Today is
Tuesday June 09, 2026
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Police Department said that a 29-year-old woman was found shot and killed on Gillespie Avenue on Saturday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Jacksonville PD, Jacksonville Fire Department and EMS responded to the 400 block of Gillespie Avenue at around 2:52 a.m. on Saturday morning after a report about a shooting. When Jacksonville PD officers arrived on scene they found Clara Deane Wilson dead from an apparent gunshot wound. The shooting is being investigated by Jacksonville PD and the Texas Rangers.
UPDATE: Rusk County officials said one person is dead after the crash on US 79 Wednesday afternoon. The Rusk County Emergency Management said the highway has reopened and DPS is investigating.
RUSK COUNTY – At least one person is injured after a major crash on US 79, Rusk County officials said. The highway is currently closed and drivers are being rerouted. Our news partner KETK is reporting that Rusk County Emergency Management Coordinator Patrick Dooley, the crash affected eastbound and westbound traffic. “Traffic is being rerouted from FM 1798 South to FM 348 back to US 79,†Rusk County officials said.
Dooley confirmed at least one person is injured, but their condition is unknown at this time.
The Rusk County Emergency Management and Fire Marshal’s Office Facebook page will share when the highway has reopened.
LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, a 19-year-old has been arrested and charged with murder in connection to a Longview shooting where the victim succumbed to their injuries. According to the Longview Police Department, Ja’Michael Devorea O’Quinn, 19 of Longview, was arrested on Monday for the Aug. 6 shooting at Hubbard Drive that led to the death of another teenager.
At around 6 p.m. on Aug. 6, Longview PD said they found a teenager with an apparent gunshot wound and they were taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. On Tuesday, the police department said the victim died as a result of the shooting.
O’Quinn was charged with murder and he is being held at the Gregg County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
TROUP — The remains of two dogs were reportedly dumped in Troup near an Austin Bank, the Troup Police Department said. According to our news partner KETK, two dogs were reportedly dumped months apart and were found “very decomposed†in black trash bags in the same area. The first dog was found on June 14 and was reportedly “a bag of bones†by the time the police department was notified. On Monday at around 10:15 a.m., Troup officers went to the same location and found the second dog also decomposing.
A public works employee took the dog from the scene and found no locator chip. Officials said the dog was in the late stages of decomposition and they could not tell if it had any physical wounds.
The Troup Police Department said they are investigating the case and are seeking the people who did this. Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact the police department at 903-842-3211.
GUN BARREL CITY – Two people were taken to the hospital on Saturday following a structure fire on Cedarglen Street, the Gun Barrel City Fire Department said. According to our news partner KETK, firefighters and police responded to a structure fire at around 11:39 p.m. in the 100 block of Cedarglen Street where smoke and flames were visible. Officials said the departments worked together to rescue the elderly residents from the home. The residents were taken to the local emergency room and are receiving assistance from the Red Cross.
Crews were reportedly on scene for 90 minutes to bring the fire under control. The home sustained fire, smoke and water damage, the fire department said.
Gun Barrel City FD said the fire marshal’s office is conducting an investigation to figure out what caused the fire.
GILMER – According to our news partner KETK, a man was sentenced to at least 50 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography on Monday, Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said. According to Byrd, Yale’s offenses happened on Oct. 2, 2023 after someone in a relationship with him found hidden files on his phone and contacted law enforcement. Officials reportedly recovered several videos and images of child victims as young as 5-years-old on Yale’s phone.
Clinton Scott Yale, 36, has been sentenced to two 50 year sentences in state prison for the child pornography charges and a two-year sentence in state jail for possession of lewd visual material.
Byrd said there was no evidence that the victims shown were in the area except for two that Yale recorded in his possession of lewd visual material case. Byrd added that if Yale is ever released he will have to register as a sex offender for life. The case was investigated by the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.
ARP – East Texas Congressman Nathaniel Moran encouraged more than 350 teachers, administrators and school board members at a teacher appreciation address ahead of the school year. As more than half of the East Texas school districts head back to the classroom this week, Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas) wanted to reassure our educators they are being seen, heard and are appreciated all the way to Washington D.C. Among topics discussed with the media regarding the upcoming legislative session, Moran spoke clearly of the federal government inching its way into our public school systems. Representatives from five districts, Arp, Mount Enterprise, West Rusk, Sabine and Carlisle ISDs, were present at the teacher appreciation address Monday morning. Rep. Moran ultimately wanted East Texas teachers to know they are “heroes,†saying “educators are heroes from top to bottom.â€
“I wanted to communicate back to our school teachers here in East Texas that we are thankful for what they do,†Rep. Moran said. “We’re going to support them and what they do.†“Quite frankly, we’re going to keep the federal government out of their business,†Moran said. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a Smith County inmate has died at a local hospital after being found unresponsive in his cell, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said. At around 8:13 p.m. on Sunday, 57-year-old inmate Albert Lee Moore was found unresponsive in his cell. A code blue was reportedly activated and medical personnel at the facility responded to the cellblock where they performed lifesaving procedures.
Once EMS arrived, Moore was taken to a local hospital where he reportedly died on Monday at 6:57 a.m. Smith County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Derrick Choice arrived at the hospital for the inquest. An autopsy has been ordered and Moore’s body was taken to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas.
“This custodial death has been reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards in Austin and the death is being investigated by the Texas Rangers as is Smith County Sheriff’s protocol,†the sheriff’s office said.
Moore had been incarcerated since Feb. 13 and reportedly made frequent visits to the clinic.
HUGHES SPRINGS – According to our news partner KETK, the Hughes Springs Police Department is investigating the burglary of several vehicles on Saturday night and into Sunday morning. According to the police department, the burglaries were allegedly done in the “hours of darkness†by people on foot. Hughes Springs Police Department is asking any security camera owners to review their footage from the nights of Aug. 10 and into the morning on Aug. 11.
Anyone with information into the vehicle burglaries is asked to call Hughes Springs PD at 903-639-2621.
PALESTINE – The Palestine Police Department arrested a man on Friday for allegedly attempting to rob the First Convenience Bank inside of Walmart. According to our news partner KETK, officers were dispatched to the First Convenience Bank inside of the Walmart Supercenter at approximately 3:41 p.m. on Friday following reports of a robbery in progress.
According to officials, a male subject entered the bank and demanded a large amount of money from an employee at the bank. The subject allegedly stated that he would use force if the employee did not comply, the employee was able to text a relative stating that they were being robbed, after which a 911 call was made. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES – According to our news partner KETK, the arrest documents of seven East Texans charged with capital murder reveal the events leading up to their arrests and a plan to steal drugs. Documents state that police were called to a trailer park on California Street at around 9:15 p.m. due to numerous calls about gunshots heard in the area. Officers reportedly entered a trailer home that had been hit multiple times by gunfire to check on the occupants welfare. That is where officials found 18-year-old Angel Bonilla dead.
The affidavit said one of the occupants was taken to a local hospital by two others and claimed that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Based on the arrest documents, it is believed four people including Bonilla were residing at the California Street home when two of the suspects entered to conduct a drug transaction.
“A total of three individuals are believed to have been struck by gunfire during the homicide,†Nacogdoches PD said. Read the rest of this entry »
POLK COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, the Polk County District Attorney’s Office will be seeking the death penalty for the man accused of killing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham in February. A trial date for Don Steven McDougal has not been set as the case is still an open investigation. McDougal is facing one charge of capital murder for Cunningham’s death. Officials said a final decision will be made once all evidence has been received.
He is charged with capital murder because Audrii was under 15, and because the killing allegedly occurred while he was committing the felony of kidnapping her.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said McDougal was a family friend of the Cunningham’s and lived on their property in a camper. On Feb. 15, McDougal left with Audrii in his 2003 Chevrolet Suburban with the supposed plan of dropping her off at the school bus stop outside of the subdivision. Read the rest of this entry »
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CASS COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a former Atlanta ISD teacher and coach was convicted on four counts of indecency with a child and four counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student on Aug. 2. The Cass County Criminal District Attorney said Taureaus Alvaro Maxwell, 31, a former teacher and coach at Atlanta ISD has been convicted on four counts of indecency with a child by contact and four counts of improper relationship between educator and student. He will now start a 60-year sentence in prison and will have to pay a $10,000 fine on each charge.
The DA’s office said that evidence showed that on April 10, 2023, two students from Atlanta High School outcried to school administration about sexual abuse and online solicitation by Maxwell. The student reportedly said Maxwell requested that he add him on Snapchat where Maxwell sent multiple “snaps†throughout the year. The DA’s office said that the student testified that pictures Maxwell sent where inappropriate and stated things such as “take those clothes off†and “I want videos of the ones when you’re out of the shower.†Read the rest of this entry »