Today is
Saturday June 13, 2026
LUFKIN — The father of an East Texas child who died after being found submerged in a motel pool has turned himself into authorities. According to our news partner, KETK, Rondarius Smith, 26, of Lufkin, surrendered to officials on a charge of injury to a child in connection with his daughter Arianna’s death. An arrest warrant states Smith failed to adequately watch his daughter when he fell asleep after using drugs and alcohol. On March 20, police say Arianna exited the room and entered the pool area due to a broken gate latch. Arianna was submerged for 10 minutes. The child was taken to a Houston hospital where she died the following day. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Just after 12:30 this morning, officers said they received a report of two people standing in the roadway at Front and Beckham. A short time later, it was reported that the two pedestrians had been struck by a vehicle. The victims were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle was not injured and not found at fault for the wreck.
SMITH COUNTY — Municipal elections took place around the area on Saturday. Tyler will soon have a new city council member — and will keep its mayor for another three years. Saturday’s election results show Mayor Martin Heines defeating challenger Joel Rando by winning about 89 per cent of the vote. In City Council District 2, Broderick McGee defeated Beverly Beavers-Brooks with some 54 per cent of the ballots cast. The current District 2 council member, Darryl Bowdre, will be stepping down due to term limits. Council Districts 4 and 6 were also up for election, but the races were uncontested. Here are the unofficial results: Registered Voters: 66602. Ballots Cast: 3547. Voter Turnout: 5.33%. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — An undercover police operation has led to the arrest of two women for prostitution in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, undercover officers coordinated a prostitution sting along East Marshall Avenue. During the Wednesday sting, officers came in contact with two females who agreed to perform sexual favors in return for money. Sandra Lee Berg, 49, of Oakdale, Louisiana, and Heather Christine McWilliams (pictured) 31, of Longview, have been charged with prostitution and were booked into the Gregg County Jail.
HENDERSON COUNTY — A raid at a Henderson County game room lands seven people in jail on various charges. According to the Henderson County Sheriff, the Double Down Game Room on County Road 2803, near Eustace, was raided around 7:00 Tuesday night. The Sheriff said 44 gambling machines and more than $9,000 in cash were seized. A total of 11 patrons were also cited for gambling. Two stolen vehicles were also found on the property. Read the rest of this entry »
FORT WORTH — Testimony is underway in the trial of one of two men accused of capital murder. Fort Worth police say the two men behind the January 2017 murder of a teenager were both students at Tyler Junior College. In fact, the man standing trial, Keoddrick Polk, 21, was literally on his way to class when he was arrested. Police say Polk was looking for the right room on the Tyler campus a week after the shooting when he asked two college officers for directions. They had been alerted and busted Polk on a capital murder charge. Breon Robinson, 17, and another man were shot on the southeast side of Fort Worth by two men who jumped in their car. The capital murder charge carries a prison term of life without parole.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County and the City of Tyler are being sued in a dispute about ambulance service. Smith County Commissioners have hired an outside attorney to handle the case filed by Champion EMS, which is affiliated with the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System in Tyler. Champion brought the suit as a counterclaim after ETMC EMS, part of UT Health East Texas, sued Champion. That lawsuit claims Champion was infringing on a contract ETMC has with the City of Tyler, Smith County and the Smith County Emergency Management Service. ETMC has asked the court to order Champion to stop performing ambulance services in the region, while Champion contends ETMC conspired to form an illegal monopoly.
GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man was jailed Monday after police said he admitted to choking a 5-year-old boy “by picking him up by his throat and placing him up against the wall.†According to KTBB’s news partner and the Longview News Journal, Colbe Jace Bisetti, 40, remained in jail Monday on $5,000 bond, charged with injury to a child with intent of serious bodily injury. He will not be able to post bond until he appears in the 124th District Court. Gladewater police arrested Bisetti on Monday morning after the children of an ex-girlfriend told a school counselor about incidents involving Bisetti from 2012. Bisetti admitted to choking the boy in another incident because “he was tired from working 30 hours and was frustrated.â€
HENDERSON COUNTY — A Henderson County Grand Jury has indicted a Larue man for capital murder in the death of an 11-month-old infant. According to KTBB’s news partner KETK, Mark Carson, 26, of Larue, is charged with causing the death of a person under 10 years old. He is being held in the Henderson County Jail on a bond of $2 million. Carson was arrested in January after an investigation into the death of the child. Henderson County deputies responded in October to a medical emergency call from a home in Larue. Law enforcement and medical personnel found the child unresponsive. The child was taken to a hospital in Athens, then to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, where he was pronounced dead. After an autopsy, the child’s death was ruled a homicide.
KILGORE – The train that had been blocking a Kilgore crossing has finally moved. The railroad crossing at Lantrip Street and Commerce Street had been blocked since Monday. Trains in the area ground to a halt because of a Union Pacific train derailment in Texarkana. That had to be cleaned up before other trains could start moving. The train in Kilgore started moving early Tuesday evening.
HENDERSON COUNTY — Officials are investigating a Sunday night residential fire in Henderson County. According to our news partner KETK, just after 9:00, Payne Springs Fire Rescue responded to a mobile home fire on Hickory Street. While en route, first responders were informed the mobile home was fully engulfed and an occupant was possibly still inside. A body was eventually located. The victim’s identity and the cause of the fire have not been released. The investigation is on going and is being led by the Henderson County Fire Marshal’s Office.
ANGELINA COUNTY – A suspect wanted in a shooting at a night club near Lufkin has been arrested. It happened last Sunday at Annie Mae’s Night Club and left two people injured. According to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, Kevin Edward Jefferson, 45, of Corrigan, was arrested Thursday on three felony warrants. He was booked into jail on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in the investigation.
HENDERSON COUNTY — Six East Texans have been arrested following a drug sweep in Henderson County. According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, several probable cause narcotics search warrants were issued Wednesday. Arrested on various charges were Jacoby Juarez (pictured), 27, Chandler, Rachel Hurst, 36, Tool, Ashley Kohlenberg, 38, Seven Points, Niki Allumbaugh, 32, Seven Points, Alexandria Hammack, 18, Seven Points, and Jason Byrne, 36, Kaufman. Juarez was arrested and booked into the Henderson County Jail for manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance. Kohlenberg and Byrne were arrested on scene for charges of manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — Two women have been arrested in connection with an arson investigation. According to the Henderson County Fire Marshal, around 11:15 a.m on March 30, two structure fires were reported on County Road 2502, in the Payne Springs area. Six fire departments responded to find both structures up in flames. According to KTBB’s news partner KETK, the Fire Marshal was called to the scene due to the suspicious nature of the fires. The fires at two separate mobile homes were determined to be arson. On April 11, one of the suspects believed to be responsible for the fire was identified as Brenda Sue Ivey, 50 (pictured). Read the rest of this entry »
ANDERSON COUNTY — A 17-year-old Elkhart girl has been killed in a crash early Wednesday morning. According to the DPS report, Anastasia Doka Giron was headed south on County Road 130 around 12:30 when she missed a curve in the roadway. Her vehicle left the road and went airborne across Manson Creek. The vehicle then struck a dirt embankment. Giron was pronounced dead at the scene. The report stated that she was traveling at an unsafe speed when the wreck occurred.