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LUFKIN — Our news partners at KETK report that a man is dead after a Thursday night shooting in the 200 block of Bowles Street in Lufkin. The Lufkin Police Department said gunshots were reported at around 10:40 p.m., and when officers arrived at the scene, they located a man “who had been shot multiple times.” Despite attempts to save his life, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect has been identified as 49-year-old DeMarcus Jones, who has since been charged with murder for the death of Tyrone Williams. Continue reading One dead after Thursday night shooting

MOUNT PLEASANT – Our news partners at KETK report that a former Mount Pleasant ISD (MPISD) special education teacher’s aide, Jaquaven Rogers, was arrested on Friday for allegedly having an improper relationship with a student. According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department (MPPD), MPISD was told about an alleged improper relationship Friday morning. The district contacted MPPD and detectives arrived on campus to investigate the allegations. Probable cause led to Rogers’ arrest at P.E. Wallace Middle School. Rogers is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student from a different Mount Pleasant ISD campus, according to Mount Pleasant PD. Continue reading Teacher’s aide arrested for child sex crimes

LONGVIEW — Our news partners at KETK report that a Longview man arrested in connection with a deadly 2023 shooting has pleaded guilty to murder and been sentenced to 25 years in jail. According to court records, 45-year-old Michael Dashaun Jackson entered a guilty plea Friday morning in the 188th District Court for the murder of Martin King, 45. The incident occurred in May 2023, when Longview police were called to the 1300 block of Twelfth Street after reports of gunfire. Officers found King lying on the side of the road suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Following an investigation, Jackson was identified as a suspect and later arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail for murder. As part of his guilty plea, Jackson received a 25-year sentence that he will serve in the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office Jail.

KILGORE – Our news partners at KETK report a Kilgore ISD student was struck in a hit-and-run on Friday morning. The school district stated that the student was waiting to be picked up for school by a bus when the incident occurred. The hit-and-run happened at the intersection of CR 2105 and CR 2106 at around 6:15 a.m., the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. The student was struck by a “dark colored vehicle,” and no other description has been provided at this time. The Kilgore Police Department said the student was treated by EMS on scene before being taken to a local hospital.

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Tax Office is mailing out 186,349 property tax statements. This week, 168,378 bills were mailed out, and another 17,971 statements will be mailed next week to residents who live in the Whitehouse Independent School District area. January 31, 2026, is the deadline for paying property taxes. Payments can be made by scanning the QR code on your statement — it will take you directly to the payment page on your account.

“It has been a game changer in how people pay their property taxes,” Smith County Tax Assessor-Collector Gary Barber said of adding the QR code. “If you want to skip the long lines at the Tax Office, I highly recommend you pay online.”

Taxpayers can click here to pay their tax bills with debit or credit card or e-check, which is the easiest and fastest way to pay.

The tax statements mailed and online reflect the new homestead exemptions that were approved in the statewide Constitutional Amendment Election. Continue reading County property taxes mailed to residents

GLADEWATER – After a Dallas investigation, a former Gladewater Police officer was taken into custody and charged with indecency with a minor.

Kenan Robert Laza, 29 of Longview, was taken into custody and charged with indecency with a child, a third-degree felony.

According to a release, Gladewater Police Chief Kyle Ready stated that the Dallas Police Department initially called at approximately 5 p.m. on Thursday to inform him that Laza had been taken into custody at his home.

A release states that Chief Ready arrived at Laza’s house and fired immediately. In order to guarantee that justice is served “to the fullest extent of the law,” the department stated that they are working in tandem with the Dallas Police Department during an investigation.

LONGVIEW – At a court hearing Thursday, a Kilgore man convicted of killing a Hallsville teen in 2015 was given a reduced sentence. Coby Ray Hudgins, 33, was first given a 99-year prison term for killing 17-year-old Kayla Williams in 2013. Hudgins agreed on Thursday to a reduced sentence of 45 years in prison instead of a new sentencing hearing. Based on expert testimony that concluded Hudgins’ “traumatic history as a sexual assault victim combined with the physical and mental effects of that trauma” could have shortened his sentence, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted him a new hearing.

HENDERSON COUNTY – DNA evidence has led to the identification of a suspect in the 1987 murder of an East Texas man who was discovered dead beneath a bridge, following nearly 40 years of investigation. Rickey Herriage’s body was discovered under a bridge on Henderson County’s County Road 1500 on March 8, 1987. For decades, the case remained unsolved despite the deputies’ best efforts. As of 2025, authorities have identified Dallas Reynolds Casanova as a possible suspect based on DNA testing. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that Casanova, who was a resident of Henderson County at the time of the murder, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2008.
Continue reading Potential suspect in 1987 murder found

WHITEHOUSE –The grand opening of the new Whitehouse City Center took place on Thursday evening, offering a new gathering space for the community.

According to our news partner KETK, the center features an event space for over 100 people, a formal meeting room available for public use, a training room for city and local organizations, and a dedicated area for children to study and meet. The building housing the new center has a rich history, having previously served as a church, a gym, and a market. This historical significance adds to the community’s appreciation of the new center.

The project began in 2021 and was developed with input from the local community, reflecting the needs and desires of Whitehouse residents. The Whitehouse City Center is set to become a central hub for community activities, preserving the building’s historical essence while providing modern amenities for residents.

SMITH COUNTY — After protests were held in Smith County on Thursday afternoon regarding the county’s involvement in the Federal 287 (g) Immigration Enforcement Program, Sheriff Larry Smith released a statement defending his office and its policies.

In a statement, Smith reassured residents that the sheriff’s office has not changed its stance on immigration enforcement and public safety. Smith did, however, state that the sheriff’s office had joined the 287(g) program, claiming it strengthens their ability to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and to ensure that those who commit crimes in Smith County are held accountable.

“This program not only provides the Smith County Sheriff’s Office with the ability to ensure the immigration laws are enforced within Smith County, but it also mandates we enforce the Federal Immigration Laws,” Smith said. Continue reading Sheriff defends department’s policies amid protests

HOUSTON COUNTY — The Houston County Sheriff’s Office has fired one of their staff, after learning former Deputy Skyler Laza was arrested on alleged child sex crime charges. According to our news partner KETK, Laza was arrested late Wednesday afternoon by the DPS Criminal Investigation Division at his home in Palestine and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. That evening, Houston County Sheriff Zak Benge traveled to the Anderson County Jail, where Laza was being held and terminated him as a deputy in Houston County.

In a statement from Houston County Sheriff Zak Benge, “The allegations and supporting evidence against Laza are truly disturbing. It is sickening to me that a person who sought a position meant to help those in our community, especially the most vulnerable, our children, would be the very person arrested for abuse. My office will continue to work with the investigating agencies and assist in every way possible to ensure that Laza, and anyone else involved in these heinous acts of abuse against this juvenile victim, are punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Update – Gabrielle Erin Toon of Tyler, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to physically assaulting a disabled minor.

SMITH COUNTY — A 27-year-old Tyler nurse has pleaded guilty four months after a video surfaced of her physically assaulting a disabled minor. According to our news partner KETK, Gabrielle Erin Toon pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to a third-degree charge of injury to a child following her July arrest, her defense team confirmed. While the state offered a straight probation sentence, the defense requested deferred adjudication. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday.

Toon’s case first came to light after the child’s grandparents reported to the Tyler Police Department that Toon, a live-in nurse, had been seen on video smacking and aggressively pushing their granddaughter while responsible for her care during evening hours.

According to court records, the child is immobile, non-verbal, dependent on nighttime oxygen, has a chronic lung disease and had a kidney transplant. The video, captured on July 1, shows Toon slapping the child multiple times and pushing her head onto a pillow while demanding she go to sleep. Continue reading Former nurse gets five years in prison for child assault

LUFKIN — According to our news partner KETK, a Lufkin man accused of shooting at police during a 2024 standoff has been found not guilty of aggravated assault.

Jason Penick, 47, was arrested in June 2024 after a disturbance call in the 700 block of Clark Avenue escalated into an hours-long standoff involving the Lufkin Police Department, its SWAT team, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. At the time, police said Penick had fired at responding officers before barricading himself inside the home.

According to the Angelina County District Clerk’s Office, Penick’s trial in the 159th District Court began Tuesday and concluded Wednesday, when the jury returned a not guilty verdict. Penick’s district attorney confirmed that court testimony revealed no witnesses – including other officers – saw anyone fire a weapon during the incident but did report hearing what sounded like gunfire. Investigators later recovered a gun from the scene but found no shell casings or bullet holes.

Penick told investigators the sound the officers heard was caused by a dresser falling.