KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the City of Frankston said the city has nearly 25 homes with trees toppled on them and one injury as a result of severe weather.

East Texas was slammed with severe weather Tuesday afternoon that caused quite a scare for people in Frankston. Even though the storm has passed, the damage has left its mark on the community. At one Frankston home, more than five trees fell directly on top of the roof.

The Frankston Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Gerald Hall said the path of the storm is quite noticeable in the city.

In a separate neighborhood, one person went to the hospital with a broken ankle after a tree fell on the person’s home. Continue reading Severe weather leaves extensive damage across East Texas

TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that an 18-wheeler is jackknifed at I-20 mile marker 553 eastbound, and blocking the right lane, according to the Lindale Fire Department.

Traffic is down to one lane, and drivers are encouraged to slow down and use caution during severe weather.

TYLER — With severe weather hitting East Texas Tuesday afternoon, electric utilities and cooperatives are reporting power outages. Our news partner KETK has a county by county power outage list, you can see it here.

HALLSVILLE – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking answers in relation to a murder that occurred in 2013 in Hallsville and has yet to be solved, according to our news partner KETK.

51-year-old Lillian Desiree Descoteau’s body was found by two truck drivers near FM 450 ramp onto IH-20, just south of Hallsville on October 7, 2013, according to officials.

“She had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled. Descoteau’s body was only clothed in a light blue pullover, a white bra and a shiny diamond stud earring in one ear,” DPS said.

Descoteau had lived in several states across the country, including Alaska, Colorado, Ohio, Georgia and lastly Irving, Texas, where she worked as a commercial driver for a brief period. Continue reading Police offer $6k for information in 2013 cold case murder

KILGORE – The Kilgore Fire Department said that the U.S. 259 Bypass in front of Forest Home Baptist Church in Kilgore is closed after a major accident Tuesday morning.

According to officials, the Kilgore Fire and Rescue Unit is on scene of a major motor vehicle accident and the roadway will be closed for an extended amount of time.

The department encourages people to find an alternate route of travel.

TYLER — The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NETRMA) is hosting meetings this week to discuss a proposed extension of Toll 49 out to US Route 271. According to our news partner KETK, the meetings will present members of the public with an opportunity to learn about the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process which is the next step towards extending Toll 49 to US Route 271 from State Highway 110.

The project team will be available to answer any comments or questions the public may have on potential impacts of the expansion.

The meetings will be in-person and online from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday at the Tyler Rose Garden Center at 420 Rose Park Dr. in Tyler and the Longview Exhibit Center at 1123 Jaycee Dr. in Longview.

Visit the NETRMA website here.

AUSTIN – House Bill 2109, which aims to stop the Marvin Nichols Reservoir, has passed through committee but still needs to be heard on the Texas State House floor to be voted on.

According to our news partner KETK, East Texas supporters of the bill are encouraging everyone to call members of the Texas State House Calendar Committee to put HB 2109 on the schedule to be heard. Organizers said it is a bipartisan issue that affects everyone.

HB 2109 passed out of the Natural Resources Committee on April 23 but the Calendar Committee has decide when to allow it to be heard by May 15. The 57-year-old plan could flood up to 200,000 acres of land, leaving homes and schools to be moved. The possibility of the project coming to fruition has paralyzed hardworking East Texans like Casey Conway.

The last day for House bills to be considered on the floor is May 16 at midnight, but Conway fears it will not be chosen. Continue reading Stop Marvin Nichols Reservoir bill passes, but needs push

UPDATE: The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said that Hyemin “Katherine” Wee was found dead in a wooded area near the Garden Valley Golf Resort at around 3:45 p.m. on Monday.

Wee was the subject of a search on Monday morning after she was last seen on Sunday. According to the sheriff’s office, investigators are the scene where she was found and they don’t suspect foul play as of Monday evening.

Smith County Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace Judge Danny Brown performed an inquest at the scene and has ordered an autopsy. Sheriff Larry Smith thanked the International ALERT Academy and law enforcement personnel for helping to find Wee.

SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing woman last seen on Sunday. Continue reading UPDATE: Smith County woman found dead near Golf Resort

MABANK – According to our news partner KETK, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man for injury to an elderly individual, assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest in Mabank on Tuesday, April 29. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KETK, a sheriff’s office deputy responded to a reported assault at a home on Zuni Street in Mabank at around 3:25 a.m. on Tuesday.

When the deputy arrived at the scene, he met with Forrest Outcalt, 40 of Mabank, on the porch of the home. The affidavit described that Outcalt told the deputy he had been in an argument with his roommate about him not paying bills on time. Outcalt stated he then went outside to leave the argument when his roommate followed him out and attacked him.

The affidavit reports that Outcalt told the deputy he was so scared by his roommate that he slapped him in the face. The deputy then spoke with Outcult’s roommate, an 82-year-old man. Continue reading Man arrested for slapping 82-year-old, assaulting officer

UPDATE: Kaufman County has issued a $10,000 reward for information leading to McEuen’s capture, according to our news partner KETK.

The sheriff’s office said they believe Trevor McEuen has left the Van Zandt County area. McEuen had been living with his family in Van Zandt County before he removed his ankle monitor and went on the run. The sheriff’s office said they the public should not be in fear of their safety.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office is searching for a man who was due in court on Monday for a murder charge in Kaufman County.

According to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and other local agencies are near U.S. Highway 80 east of Grand Saline searching for Trevor McEuen. Around 5:33 a.m. on Monday, McEuen removed his ankle monitor and left his home hours before he was due in court on a murder charge in Kaufman County, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office said. Continue reading Authorities issue $10,000 reward for fugitive murder suspect

TEXARKANA – A Dallas man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Emmanuel Robles, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III on May 5, 2025.

According to information presented in court, between 2019 and 2021, Robles conspired with others to bring methamphetamine to East Texas for distribution. During this time, Robles distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine. Robles admitted to providing controlled substances to another co-conspirator in July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; and April 2020. Continue reading Man sentenced to 10 years for meth trafficking

TYLER – The City of Tyler will show appreciation for outstanding public servants during Public Service Recognition Week from May 5 through May 9. All City of Tyler non-emergency offices and facilities will be closed Friday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for an interdepartmental event. However, essential and emergency functions will continue. Celebrated since 1985, Public Service Recognition Week is a nationwide public recognition campaign honoring the men and women who serve as federal, state, county and local government employees. 

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing woman last seen on Sunday, according to our news partner KETK.

The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said they received a missing persons call on Sunday at around 11:30 p.m. Deputies responded to an area near Garden Valley Golf Course, where they found the missing person’s vehicle.

Hyemin “Katherine” Wee is described as an Asian woman, 5 feet 2 inches, 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Officials said she could be wearing a black or dark gray V-neck T-shirt. Wee has made recent suicidal statements.

“At this time, multiple law enforcement agencies and fire departments are in the area searching for Hyemin Wee,” Smith County officials said. “The search area includes Garden Valley Golf Course, the surrounding wooded areas and residential areas. This has been an ongoing effort since early this morning and will continue throughout the day.”

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 903-566-6600 or call 911.

LONGVIEW – Our news partner, KETK, reports that East Texans were able to gain and provide some insight about the federal budget.

East Texas Congressional representative Nathaniel Moran hosted a budget workshop in Tyler and Longview this past week to hear from residents. The workshops were held to give Moran an opportunity to hear from East Texans about their opinions on the federal budget, and how they believe it should be managed.

The congressman emphasized what these kinds of events mean to him. “It’s one of my favorite things to do. Every time I learn something, so I can be their voice in Washington DC,” Moran said.

With Trump’s proposed cut to nearly $6 billion from the education budget and return the power to the state, Rep. Moran spoke about how he agrees with the proposal.

“Return the power to our local school districts and get the federal government out of our government,” Rep. Moran said.

The budget workshop took place on May 1 in Tyler and again on May 2 in Longview, giving residents of both cities a chance to voice their opinions on the federal budget and giving Moran a chance to answer any questions that may arise.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office is searching for a man who was due in court on Monday for a murder charge in Kaufman County.

According to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and other local agencies are near U.S. Highway 80 east of Grand Saline searching for Trevor McEuen, who has removed his ankle monitor, and was due in court Monday for a murder charge in Kaufman County.

Officials said that Kaufman County has an active warrant for bail revocation for capital murder. Authorities are asking East Texans if they see anything suspicious in the area to contact 911 and not to attempt to apprehend McEuen.

“The sheriff’s office is working to ensure the safety of all citizens in Van Zandt County,” the sheriff’s office said.

PITTSBURG – The Camp County Commissioner’s Court declared the county as a “Sanctuary County for the Unborn” in a unanimous vote on Wednesday, according to our news partner KETK.

The passed ordinance outlaws abortion at the county level in Camp County and prohibits travelling from or through Camp County on the way to get an abortion, according to a post from East Texas State Rep. Cole Hefner.

“I commend Judge A.J. Mason and the entire Commissioners’ Court for their courage and commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us,” said Hefner. “This isn’t just a symbolic statement—it’s a legally enforceable action that honors the sanctity of life and strengthens Texas’ stance as a leader in the fight for the unborn.”

According to Hefner, Camp County is the first county in East Texas to pass such an ordinance, making it one of ten such counties in the United States. Texas made abortion illegal in Texas in 2022 after the state’s “trigger law” took effect when the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe V. Wade.

UPDATE: Como-Pickton CISD said a student has been identified and caught by law enforcement in connection to a threat made to a teacher on Friday night.

“Let me reiterate that we have zero tolerance for this type of behavior,” Como-Pickton CISD said. “We want to thank the effort, work and support of the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff Tatum.”

COMO, Texas (KETK) — Como-Pickton CISD has been working with police after a person threatened they would shoot a teacher over the phone Friday night, school officials said.

According to the district, someone pulled a prank on a teacher late Friday night by calling her with a spoof number. The person used threatening language when talking to the teacher about raising their grade and threatened to shoot her if it didn’t happen, the school said. Continue reading UPDATE: Student apprehended after threat made to teacher

SMITH COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, a man was arrested for a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Tyler on Thursday, Smith County Jail records show.

The Tyler Police Department began looking into the case on April 16 after they were dispatched to the UT Health ER in Tyler in regard to a sexual assault call they received. Once at the ER, officers reported that they spoke with a nurse who informed them that an underage girl from a group home was brought in by her caregiver and believed to have had sexual relationships with an adult man, an arrest affidavit showed.

While at the ER, the victim’s caregiver informed detectives that the victim had run away on Monday, April 14 and did not return until the morning of April 15. Once the victim returned to the group home, she informed her caregiver that she had sexual intercourse with an unknown man while she was away, according to an arrest affidavit. Continue reading Man arrested for sexual assault in Planet Fitness parking lot

UPDATE: The Nacogdoches Police Department said Donnell was found safe and in good spirits on Sunday.

“On behalf of the Nacogdoches Police Department, Donnell, and his family, thank you to everyone who shared the post or helped in the search,” Nacogdoches PD said.

NACOGDOCHES – The Nacogdoches Police Department are currently searching for a non-verbal autistic boy named Donnell. According to our news partner KETK, Donnel, a black, 15-year-old boy was last seen Sunday afternoon about 3 p.m. Near East Main and Timberlake Street. At that time, he was thought to be wearing a green shirt and blue pajama pants. Officials ask if you see Donnell, to please call the Nacogdoches Police Department at 936-559-2607.

TYLER – A funeral service was held for a fallen Tyler police officer Saturday in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Police Department Officer Sam Lively died April 26 in off-duty motorcycle accident.

Officer Lively had been a member of the Tyler PD since September 5, 2023. Services Saturday afternoon were held at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, followed by interment which took place at Grove Hill Cemetery in Dallas. Lively’s friend and Smith County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryan Boller gave the eulogy at the funeral.

“Sam was special. Sam was exceptional. Sam brightened every room he walked into with his contagious smile and his expressive mannerisms, it made you think sometimes what is this guy on? He’s always on fire. Sam was just driven to his calling to serve,” Boller said.

TYLER – With voting Saturday May 3, 2025 complete, results are available. Our news partner KETK has the complete list. You can find it here.

HARRISON COUNTY – The Marshall-Harrison County Health District confirmed a case of measles in a child younger than five years old on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, officials with the MHCHD, suspect the exposure date and location is April 27 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Hallsville. Investigators are seeing if this case is connected to the west Texas outbreak.

“Now that measles has made its way into our country, we must remain diligent in preventing its spread,” Harrison County Health Authority and MHCHD Medical Director Dr. Ricky Paul said. “The best protection against measles is to receive the Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine.”

Officials add that measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing, sneezing or being near an infected person. People can spread measles from four days before and four days after a rash appears. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, watery or red eyes and a rash typically starting on the face and spreading downward two to five days after initial symptoms.

UPDATE: The Crockett Police Department has recovered the body of a missing teenager they believe to be Michael Ortiz. Police said they found the body Friday night on County Road 4020, near Box Creek, in Crockett. The investigation is being treated as a homicide. The Houston County Sheriff’s Office along with the Texas Rangers and Crockett Police Department are investigating the case. If you have information, you can contact 936-544-2862. Anonymous tips can also be left at 639TIPS.com.

CROCKETT – The Crockett Police Department is searching for a missing 16-year-old last seen on Tuesday evening. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Martin Ortiz was wearing black jogging pants and a black hoodie when he was last seen. If you have information on the location of Michael Martin Ortiz, your asked to contact Crockett Police Department Detective Humberto Gonzalez by calling 936-544-2021 or emailing him at [email protected]

TYLER – A Marshall ISD school bus in Tyler was involved in an accident late Friday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, the accident happened around 5:30 p.m. at the Pilot Travel Center on FM 14. Officials from the district said a car ran into the side of the bus. The elementary school students on board the bus were on a field trip. Another bus was sent to Tyler to pick up the students and staff involved in the accident. They returned to Marshall around 8:15 p.m. No injuries were reporting

TYLER – The city of Tyler in a release said that the Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East boat ramps have reopened. Officials say because of the current high water levels, Tyler Water Utilities urges all boaters to use caution. Boat operators are reminded to stay alert for potential navigation hazards in the area and be aware of their wake to ensure the safety of other boaters and protect nearby properties.

NACOGDOCHES – Our news partner, KETK, reports that a Nacogdoches man was arrested on Thursday night after a person was found dead lying in the street with stab wounds.

According to the Nacogdoches Police Department, around 10:45 p.m., police and fire responded to the 2220 block of Maybell St. between Sweetgum St. and Fourth St., and found Sirveorge Deron Jones, 40, of Nacogdoches lying dead in the street with several stab wounds.

Officials said that officers found a large amount of blood and the location of the incident at a nearby home. Officers then spoke with Emar’ian Nikhy Trezmin Jones, 23, of Nacogdoches, who told them that he had stabbed Sirveorge during a family argument.

Emar’ian was arrested for murder, and booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail on Friday. The department said that this incident is not related to the murder that occured at Eastwood Terrance Monday evening, and more information will be released as it becomes available.