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TYLER – The Smith County District Attorney’s Office is reportedly seeking the death penalty in the trial of Jamaurea Britton, 20. Britton has been indicted for the 2023 murder of Dejah Hood.

18-year-old Dejah Hood was found dead in a ravine behind the Hollytree Apartments in September of 2023 after she was reported missing by her mother earlier that day. She was reportedly out with friends, including Britton, when she disappeared.

Britton was first interviewed by Tyler PD and reportedly said that Hood had been to his apartment and then left. An affidavit said an officer noticed blood near the entry of the apartment. Britton reportedly denied the blood was human.
Continue reading Smith County DA seeks death penalty in 2023 murder

BULLARD – The shooting death of two children and an adult woman was confirmed as a murder-suicide after a month and a week since it was reported as a triple homicide by the Bullard Police Department. According to our news partner KETK, police were dispatched on Sept. 1 to Guinn Street and found 25-year-old Tatyanna Smith and her two children Madilynn Evans, 4, and Maison Evans, 2, dead and a 10-month-old injured.

“After a comprehensive review of evidence, witness interviews, and forensic analysis, investigators have determined that no additional persons were involved, and the case is being reclassified as an isolated incident of a double murder/suicide,” the police department said.

Bullard PD said the child was released from the hospital and is with family.

“In conclusion, The Bullard Police Department is kindly asking the community to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time,” Bullard PD said. “Your understanding and support are greatly appreciated.”

CENTER, Texas – The Center ISD and local law enforcement announced that a student was detained Wednesday night after making a school threat. According to our news partner KETK and Center ISD Superintendent Brian Morris, the FBI notified the district’s police chief of a potential threat of a school shooting. The law enforcement agencies along with school administrators went to the house of the student who the FBI said made the threat and detained them. Morris said the student was taken into questioning and will not be attending their campus “for the foreseeable future.”

PANOLA COUNTY, Texas – Two minors were charged with burglary on Wednesday after they were caught by a game camera on a stolen UTV. Our news partners at KETK and the Panola County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) report that authorities were able to identify the suspects by using a game camera found on the UTV owner’s property. Both suspects were taken into custody and taken to the Willoughby Juvenile Detention Center in Marshall. The sheriff’s office said they were charged with burglary of a habitation and theft of property.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that Smith County District Clerk Penny Clarkston was arrested again on Monday for yelling at jurors and physically blocking exit doors during a court proceeding, court documents state.According to a document filed by Judge Austin Reeve Jackson, the court told potential jurors they were free to go when Clarkston started yelling that they couldn’t leave without her permission. As district clerk, Clarkston issues writs, abstracts of judgement and prepares warrants. According to the Smith County website, she also serves as the administrator of the county’s jury system. The document stated that on Monday, the court ordered Clarkston multiple times to stop talking to the jurors and to let them leave but she refused. Clarkston would then ignore several of the court’s orders and proceeded to say “you can’t tell me to do anything,” the documents said. Continue reading Smith County District Clerk held in contempt again

TEXARKANA – The Texarkana Police Department said that they arrested two individuals after they allegedly attacked and robbed an elderly person who was giving them a ride.

According to our news partner KETK, at approximately 11:30 a.m. the Texarkana PD responded to a call about an injured man in the 500 block of Blake Street. Officers said they found an 86-year-old man bleeding from a wound on his head that told officers he was flagged by two individuals to give them a ride to Blake Street. Police said that the man told them one of the individuals, identified as Danny Williams, started to choke him with a baseball bat and afterwards struck him in the head with the bat.

Texarkana PD said that the man also told them that the other passenger, identified as Dequeener Mitchell, proceeded to grab his wallet and take the cash out of it before the two individuals fled. Continue reading Two arrested after allegedly attacking senior in car

MARSHALL – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Hallsville man after a search revealed that he was in possession of child pornography. According to our news partner KETK, arrested was 43-year-old Keven Barnett. HCSO detectives received information from the Terrell Police Department about a tip from the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce that warned of juvenile exploitation in Harrison County. The ICAC and sheriff’s office reviewed the tip and identified Barnett, as being in possession of “multiple videos containing child pornography.” A warrant was issued for Barnett Monday. He was arrested and booked into the Harrison County Jail. Barnett was charged with possession of child pornography and aggravated sexual assault of a child with a bond set at $350,000.

TYLER – With hot weather and lack of rain, a fire hazard can be created easily. More counties in East Texas have issued burn bans. You can see the list provided from our news partner KETK with this link.

WILLS POINT – A Wills Point animal control officer was arrested on Thursday after admitting to a Van Zandt County deputy of shooting his own dog. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Goggans, with Wills Point Animal Control, was taken into custody and charged with cruelty and torture to a non-livestock animal.

Van Zandt County deputies reportedly told Goggans that he needed to keep his dog confined after separate calls of his dog running loose were reported on June 12 and June 13. A deputy warned Goggans that if the dog was not properly confined, a citation would be issued.

In a release from the the SPCA, “Goggans responded to the deputy’s warning by informing him of his intent to kill the dog. He contacted the deputy again to inform him that he had killed it and that the dog was in the front yard of his residence.”
Continue reading East Texas animal control officer shoots his own dog

CHANDLER – With Veterans Day coming in November, the City of Chandler was honored with the Purple Heart City designation. According to our news partner KETK, this is given to communities that honor and recognize sacrifices of military personnel who were wounded or killed in combat.

Mayor Cy Ditzler said there are many Chandler residents that are Purple Heart recipients. The city council will declare Nov. 11 as Purple Heart Day.

“Each city that is designated, they put a sign on either end of town that declares them as a Purple Heart City,” Ditzler said. “So that you recognize veterans that were injured or gave their lives in combat.”

The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration still in use.

TYLER – The Tyler Parks and Recreation Department will host it’s annual Fall Family Fun Festival on Thursday, Oct. 24. The festival will be held at the Glass Recreation Center from 4 to 7 p.m.  A release from the city explains, admission is free. Activities for the day will include face painting, games, a costume contest and food trucks will be on hand.

For more information on the Fall Family Fun Festival, visit the Tyler Parks and Recreation website, their Facebook page or call the Glass Recreation Center at (903) 595-7271. 

TYLER — Tyler Junior College is hosting a summit with legislators on ways to implement programs to create a smooth transition after graduation. According to our news partner KETK, Tuesday was the reception for all 50 presidents from every community college in Texas to talk with the U.S. representatives who are in the House Education and Workforce Committee. Community college leaders want to see creativity and innovation take place on their behalf in Congress.

“We’re excited about the opportunities and the dialog that we can have between legislative champions and leaders of community colleges,” said Juan Mejia, TJC president .

On Wednesday, the legislative summit will begin with a dialogue on how to bring more money in for programs that will tie directly to jobs in their area. Continue reading TJC hosts summit with community college leaders and congressmen

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Law enforcement officials are searching for a man who reportedly stole a dump truck Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson says a man in a gray t-shirt stole a dump truck and trailer from a county work site on CR 4211 out of Jacksonville. The man went north to Highway 110 and reportedly forgot to release the vehicle’s air brakes, which led to the tires of the truck smoking and catching fire. He reportedly bailed out of the dump truck in front of the Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department on Highway 110 and ran away from the scene. TDCJ dogs were unable to find the person and the search was called off, according to Sheriff Brent Dickson.

LONGVIEW – Ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, several Longview Fire Department members are traveling to assist. According to our news partner KETK, the fire department said six of their water rescue team members were activated on Monday to travel to Alabama and assist the Texas Task Force. Officials added that two others from the LFD are on stand-by for the Emergency Medical Task Force.

According to the Associated Press, Milton, a current category four hurricane, is on the path to directly hit Tampa Bay and is expected to make landfall on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.

“Please keep these members in your thoughts and prayers for a safe deployment as well as the citizens in the affected area,” Longview FD said.

BULLARD – The City of Bullard has hired a new city manager. According to our news partner KETK, the new city manager is Pam Frederick. Frederick is not unknown to city hall. She was formerly the mayor and a city council member from 2003-2022. Frederick is currently the Smith County Commissioner for precinct 1.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue serving our community,” Frederick said. “The experience, knowledge, and relationships I will bring with me to this position will have a positive impact on Bullard as we continue to grow.”

According to a release from the city , the previous city manager, David Hartman, accepted a role for the City of Henderson. Frederick will assume her position as city manager Nov. 12.

SMITH COUNTY – On October 7, 2024, a jury sentenced Defendant David Lloyd Stanley to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for committing the offense of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. Prosecutors presented evidence at trial proving that the Defendant sexually abused the child victim from the ages of 7 to 12. Prosecutors also proved that the Defendant possessed thousands of images of child pornography on his cell phone. The cell phone evidence further established that the Defendant had solicited underage girls for sex. The case was tried by Assistant District Attorneys Richard Vance, Catherine McQueen, and Scott Severt in the 475th District Court with the Honorable Judge Taylor Heaton presiding.

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Commissioners Court voted on Tuesday, October 8, to issue a burn ban for the county. As of Tuesday morning, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 709. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential. Smith County saw about 50 grass fires from September 23 through October 6, Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reported.

On Monday, October 7, a controlled burn that was left unattended damaged two buildings and burned more than 2 acres, he said. Hogue said the humidity is expected to drop this week. That, and with no rain in sight, the fire danger is increasing.  He recommended that the Commissioners Court issue the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning.”

The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approve terminating the order early. Continue reading Smith County issues a burn ban

LUFKIN — The Ellen Trout Zoo has announced that their director, Gordon Henley, is retiring after 48 years of service to the Lufkin-based zoo, according to our news partner KETK. “Serving as the director of Ellen Trout Zoo has been a true honor,” Henley said. “I have cherished every moment spent creating a magical experience for our visitors, and I am profoundly grateful for the support of our community.”

Henley’s journey with the zoo started back in 1976 after moving to Lufkin with his wife Charlotte from Oklahoma where he worked at the Tulsa Zoo.

“After an amazing 48-year journey, Gordon will be seeking new adventures. We want to take a moment to reflect on the cherished memories created at Ellen Trout Zoo,” the zoo said. “Join us in celebrating his remarkable legacy and the magic he’s helped cultivate for generations. Here’s to new adventures, Gordon!” Continue reading Ellen Trout Zoo director retiring after 48 years of service

NACOGDOCHES – The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has awarded Stephen F. Austin University a $250,000 grant to enhance its nursing program. According to our news partner KETK, SFA was selected out of 26 other institutions to receive the Student Success Acceleration Program 2.0 grant in order to help address the shortfall of nurses nationwide.

Dr. Marc Guidry, associate provost for the Division of Academic Affairs said in a release, “This grant supports two of SFA’s marquee programs at once, nursing and social work. I am especially pleased that all the money goes to students in the form of scholarships, stipends and supplies. The resources provided by this grant will enable more of our nursing students to persist and graduate with their registered nurse license while providing hands-on training for our graduate social work majors. It is a double-win for SFA and the state of Texas.”

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department (MPD) issued a statement Monday afternoon warning residents of a recent spike of a popular scam. These scams involve individuals “pretending to be law enforcement officers from the Marshall Police Department or the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office,” according to a statement. On their Facebook page, Marshall PD said that these individuals can reach out via call, text or email, “[…] claiming you owe fines or have legal issues that can only be resolved by making payments through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or other unusual methods.” MPD urges those who have their suspicions to call them at 903-935-4575.

RUSK – Rusk ISD schools briefly were on lockdown status Monday morning after an accused murderer reportedly escaped from Rusk State Hospital. According to our news partner KETK, Juan Carlos Vasquez Rojas has been at the hospital since September after he was arrested for felony murder in Harris County. Rojas reportedly escaped while being taken from one part of the hospital to another.

Schools in the area went on lockdown while the Rusk and Cherokee County law enforcement searched the area. Rojas was captured not long after and the lockdown was lifted. Liberty County district court sent Rojas to Rusk State Hospital for a competency assessment before he can stand trial for the murder charge.

LINDALE – Our news partners at KETK report a road extension project that has been in the works for almost seven years has broken ground in Lindale. According to City of Lindale officials, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the extension of East Centennial Boulevard on Saturday. East Centennial Boulevard, that intersects Highway 69 and runs between Lowe’s and Walmart, will extend to meet Jim Hogg Road. Lindale Mayor Gavin Rasco took part in the groundbreaking and said construction is set to begin. Continue reading Extension of Lindale’s East Centennial Boulevard begins

AUSTIN - A Longview resident claimed a top prize winning ticket worth $1 million in the Texas Lottery. The ticket was purchased at a Food Fast convenience store, located at 3305 South Eastman Road, in Longview. A release from lottery officials said, the prize winner has elected to remain anonymous.
 

NACOGDOCHES – The Nacogdoches Police Department said that one person was critically injured after a reported shooting at a private club on Sunday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Nacogdoches PD Sgt. Brent Handy said that 911 calls came from the private club at 1600 E. Main St. at around 12:46 a.m. on Sunday. When officers arrived, Handy said, they could tell there had been a disturbance at the scene and then they were called to a local hospital where a shooting victim had been privately taken.

According to Handy, the victim was in critical but stable condition as of 2:40 p.m. on Sunday. Nacogdoches PD is investigating the shooting.

AUSTIN (AP) — A Texas man set to die this month is at the center of another push for clemency in the U.S., this time backed by several GOP lawmakers and bestselling author John Grisham, who say a father’s 2002 conviction for killing his infant daughter deserves a second look. Their pleas to spare Robert Roberson, of Palestine, who is set to die by lethal injection on Oct. 17, comes after Missouri and Oklahoma carried out executions last month over calls to grant two condemned men lesser punishments, underlining how rare clemency remains for death row prisoners.

The cases highlight one of a governor’s most extraordinary powers — whether to allow an execution to proceed. In Texas, the state’s parole board and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott have yet to weigh in on Roberson, whose defenders say was convicted based on faulty scientific evidence. Continue reading A Texas execution is renewing calls for clemency. It’s rarely granted