KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court received a progress report on the courthouse construction project on Tuesday, June 3. According to a news release from Smith County, Brandy Ziegler, partner with Fitzpatrick Architects, has been working on the project for more than two years and said, “it’s wonderful to watch this plan come to life,” as the 100-plus-year building is constructed. She noted that the Hoar Construction team moved with their families to Tyler for the project.

“We want you to understand the hard work and dedication that goes into this project every day,” Stephen Flournoy, project executive for Hoar Construction, said, adding that the project is 35 percent complete.

“We are one-third of the way there,” he said, adding that the cost and timing of where the project is right now is where they want to be.

Bradley Barr, Senior Superintendent for Hoar Construction, gave some “high-level statistics” about the construction project. They include: Continue reading Smith County Courthouse construction update

GILMER – Our news partner KETK reports that the Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a Silver Alert for Jay Lindsey, 73 of Gilmer, who was last seen on May 27.

Lindsey is a white man with a bald head, grey facial hear, blue eyes, weighing around 167 pounds and standing at 5’8″. He was last seen in the 4000 block of FM 555 in Gilmer at around 12 p.m. on May 27, according to DPS.

His vehicle is a gray 2016 GMC Canyon four-door pick-up truck with the Texas license plate number: JSD5270. Anyone who’s seen him is asked to contact the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office at 903-843-2541.

TEXARKANA – Our news partner KETK reports that an East Texas police officer has been placed on administrative leave after being charged with sexual assault of a child.

According to the Texarkana Police Department, Zackary Gilley, 32, had been employed by the department since 2018, and was arrested on Monday night.

The chief of police said both an internal and criminal investigation were started after allegations involving a 15-year-old girl came to light.

Investigators gathered facts from a forensic expert and consulted with the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office before requesting that warrants be issued by a district judge. Continue reading East Texas police officer charged with child sexual assault

TYLER – According to a press release from The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the FBI, there are several imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be members of the USMS, court officers, or other law enforcement officials.

The USMS is urging people to report the calls their Local FBI office and file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which has the ability to detect patterns of fraud from the information collected. Texas residents have experienced a recent uptick in these scam calls.

During these calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine for phony threats of arrests or other legal sanctions due to claims of identity theft, failing to report for jury duty, civil process issues or under the premise of a false crime. They then tell victims that they can avoid arrest by making a payment first. Often that means withdrawing cash and transferring it to “the government” by depositing cash into bitcoin ATMs or other electronic means such as prepaid cards. Continue reading U.S. Marshals warn against phone scams

Tyler – The East Texas Food Bank kicks off the free Summer Food Program for children on Tuesday, June 3, at 35 East Texas locations with a special event at the Glass Recreation Center in Tyler from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. featuring food, activities and more. “It’s so important to make sure children do not go hungry in the summer just because school is out,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Here in East Texas, 1 in 4 children are food insecure so it’s up to our community to make sure we fill that meal gap when the school year ends and kids lose access to free and reduced-price meals they depend on.” ETFB will help ensure children don’t go hungry when school is out—tackling geographic, financial, and systemic barriers to food access. This summer, ETFB will serve 106,000 meals to over 3,000 children. Meals are provided at various community sites Monday-Friday. There is no need to register. The program is for children 18 and younger. Besides the meal, some of the locations at parks, churches and libraries offer other free activities for children. Check with the Summer Food Program you plan to visit for more information. For the full list of locations and serving times visit EastTexasFoodBank.org/SummerFood or by calling 903-597-3663.

LONGVIEW – Our news partner KETK reports that the Longview Fire Department said they responded to a fire at the Alpha Omega Recycling facility on Sunday.

The fire was reported after workers at the Alpha Omega facility on 315 Whatley Road noticed that smoke had started coming from chemicals. Longview Fire Department said this smoke suggested the materials in the facility had spontaneously combusted.

After Longview firefighters had responded to the facility, the found smoke coming from the back of an exterior structure. Longview Fire Department said their firefighters were able to contain the fire damage to the structure and one of its walls.

No injuries were reported and Longview Fire Department estimated the fire did around $50,000 in damage. The fire department responded to the facility with six fire engines, three ladder trucks, two ambulances and six support vehicles.

The facility, which is owned by the Amlon Group, recycles liquid waste, metal industrial waste and hazardous materials for businesses.

TEXARKANA — A man was arrested over the weekend in connection with a Texarkana homicide and is accused of firing more than 50 rounds into the house that led to the death of a 21-year-old.

According to our news partner KETK, detectives were able to find the suspect and worked with Houston PD officers last week to arrest 24-year-old Benjamin Brem.

Just after midnight on May 10, officers responded to a shots-fired call in the 1300 block of Carroll Street. According to police, officers discovered an injured 52-year-old man and 21-year-old Jaylen Betts dead inside the house. The 52-year-old man was taken to the hospital; however, an update on his condition has not been released. More than 50 rounds were fired into the house from the street, according to officers. Brem is expected to be brought back to Texarkana from Houston and will be booked for murder and evading arrest.

UPDATE: According to the Texas DPS, 32-year-old Trevor McEuen who was wanted for murder was taken into custody early Monday morning in Van Zandt County after a SWAT standoff.
McEuen is being held at the Kaufman County Jail on the following charges: Capital murder by terror threat/other felony, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, arson, murder.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — Kaufman County has issued a $10,000 reward for information leading to the capture of a man wanted for murder.

According to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, around 5:33 a.m. on Monday, Trevor McEuen removed his ankle monitor and left his family’s home in Van Zandt County hours before he was due in court on a murder charge, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office said. Continue reading 2023 fatal shooting suspect in custody

Tyler – The East Texas Food Bank will have their summer food kickoff event Tuesday, at 11:00 a.m. at the Glass Recreation Center in Tyler. Food Bank CEO David Emerson will be the keynote speaker, as he will talk about the benefits of the program, and feeding kids this summer. Lunch will be served for kids 18 and younger. Activities like face painting, balloon animals and games will be offered. ETFB will have Summer Food sites at 35 locations in East Texas. To see a map for those locations, go here.

TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that The National Institutes of Health has issued UT Tyler a $441,000 grant for funding to develop cancer-targeting nanotechnology.

“At UT Tyler, we’re committed to advancing research that can save lives,” interim dean of UT Tyler Fisch College of Pharmacy Dr. Pamella Ochoa said. “This NIH grant not only affirms the excellence of our faculty but also highlights our continued role in driving scientific innovation that can benefit East Texas and beyond.”

1 in 10 adults has received a cancer diagnosis, according to UT Tyler. Dr. Santosh Aryal’s and Dr. Farah Deba’s research will focus on using immune system cells to target cancer with nanotechnology. Continue reading $441K grant given to UT Tyler to develop cancer-targeting nanotechnology

COOKVILLE – A man in connection to the death of his wife who was found dead in Cookville on Sunday, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The Titus County sheriff’s office said they responded to a possible murder reported on Sunday in the 500 block of County Road 3130 in Cookville. When deputies arrived at the scene they found a dead woman that was identified as Amy Denmon Allen, 54.

Amy’s husband, Michael Paul Allen, 52, was taken in to custody at the scene. According to the sheriff’s office, he was then interviewed by the Titus County Criminal Investigation Division and arrested for murder.

Allen was arraigned on Monday and his bond has been set at $1 million. The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate this case.

FLINT – Our news partner KETK reports that a Flint man was arrested on Saturday evening after shoving his disabled mom’s head into a wall and elbowing her in the mouth.

According to a Smith County arrest affidavit, a deputy talked to the victim at her home on Frederick Circle about an assault that happened on Saturday between her and her son.

The victim told the deputy that her son, Kerry Dewayne Campbell, “has changed ever since he has gotten into a relationship,” and he was upset because she wasn’t letting him bring his girlfriend to his house.

The affidavit said that Campbell attempted to enter her home, but she was holding the front door closed to prevent him from coming in. “Then [the victim] stated that Campbell grabbed her torso and moved her out of the way,” the document said. “Campbell grabbed her by the face and shoved her head into the wall, and then Campbell elbowed Kerry’s mouth.” Continue reading Flint man arrested after injuring family member

CROCKETT – Our news partner KETK reports that a Crockett woman has been arrested after allegedly selling counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl that led to a man’s death.

The Crockett Police Department said that they received reports of an unresponsive man on May 21 and went to the person’s apartment on Sallas Street at around 11 p.m. Once on the scene, officers along with Houston County EMS discovered the individual had died, which was believed to be caused by a drug overdose.

Inside the victim’s apartment, officers reported finding small blue pills marked “M 30” which are known to resemble oxycodone or Percocet. Further investigation led officials to believe that the pills were counterfeit and contained fentanyl, causing the victim’s death. Continue reading Woman arrested for selling fentanyl-laced pills, leading to a death

WOOD COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports that an East Texas man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting his adopted children.

In 2018, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Kevin Ray Larsson after one of his adopted children reported he had been sexually abusing them. According to officials, the child reported that Larsson had improper relations with her when she was 5-years-old.

As the investigation continued into 2023, at least six of Larsson’s adopted children claimed that he had sexually assaulted them, according to a press release from the Wood County District Attorney’s Office. Larsson later admitted to having inappropriate sexual conduct with one of the children. Continue reading Man sentenced to 30 years for sexually assaulting six adopted children

UPDATE: KAUFMAN COUNTY – According to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, 32-year-old Trevor McEuen, wanted for murder, was taken into custody early Monday morning.

McEuen is being held at the Kaufman County Jail on the charges of capital murder by terror threat/other felony, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, arson, and murder.

Authorities said more information about his arrest will be released later. Continue reading UPDATE: Murder suspect in custody after a month on the run

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, a woman was arrested after attempting to steal a wig from a corpse at a funeral home in Tyler. The funeral director notified the Tyler Police Department on May 23 that Tonya Boyd had gone into the preparation room and had removed the wig from a body, according to a Smith County arrest affidavit. Officials spoke with the funeral director on May 28, who stated that Boyd had been at the funeral home earlier in the day before the incident and was asked to leave. Later that day, Boyd returned to the funeral home, and employees witnessed her exiting the building with a wig in hand but did not realize it belonged to one of their clients.

According to the affidavit, the witness stated that he knew Boyd and that she had a problem with drugs. It was also reported that Boyd had been involved in several criminal activities around the funeral home in the past. The director reported that he had purchased a new wig to replace the stolen one and the family had been notified. Following the investigation, Boyd was charged with theft of property from a human corpse.

GUN BARREL CITY – According to our news partner KETK, the Gun Barrel City Police Department is currently searching for a man that led Henderson County law enforcement on a search to Eustace overnight. Gun Barrel City PD said officers were doing a traffic stop in the 100 block of Trailwind Street in Gun Barrel City on Saturday at around 9:36 p.m. when a man ran from the vehicle.

According to a post from Gun Barrel City PD, the man was identified as Terrence Marshawn Carter, a Black man from Henderson. Officials said Carter has a active patrol violation from the Texas Pardon and Parole Board. Gun Barrel City PD and other agencies searched the area and K9 Aygo was able to track Carter into a creek near the 1000 block of East Main Street, Gun Barrel City PD said. Aygo was unable to track any further at that point.

Then at around 3 a.m. on Sunday, officials said a Henderson County Sheriff’s Office deputy found Carter on Highway 175E but he ran again. The K9 was called out to search for him again but during their search the sheriff’s office was called out to a gas station at 206 Highway 175 in Eustace where a person was seen trying to enter semi-trucks. Continue reading Gun Barrel City Police searching for man

CROCKETT – The City of Crockett city administrator John Angerstein, State Rep. Cody Harris and State Rep. Trent Ashby have all expressed their opposition to a new permit application for wells in Anderson County according to our news partner KETK.

Redtown Ranch Holdings LLC in Anderson County has submitted a groundwater production permit application for 21 high-capacity groundwater wells that he said could extract 10 billion gallons of water a year from the Carrizo and Wilcox aquifers. Angerstein said the permit application also lists 11 more wells in Houston County that could drain another 5 billion gallons of water a year but aren’t covered by the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD) like the 21 proposed wells in Anderson County.

According to Angerstein, the 21 wells would extract 52 times more water than the city of Crockett uses for its population. Continue reading Officials express opposition to new high-capacity wells

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report a passenger was reportedly ejected from a vehicle following a crash in Smith County this afternoon. According to the Community Outreach Coordinator for Smith County ESD2, Nikki Simmons, the crash occurred at FM 2908 at around 12:40 p.m. Simmons did confirm the crash was a rollover, causing one person to be ejected from the vehicle. One person was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Simmons.

TYLER – A student from the University of Texas at Tyler was selected by Governor Abbott to serve a second year as a student regent on the University of Texas System Board of Regents, according to our news partners at KETK. Luke Schwartz, who is currently a graduate student at UT Tyler, was selected to represent students as the student regent for the University of Texas System Board of Regents. Schwartz received his bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas A&M University and is currently pursuing a doctorate of medicine at UT Tyler. Abbott appointed several other student regents for public university boards across the state. A board of regents will govern the activities of each university in their system. In Texas, public university boards are appointed by the governor. Continue reading UT Tyler student chosen for UT System Board of Regents

TEXARKANA – The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department said that Omarion Owens was arrested at the Hookah Lounge in Texarkana on Friday night, according to our news partners at KETK. The Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas Police Departments received multiple tips about Owens being at the lounge. When officers converged on the building a foot pursuit began and lasted for two blocks before Owens was arrested. Owens was then taken to the Miller County Jail and was charged for his felony warrants.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a string of car burglaries that happened overnight on Wednesday and Thursday. According to Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson, 15 vehicles were broken into at around seven different locations near FM 2138, County Road 1714 and County Road 1814 on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. Continue reading Fifteen cars broken into in Cherokee County

MARSHALL – On May 30, 2025, seven illegal gambling operations were shut down and subjects were arrested in a coordinated effort led by the Joint Harrison County Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force. This action follows an extensive investigation targeting businesses operating illegal gambling devices.

With support from Marshall Police Department Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division, Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office, seven search warrants were executed across Marshall and Harrison County. These warrants were issued by 71st District Judge Brad Morin. Continue reading Illegal gambling operations shut down

LUFKIN – Our news partner KETK reports that a 74-year-old man was killed in Lufkin after a car crash that caused his vehicle to flip over twice.

Members of the Lufkin Police Department arrived on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Thursday evening after receiving reports of a car crash. Officials pronounced Willie Coleman dead on the scene.

“Coleman was traveling north on MLK when his Chevrolet truck went off the road to the right, traveled through a ditch and a creek before flipping twice,” Lufkin PD said.

Coleman’s family has been notified of his death and an autopsy has been ordered.

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the ban on THC in Texas has local businesses and East Texans concerned.

Senate Bill 3 will ban all THC products and now waits for Abbott’s signature. Co-owner of Dragon’s Breath in North Tyler said a full THC ban will do more harm than good.

When the House and Senate passed the bill, co-owner, Lauren Gilmore made all THC products 25 percent off and she believes SB-3 becoming law would be harmful to Texans.

“Honestly, just putting people’s lives at risk and making ordinarily law-abiding citizens into criminals,” Dragon’s Breath co-owner, Lauren Gilmore said.

The bill was spearheaded by Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick. AG Commissioner, Sid Miller, has supported the bill and said taking away THC will protect kids. Continue reading Tyler smoke shop urges Abbott to veto THC ban bill

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, a longtime federal prosecutor has been named by President Trump as the acting United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Texas.

Jay R. Combs has been working for the Department of Justice since 2006, where he started as Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) on the U.S.- Mexico border. While he was at AUSA, Combs focused on immigration, narcotics and human trafficking cases along with fraud and white collar crimes.

Through his tenure, Combs received multiple nationwide awards and was recognized for his contributions to the fight against international drug cartels. Combs served in the United States Army as a Judge Advocate General for six years after serving 20 years in the U.S. Army. While in the Army, he served in several roles, including Executive Officer of an Air Defense Artillery Battery.

Combs looks to carry out the current administration’s goal of keeping Americans safe. Continue reading New U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Texas named