

SABINE COUNTY — Three individuals were arrested Sunday as part of an ongoing Sabine County drug operation targeting methamphetamine distribution, according to our news partner KETK. Rotheria Andrew Sowell, 43, Phillip Eugene Wiseman, 56, and William Michael Lloyd, 58, were all taken into custody on meth-related charges. Sowell and Wiseman, who were already being held in custody on unrelated narcotics charges, were charged with delivery of a controlled substance with Lloyd being charged for possession of a controlled substance.
Continue reading Three arrested in Sabine County meth operation

OVERTON — A man has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with a vehicle fire reported in September. According to our news partner KETK, officers were dispatched Sept. 18 to a vehicle fire at 412 North Warren St. The fire was extinguished and investigators reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby business, which identified the suspect as Randy Eugene Reid.

Reid was already being held at the Rusk County Jail on unrelated charges. Police issued and executed a warrant for Reid’s arrest on Nov. 5. He was charged for arson with his bond set at $50,000 and remains in custody at the Rusk County Justice Center.

SMITH COUNTY – In the Smith County Commissioners Court meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning, a motion will be considered involving the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office joining the 2867G Task Force Model Program. According to our news partner KETK, the 2867G Task Force Model is a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows local law enforcement to enforce U.S. immigration laws, including identifying and processing immigrants with pending or active criminal charges.

Smith County Precinct 4 Constable Josh Joplin recently defended his office’s decision to consider joining the 287(g) Task Force Model Program while reassuring residents that he will not target immigrants.

“We are not forming an immigration unit, doing sweeps, or conducting raids,” Joplin said. “We will not deviate from the services and standards the citizens of this precinct expect and deserve.” Continue reading Smith County considering joining ICE task force

ELKHART – Two more relatives were arrested last week in connection to the sexual assault of a child in Elkhart, arrest records have revealed. According to our news partner KETK, Carl Laza, 59, and Kaleb Laza, 27, were both arrested on Nov. 13 after the Dallas Police Department launched an investigation into Carl’s son Skylar Laza, who was arrested on Nov. 5

Skylar, a former Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputy, was arrested for aggravated sexual assault of a child after one of his juvenile relatives was interviewed forensically and corroborated videos of Skylar allegedly sexually assaulting him, arrest records show. According to an arrest affidavit, the juvenile victim recalled a time when Carl sexually abused him when he lived with the victim’s family in Elkhart. A Dallas PD officer interviewed Carl’s son, Kenan Laza, and he confirmed that Carl did live with the family in Elkhart around the time the child described. Continue reading Two more arrested in child sexual assault case

OVERTON — A man has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with a vehicle fire reported in September. According to our news partner KETK, Overton PD was called to the fire scene Thursday, Sept. 18 at North Warren and McKay Streets, near May Oldfield Pipe. After the fire was put out, investigators viewed surveillance video from a business nearby. They identified the alleged arsonist as Randy Eugene Reid. Authorities arrested Reid Nov 5. He is charged with arson and is being held in the Rusk County Justice Center on a $50,000 bond. Reid was already being held on unrelated charges.

GLADEWATER – Following the release of video showing a suspect in a recent break-in, the Gladewater Police Department is asking for the public’s help. According to our news partner KETK, in the early morning hours of Oct. 30, authorities say a building was broken into with a pickup truck. Police are looking for help identifying the vehicle’s owner and present location after obtaining surveillance footage of it. Gladewater authorities are asking anyone with information regarding the car or the break-in to please contact them.

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that a motion pertaining to the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office joining the 2867G Task Force Model Program will be discussed at the Tuesday morning Smith County Commissioners Court meeting.

Local law enforcement can enforce U.S. immigration laws, including identifying and processing immigrants with pending or active criminal charges, through the 2867G Task Force Model, a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Constable Josh Joplin of Smith County Precinct 4 recently assured locals that he will not target immigrants while defending his office’s decision to participate in the 287(g) Task Force Model Program.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – The former owners of the land where a massive AI datacenter campus is planned to built in Sulphur Springs are being sued by the city for trying to stop part of the datacenter project. According to our news partner KETK, the lawsuit comes after the Vistra Corporation, parent company of Luminant Mining Company, issued a cease and desist letter to the city on Sept. 30. They sent the letter after learning about Sulphur Springs’ deal with MSB Global to build 30 AI data centers on the land that Luminant had gifted to the city.

According to court documents, when Luminant transferred the mine land to the city they included a restrictive covenant in the deed that would prevent the land for being used for power generation or power storage of any kind. Since the datacenters are planned to include onsite power generation or storage, Vistra claims the covenant would prevent construction that equipment.

Vistra’s cease and desist letter says they brought up how this restrictive covenant could block the construction of a datacenter on the land to the city several times since they granted them the property in 2019. Continue reading Sulphur Springs suing landowners blocking datacenter

NEW YORK CITY — New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd is in critical condition after being shot in Midtown, according to our news partner KETK. Authorities Monday afternoon released a photo of the man suspected of shooting Boyd. Boyd attended Gilmer High School, where he played both running back and defensive back under current UTSA Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor.

The shooting happened just after 2 a.m. on 38th Street, according to the NYPD. A 29-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and taken to the hospital in critical condition, police said. Police did not identify the man as Boyd, but a spokesperson for the Jets said the team is aware of the shooting.

Boyd has been on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury he got in practice, according to the team. He has not played this season after signing with the Jets in March.

Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings out of Texas in 2019, Boyd has played for the Vikings, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Houston Texans.

TYLER – A driver is in critical condition after a motorcycle and a vehicle crashed on FM 3341 near Lake Tyler on Saturday.

According to our news partner KETK, EMS responded to the scene of a crash in the 18000 block of FM 3341 at around 4:50 p.m. on Saturday. EMS performed CPR on a driver injured in the crash before they were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver is currently in critical condition, according to Smith County officials.

UPDATE: Our news partner KETK is reporting that Chessa Taylor was found safe on Saturday, thanks to the many calls they received from concerned residents.

LUFKIN – The Lufkin Police Department is currently searching for a 14-year-old girl who was last seen on Friday. Chessa Taylor, 14, was last seen leaving her home by her mother at around 4 p.m. on Friday, according to Lufkin PD. Chessa was last seen wearing a green polo shirt, light-colored denim jeans and possibly cream-colored Reebok shoes.

Anyone with information on Chessa is asked to call Lufkin PD at 936-633-0356.