Today is
Friday July 24, 2026
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department is investigating the death of a 35-year-old man who was found unresponsive in a pool on Thursday morning, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
The man, who has not been identified, was found at around 3:45 a.m. in a pool in the 4000 block of Stonegate Blvd. He was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m.
When asked if foul play was suspected, Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh said the case remains under investigation.
TYLER – Gov. Abbott signed Senate Bill 7 and Joint House Resolution 7, what he calls is the largest generational investment in the states’ water infrastructure.
Texas is growing but the water supply is not keeping up, the 89th legislature invested $20 billion to fund water projects. A part of the $20 billion investment is to fix old, decaying and costly infrastructure.
“What we’ve done with this legislation impacts generations of Texas,” State Representative Cody Harris said.
“We lose about 88 billion gallons of water a year because of broken, busted and aged pipes. We have an across-the-board urgency to make sure that we address the water issue. The good news is we had the legislature step up and get that job done with the largest water law in the history of the great state of Texas,” Abbott said. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, more than 10,000 videos of child pornography were allegedly found in a Mabank man’s Snapchat account.
On March 30, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip from Snapchat for David Burlin Brewer. The sheriff’s office obtained Brewer’s IP address and Snapchat account, where they found several videos of minors showing their genital area and touching themselves. One of the videos shows a girl, who is believed to be under 10, sexually exposing herself. Officials also found multiple other videos of suspected minors performing sexual acts while naked.
“There are almost 10,000 files to view,” the affidavit said.” A lot of the files are age-difficult, but some of them are obviously children with their genitals exposed.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the spring 2025 STAAR test results for third through eighth graders on Tuesday and, according to our news partner KETK, improvements were seen in multiple categories.
The STAAR test score percentages are separated by three categories which are approaches, meets and masters. The Texas Education Agency said that some grade levels scored higher than students who took the test before the pandemic. Here is how every grade level compared to last year’s test takers based on the meets (standard) category, according to the Texas Education Agency.
Reading Language Arts (RLA)
Increase:
Third grade – 3%
Fourth grade – 3%
Fifth grade – 4%
Eighth grade – 2%
Read the rest of this entry »
LINDALE – Our news partner KETK reports that one person was arrested near Lindale after being caught driving a vehicle that had been stolen from Louisiana.
At around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) attempted to stop the stolen vehicle that was traveling on U.S. Highway 69 driving near Lindale.
The driver of the stolen vehicle continued to flee and troopers eventually deployed spike strips which brought the pursuit to an end.
The person was taken into custody following the pursuit and according to officials has been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest, and outstanding warrants.
According to officials, the case remains under investigation and no further information is available at this time.
TYLER – A Jacksonville man has been sentenced to life in federal prison for sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a news release from the office of the Acting U.S. Attorney, Jay R. Combs.
Desnique Deshawn Herndon, 28, was sentenced to seven life sentences by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on June 18, 2025. In 2023, Herndon was convicted by a jury of six counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children following a five-day trial before Judge Barker. Herndon remained in custody between the time of trial and sentencing.
“Victimizing children through commercial sex trafficking is reprehensible and will be prosecuted vigorously in East Texas,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We will not stand by and watch the lives of young people ruined by predators like Herndon to satisfy the wanton interests of commercial sex customers. Herndon’s life sentence demonstrates our society’s intolerance for such callous disregard for others. I want to thank our many law enforcement partners for their diligent work on this case.”
“Sex trafficking is one of the most appalling crimes in our society, exploiting the most vulnerable among us. HSI remains committed to identifying traffickers, dismantling their criminal networks, and providing critical support to survivors,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “Through our victim-centered investigations, we will spare no resource to protect communities and seek justice for those victimized by this modern-day slavery. “
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2019, Herndon engaged in trafficking multiple teenage girls for commercial sex acts. Herndon recruited the girls by social media, deceived them by promising riches, and placed them in hotels in the Tyler area. He then posted advertisements on sex trafficking websites showing explicit photos of the girls and offering commercial sex acts. Some of Herndon’s victims were as young as 13 years old. During trial, jurors heard testimony that Herndon used co-conspirators to continue to run his operation while he was in jail so that the victims could earn money to pay his bond.
Three of Herndon’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the offenses. Malcolm Kadeem Roberts, 29, of Tyler, was sentenced on November 16, 2023, to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. Roberts was also sentenced to 75 years in state prison in Smith County District Court for aggravated sexual assault of a child charges in relation to one of the minor victims in this case. Tavarus D. Watkins, 29, of Jacksonville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on November 16, 2023, for interstate transport of a minor for illegal sexual activity. Patrick Lamont Cross, Jr, 28, of Palestine, pleaded guilty on August 22, 2022, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. Cross is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2025.
MARSHALL — Our news partner KETK reports that one person is dead after a pickup truck and a motorcycle crash on Interstate 20 East and U.S. Highway 59 near Marshall on Wednesday around 4:30 a.m.
A preliminary investigation revealed that both vehicles were traveling east when the pickup truck struck the rear of the motorcycle. Officials said the motorcycle’s passenger was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the motorcycle was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
At this time, DPS has not released the condition of the pickup driver, and no further details will be released by officials as the crash remains under investigation.
EUSTACE – Our news partner KETK reports that the SPCA of Texas was granted custody of 66 animals on June 11 after they were removed from a Eustace property due to alleged animal cruelty.
According to the non-profit organization, after an incomplete request for appeal at a civil custody hearing on June 11, the judge defaulted to the previous judgement which granted SPCA custody of 10 dogs and 56 cats experiencing animal neglect and cruelty.
These animals were removed from a metal building owned by Yelp for Help Animal Rescue ran by Haley Janelle Hull.
Hull was arrested on May 29 and charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals – neglect. She was booked into the Van Zandt County Detention Center where she was released the following day on a $10,000 bond. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – A Lufkin man is behind bars after a shooting on Tuesday night on Percy Simond Street left one person injured, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
Around 7 p.m., Lufkin Police officers responded to a residence in the 100 block of Percy Simond Street.
When they arrived, 26-year-old Julious Griffin admitted to the officers that he shot the juvenile in the leg, but claimed self-defense.
Griffin has been booked in to the Angelina County Jail on the on the charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and deadly conduct.
The person that was injured was taken to a local hospital, but then later flown to an out-of-town facility. Their condition and identity have not been released as of this writing.
TYLER – A custodial death report from the Texas Attorney General’s office has released more information about a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in the Cascades earlier this month, according to our news partner KETK.
On June 5, members of the Tyler Police Department were dispatched to a home in the 3100 block of Cascades Court after receiving reports of a suspicious person on a property. According to the report, a homeowner stated that she was currently getting divorced from a man identified as John O’Kelly, and that he was given a court order restricting him from returning to the home.
The homeowner was out of the house at the time but told officers that O’Kelly had returned to the home and was seen on home security cameras assaulting her father. The report stated that one officer arrived on the scene, observed damage to the backdoor and began attempting to negotiate with O’Kelly to go outside the home. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: PALESTINE – According to the Palestine Police Department and our news partner KETK, Xavier Terrell Ealy was taken into custody without incident Tuesday night.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Palestine Police Department is currently searching for a man wanted in connection to the shooting of a 53-year-old on Monday, according to our news partner KETK.
Palestine officers were sent to an emergency room at around 7 p.m. on Monday in response to a report of a 53-year-old man had come in with gunshot wounds. Read the rest of this entry »
HOUSTON (AP) — A new execution date has been requested for Robert Roberson, a Palestine man who had been set last year to become the first person in the U.S. to be put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.
Monday’s request from the Texas Attorney General’s Office was the first time authorities had asked for a new execution date since Roberson received a stay in October. The execution’s delay followed a flurry of last-ditch legal challenges on the night of his scheduled lethal injection that were prompted by an unprecedented maneuver from a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers who say he is innocent and was sent to death row based on flawed science.
In its five-page motion, the Texas Attorney General’s Office said because the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state’s top criminal court, has previously denied appeals in Roberson’s case, “the criteria for setting an execution have been met.” Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – A Troup man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday after running from the scene of a shooting that left one wounded in January, according to our news partner KETK. On January 7, officers responded to a call about a person suffering from a gunshot wound. While first responders were treating the victim, officers proceeded to the scene of the shooting, where they were informed that the suspect might still be inside the home.
Officials said that police quickly set up a perimeter around the home, and after multiple attempts to contact the suspect by phone and using loud speakers were unsuccessful, officers decided to enter the home. Upon entry, they discovered that the suspect had left the scene. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — A 21-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years on Monday after a fatal shooting at a Longview convenience store in 2024, according to our news partner KETK. Around 3:40 a.m. on March 22, 2024, Longview police officers responded to a shooting at the EZ Mart on 700 Gilmer Road, where they found a man with a “life-threatening” gunshot wound.
Officials said Tykiron Garceil Mumphrey, 21 of Gladewater, was identified as the suspect and taken into custody for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, while the victim was transported to a local hospital.
Mumphrey’s charge was later updated to murder after the victim died from the gunshot wound, but was dismissed in court after he took a plea deal. Mumphrey pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Monday, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
WINONA – According to a news release from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, a Winona man has committed an armed robbery. Officers are currently on the scene where the robbery occurred at the Courtesy Mart, located in the 300 block of S. Main in Winona, at approximately 10:30 am. A suspect entered the store armed with a handgun and robbed the clerk of an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect fled on foot toward the adjacent liquor store. He is described as a black male, 5’8 to 5’9”, medium build, wearing a black mask, grey hoodie, and blue jeans.
Several law enforcement agencies are currently assisting the Sheriff’s Office. Currently, resources include the Smith County K-9 and a drone. This is an active investigation, and the suspect is still at large. Please avoid the area, if possible.
This suspect is armed and dangerous, do not approach if seen. If you have any information, please call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600 or 911 if urgent.
TYLER – According to a news release, Tyler City Councilman Stuart Hene officially declared his candidacy for Mayor of Tyler.
A native of Tyler and current District 1 Representative on the Tyler City Council, Councilman Hene brings a record of results and a vision for building on the city’s current momentum. His announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter in his service to the community he has long called home. Councilman Hene says that he is launching a campaign focused on continued growth, strong partnerships, and bold, forward-looking leadership. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Our news partner KETK is reporting that the Caldwell Zoo board of directors has announced a new leader for Tyler’s biggest zoo.
Scott Maddox has served as the zoo’s chief operating officer for the past five years and will now serve as Caldwell Zoo’s president and CEO. Former mayor of Tyler and chairman of the zoo’s board, Kevin Eltife explained why Maddox is right for the job.
“Scott was the obvious choice to assume this position. His vast experience with Caldwell Zoo and his natural leadership are unmatched. The Maddox family has a history of caring and giving back to our community,” Eltife said in a press release. “In his new role, Scott will continue to give back to this community and make sure that Caldwell Zoo is positioned to provide an incredible experience for families to visit and enjoy for generations to come.”
According to Caldwell Zoo, Maddox served on their staff as an animal keeper, animal supervisor, area supervisor, curator and assistant director before he was named chief operating officer. Read the rest of this entry »
TRINITY– According to our news partner KETK, a woman was care flighted to a hospital Monday afternoon after a two vehicle crash in Trinity.
According to the Trinity Police Department, one driver was flown to the hospital for her injuries after there was a major two vehicle crash on State Highway 19 in front of Joes Restaurant and McDonald’s. Officials said a vehicle pulled out of the McDonald’s parking lot onto State Highway 19 in front of the other driver causing the crash.
The roadway is now back open and Trinity Police Department will be investigating the crash, the department said.
HAWKINS – In their regular city council meeting on Monday, the Hawkins City Council voted to terminate the employment of Hawkins Police Department Lieutenant Eric Tuma.
According to our news partner KETK, Tuma’s termination was based on the grounds of “Dereliction of Sworn Duties” and “Abandonment of Post.” The motion to terminate Tuma’s employment was passed in a 3-2 vote. Tuma became the only officer in Hawkins PD after Hawkins Mayor Debbie Rushing fired three other officers on Feb. 18. Tuma, a Hawkins native, formerly served as the interim chief of Hawkins PD after the resignation of former chief Guy McKee in 2024.
Hawkins is located in Wood County, so the Wood County Sheriff’s Office is still available to respond to the needs of residents. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, a man was arrested in Longview after police said he broke into a building on Monday.
The Longview Police Department was notified that a business alarm had gone off at around at 4:57 a.m. in the 2100 block of Judson Road. Once on the scene, officers reported that the building appeared to be forced into and that a man was seen leaving the scene, according to a press release.
The officers were able to locate the man near the business and he was arrested. Longview PD identified him as Glen Blaylock, 57 of Longview. Blaylock was charged with burglary of a building and was transported to the Gregg County Jail. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Torrential downpours that have hit East Texas recently are causing foundation issues for homeowners, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
Trust Foundation and Repair in Tyler is getting more calls for problems underneath houses and mobile homes.
“Normally we’ll get a little bit of rain a few days dry. This year we’ve gotten drastic amounts of rain over and over and over again,” Trust Foundation and Repair project manager Timothy Wilson said. “It allows moisture to enter and start rotting out the beams in the sub-floor on the homes,” Wilson said.
The unchecked water can cause washouts underneath the home and exterior issues like cracks in bricks. Other signs of foundation issues are cracks above doors, windows and malfunctions in those areas. Wilson’s advice is to divert the water away from the home. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: According to the Texarkana Police Department, someone in another city recognized 69-year-old Karen Gilmore from their Facebook post and she is now safe.
TEXARKANA – According to our news partner KETK, the Texarkana Police Department is currently searching for a 69-year-old woman who was last heard from when she sent her sister a “strange text” on Thursday.
According to the department, Karen Gilmore has health issues and doesn’t regularly use her oxygen. Texarkana PD said her loved ones worry she may be in an altered mental state after she sent an unusual text message. She’s believed to be living in her silver 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with the Texas plate: GJF-4039. Texarkana PD said she’s known to park in places like the QuikTrip on North Kings Highway. They added that her Ford was last seen in Rockwall on Friday.
Anyone with information on Gilmore’s location is asked to call Texarkana PD at 903-798-3876 or any local law enforcement agency.
SMITH COUNTY – A Tyler man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his father in an argument over a dog.
According to a report from the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Christopher Tilley entered a guilty plea on Tuesday morning in the 241st District Court for the shooting death of his father, Dell Howard Tilley, 79, on March 25th 2024. The arrest documents report that the father and son were fighting over the care of an injured dog.
During an interview at the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Christopher Tilley told investigators that his father was upset over the way he was caring for a dog inside his father’s bedroom. During the argument, Dell Tilley allegedly came across the room, grabbed Christopher by the neck, and began choking him. The two men struggled on the ground before Christopher Tilley retrieved a firearm from his waistband, attesting that he thought he only fired once.
According to officers, Tilley’s recollection is inconsistent with their findings. Dell Tilley ultimately died from the gunshot wounds. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that The Tyler City Council approved a resolution on Wednesday in support of a grant used to build a share use path that will connect Downtown Tyler, hospitals and Tyler Junior College.
The Midtown to Downtown Shared Use Path is aimed to be a two and a half mile, 10 foot-wide path that would connect popular Tyler destinations such as Downtown Tyler, the new Smith County Courthouse and UT Tyler School of Medicine.
This path would be an accessible way for Tylerites to travel on foot from East Fifth Street to South Broadway Avenue. Safety standards for the path include access ramps, lighting, wide concrete trails, signalized intersections and more.
Though the path has an estimated $4.8 million price tag, the city expects to qualify for Transportation Development Credits which would completely fund the project through grants instead of a local match. If funding is awarded, the Texas Department of Transportation will help design and develop the project.
UPDATE: According to the Tyler Police Department, Aiden has been found safe and returned to his family.
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department is currently searching for a missing 15-year-old boy who is reported to have autism. According to our news partner KETK and Tyler PD, Aiden was reported missing at 5:15 p.m. and was last seen walking away from a home in the 400th block of Sutherland Drive. According to officials, he was last seen wearing a black zip-up hoodie, jeans and black shoes.
“His name is Aiden, and he is 15 years old, 5’9 and 120lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes,” Tyler Police Department said.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have seen Aiden or know his location to please contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000.
UPDATE: According to our news partner KETK, Nacogdoches Police Department, officers are still investigating the three family members that died in a home on Mystic Lane in Nacogdoches. Officials said the investigation is focusing on possible air pollutants in the home that might have caused the deaths. The family members have been identified as Amy Manning Kirk, 52, William Manning Kirk, 22, and John Standley Kirk, 17.
NACOGDOCHES– Carbon monoxide poisoning is being considered after three adults were found dead Thursday afternoon inside a home in Nacogdoches, according to our news partner KETK.
Nacogdoches Police Department, officers and firefighters were on scene at the 4300 block of Mystic Lane for a death investigation. Initially officers responded to perform a welfare check on a resident, but upon arrival they found three adults dead inside the home and no sign of foul play. The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of their family.
“Although it is early in the investigation, carbon monoxide poisoning is being considered as a potential cause,” officials said. “CenterPoint Energy is also on scene to help determine the cause.”
Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY — According to our news parnter KETK, a jury found a 56-year-old man guilty of failure to register as sex offender and sentenced him to life in prison on Wednesday as a habitual offender on account of his prior convictions. In 2023, Ronald Wayne Stivers of Illinois was a registered sex offender in Mississippi before he fled the state and moved in with a woman in Gladewater, according to officials. Stivers reportedly met the woman through Facebook and alternated his identity by lying about his name and changing his license plate.
Once his true identity was uncovered, the woman forced Stivers out of her home and he was later arrested on June 17, 2024. Officials said Stivers was sentenced to life in prison on June 11, 2025 as a habitual offender. Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY – A jury found a 56-year-old man guilty of failure to register as sex offender, and sentenced him to life in prison on Wednesday as a habitual offender on account of his prior convictions.
On May 16, 1986, the Defendant was sentenced for Theft in the State of Illinois. On July 5, 1989, the Defendant pled guilty to Criminal Trespass of Habitation in the State of Illinois.
On June 11, 1998, he was sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Assault (Adult Woman), Felony Escape, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault with Deadly Weapon (Knife),and Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child nine years of age in the State of Illinois. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – A 22-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday after robbing local dollar stores in Longview, according to our news partner KETK.
The Longview Police Department received multiple reports of thefts that occurred at local dollar stores over the weekend, and after investigating they determined that only one of the incidents qualified as a robbery.
Further investigation led the suspect to be identified as Daqalyn Charles, 22 of Longview. Officers were able to locate and arrest him in the act of another theft. Officials said during the arrest Charles was found to be in possession of illegal drugs and was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Charles was booked into the Gregg County Jail and is being held on a bond totaling $310,000.
NACOGDOCHES – Carbon monoxide poisoning is being considered after three adults were found dead Thursday afternoon inside a home in Nacogdoches, According to the Nacogdoches Police Department an our news partner KETK.
Officers and firefighters responded to the scene at 4300 block of Mystic Lane for a death investigation. Initially officers responded to perform a welfare check on a resident, but upon arrival found three adults dead inside the home and no sign of foul play.
“Although it is early in the investigation, carbon monoxide poisoning is being considered as a potential cause,” officials said. “CenterPoint Energy is also on scene to help determine the cause. The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of their family.”
The department said further information will be released as it becomes available.