Today is
Monday June 15, 2026
KILGORE- Kilgore police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man accused of passing stolen checks. The checks were said to have been stolen from an elderly Kilgore resident. The suspect pictured here has tattoos on his left arm from the elbow down, and on the inside of his right arm. He was driving an older model red Dodge Dually extended cab pickup. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Kilgore Police Department.
LONGVIEW – A Longview woman, arrested on warrants, is now also facing drug charges. Sydney Beth Caldemeyer, 38, was first arrested on two outstanding warrants. According to the Longview News Journal, while being taking to jail, she faked a seizure and then threw herself on the ground and resisted arrest. On her way to jail she told an officer she had a bag containing an illegal substance in her underwear. Female jailers found the bag containing methamphetamine. She remains in jail in lieu of bonds totaling $7,000.
TYLER – A Smith County man has been indicted for the sexual abuse of a child. The grand jury, last week, returned the indictment against 31 year old Mark James Nunley of Lindale. He was arrested last December for continuous sexual abuse of a child. The youngster was under the age of 14. The youngster described being sexually abused repeatedly by Nunley for an extended period of time. An adult told investigators they had caught the suspect in the act of abusing the child. Nunley remains free on a $350,000 bond.
AUSTIN – An Anderson County man has been added to the Department of Public Safety’s 10 most wanted list. Briggs Clinton Lawhon, 57, who last know address was in Palestine, has been on the run for two years. A a Bandidos gang member, Lawhon has a long criminal history, including aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, assault, burglary and delivery of methamphetamine. The Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest last year. A reward of up to $7,500 has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
DALLAS (ABC) – A year ago Friday, five police officers were gunned down after a peaceful demonstration in downtown Dallas. The five are being remembered in a variety of ways. Tyler Police will honor them with their patrol vehicles in front of the police department. The patrol cars’ emergency lights will be activated for one minute at 10:00 Friday morning. On Thursday, a memorial was unveiled in Dallas to honor the five men, one who had been married only two weeks. Their families attended the unveiling of the Dallas Circle of Heroes Memorial two miles from the site of the Dallas ambush.
TYLER – Tyler police now report a portion of U.S. Highway 271, which had been closed, has been reopened. It had been shut down in the 10800 block, at East Nutbush, due to an eighteen-wheeler blocking all lanes.
EAST TEXAS – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to some area businesses and residents affected by the severe storms that occurred May 28 and 29. The Small Business Administration has announced the loans are in response to a request SBA received from Governor Greg Abbott on June 28. The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Smith and Upshur counties. The low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by late May storms. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Tyler police have released the video of a robbery suspect. The video can be found on the police department’s Facebook page. It shows the lone gunman robbing the Exxon station on the North Northeast Loop at Commerce Street. The robbery occurred last Saturday morning around 3:00. The suspect is described as being possibly a Hispanic male with a dark beard. He was wearing a black hat, a black jacket, and black pants. He fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported.
LONGVIEW – A Longview man is heading to prison for a robbery in November, 2015. According to KETK, 30 year old Brandon Clifton Cole III has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to robbing the Walmart store on East Loop 281. Witnesses say Cole pulled out a gun and began demanding money from a clerk at the Money Center inside the store. He was given an undisclosed amount of money and ran off. Cole was found him a short time later in the area of Harmon Drive and Eubanks Street. Officers recovered the stolen money and the gun used in the robbery.
TYLER – A Smith County capital murder trial is being moved to early next year. State District Judge Jack Skeen is moving the Gustavo Zavala Garcia trial to next February. He took the action Thursday morning after the defense and state requested more time. Both said there is still a large amount of information that needs to be reviewed and forensic testing that is being done. Garcia has been charged with the death of 10 year old Kayla Gomez-Orozco. She disappeared last November from a Bullard church during worship service. Her body was found days later inside a well on the suspect’s property. District attorney Matt Bingham has filed his intent to seek the death penalty in the case.
GREGG COUNTY — A Gladewater man has been sentenced to two life sentences after pleading guilty to murdering his parents. According to KETK, Casey Douglas Lansdale, 42, pleaded guilty to capital murder Wednesday. He will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years. On January 22, Gladewater Police responded to a residence on North Main Street in reference to a welfare check on Raye and Charles Lansdale, both 68, who were reportedly missing. Officers found the two bodies inside the house. An autopsy revealed the couple had been fatally shot.
PALESTINE – The public is invited to meet the 4 finalists for the job of Palestine Police Chief. The four men will meet the public Thursday night from 6:00 to 8:00 in the Ben E Keith Community Room. They are Smith County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Colsin, who has over 32 years of law enforcement experience, Andy Harvey, Lieutenant for the Dallas Police Department’s Crime Scene Response Section, Bennie Baker, of Tucson, Airzona, who has over 30 years experience in law enforcement, and Earl Morrison, who was from 2014 to 2017 the Hutto police chief. Friday, the finalists will be interviewed by current officers and staff. The officers will also have the opportunity to rank their preferences.
TYLER – Two Tyler men have pleaded guilty in Tyler federal Court to drug trafficking violations. Stacey Godsey, 44, and Joseph Shay Burton, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import anabolic steroids. They appeared Wednesday before before the U.S. Magistrate. Each man faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A man involved in a Tyler police standoff in March, has been sentenced to prison. Mario Arroyo, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of DWI 3rd or more offenses. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the aggravated robbery counts, as well as the driving while intoxicated charge. The sentences will run concurrently. He was holed up in his home on West Wilson for 3 hours before he finally surrendered to police. Prior to his arrest, his son was taken into custody on a parole warrant.
AUSTIN – Five University of Texas institutions will receive $8.2 million allocated by the UT System Board of Regents. The money will fund innovative campus-based projects designed to enhance student success. The University of Texas at Tyler will receive $803,234 to support OnCourse. The school says this is a suite of course-level supports to increase first-year GPA and retention of first-time, full-time freshmen at UT Tyler. Through a competitive process, the UT’s academic institutions prepared grant proposals. The proposals were were evaluated by higher education experts outside of Texas as well as outside the UT System. Other grants are going to U-T schools in Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso and the Rio Grand Valley.