Today is
Saturday June 13, 2026
TYLER — A Tyler man accused of murdering his high school teacher more than 8 years ago has been recommitted to a mental health facility for another year. According to KETK, Byron Truvia, 24, was set to go before a judge on Monday for a mental status evaluation. On September 23, 2009, while a student at John Tyler High School, Truvia allegedly fatally stabbed special education teacher Todd Henry inside a classroom. Truvia was 16-years-old at the time. Truvia is currently in the North Texas State Hospital. He was not in court during Monday’s hearing.
HENDERSON COUNTY — A man and woman have been arrested following a traffic stop near Eustace. According to the Henderson County Sheriff, Bobby Ratliff, 42, and Kimberly Revels, 42, were taken into custody Monday night after deputies discovered meth, a digital scale and other items commonly used to sell illegal drugs. Ratliff was charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and taken to the Henderson County Jail. Revels was wanted on an active warrant for possession of a controlled substance. During the arrest, she was also found to be in possession of several pills, which resulted in new charges of possession of a controlled substance.
TYLER — A suspect is sought following the armed robbery of a Tyler gas station. It happened around 9:30 Monday night at the Food Fast on Front Street. The clerk told officers that a white man with blonde hair entered the store, covered his face and pulled a knife on the clerk. He left the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. No injuries were reported. The suspect was said to be around 6′ tall and close to 30-years-old, wearing a red jacket and blue jeans.
HARRISON COUNTY — New details are released after a 61-year-old Army veteran was shot and killed during an altercation with a Harrison County deputy. It happened when a sister of the man, described as mentally ill, called authorities for a welfare check. The man began swinging on the officer, who both Tasered and dry-Tasered him with no result. Sheriff’s Lieutenant Jay Webb says the “officer was then knocked down, and as the fight ensued, the…officer fired the weapon.” The officer was attacked as soon as he entered the home and suffered minor injuries. The Texas Rangers are investigating. Arthur McAfee was pronounced dead at a Longview-area hospital.
SMITH COUNTY — The Department of Public Safety is continuing to investigate an accident that took the life of a pedestrian Friday night — and officials have now identified the driver. Troopers responded around 7:15 to SH 31, about half a mile west Tyler. Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver, identified as Amanda Elaine Williams, 26, of Tyler, was traveling east in the inside lane when she struckShanita Lashanda Johnson, 36, of Tyler. Johnson (pictured) was trying to cross the roadway from the south side to the north. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. Williams was not injured.
SMITH COUNTY — Two more men are on trial for allegedly shooting at deputies during a high-speed chase in March of 2016. Jeremy Robinson (pictured), 33, of Hutchins, and Juan Quiroga, 19, of Tyler, are standing trial after officials said they were two of three people who shot at deputies on March 21, 2016. Smith County deputies tried to stop a black car with three men inside after it was spotted in an area known for illegal activity off State Highway 64 West in western Smith County. When a deputy activated his emergency lights, the driver refused to pull over and a chase began. Deputies followed the car at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — SWEPCO customers can expect to see an increase in their electric bills. According to KETK, the company has made an 8.9% rate increase, or about $8.50, for customers that use 1,000 kilowatt hours. SWEPCO has been working toward an increase since 2016 to pay for it’s investment into four coal fire plants. Because of that, customers will also see a surcharge of another $7.70 to allow SWEPCO to retroactively recover from that investment.
WINNSBORO — An East Texas mayor has declared a “State of Emergency” for his city after a possible tornado touched down Sunday night. Winnsboro Mayor Richard R. Parrish says the western part of the city has sustained major damage. According to KETK, early Monday morning, Parrish updated residents on the latest developments following a possible tornado in the small East Texas town. According to Parrish, four families were displaced due to damage sustained after the storm. “We had an apartment building that had the roof removed and displaced three families, but those families have been put in vacant apartments by the property owner, so they have a place to stay for the night,” Parrish says. “We also have a private residence that was damaged by a tree that fell through the house, so that family has taken up with family members for the evening, so that they can start assessing the damage.” Read the rest of this entry »
WOOD COUNTY — One of Texas’ Ten Most Wanted criminals has been arrested in California for a crime he’s accused of committing in Wood County. According to KETK, Blake Everett Reed was found in San Luis Obispo County, California, north of Los Angeles. He is being extradited back to Wood County. Reed was wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, harassment of a public servant, assault of a public servant, assault and evading arrest/detention with a vehicle. According to DPS, in September 2016, Reed allegedly assaulted a woman in Wood County. He was arrested and charged with multiple felonies by the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Reed was released on bond several days later. Since May 2017, the WCSO has issued multiple warrants for Reed’s arrest. Reed also has ties to San Luis Obispo County in California, including the cities of Cambria and Cayucos.
TYLER — Numerous flat tires in Tyler are being blamed on a substance the city put on the roads. When the roads began to ice over this past week, city crews started treating them with a mixture meant to provide traction — but instead it left many drivers with flattened tires. Public works director Scott Taylor says the city is now looking at went wrong. Taylor says over the next week or so, the city will re-evaluate the material and what was done procedurally before determining whether to make any changes in the material. Brine is usually the go-to for roads in icy conditions, but this time the city used a mix that included a metal substance called slag. Taylor says that’s what caused the flattened tires, although the city has used the mix without problems since 1974.
GLADEWATER — Texas Rangers are investigating an officer involved shooting in Gladewater which sent one person to the hospital. It happened overnight Friday at an unknown location in the city. According to KETK, Gladewater Police said an officer shot one person after they reportedly pointed a gun at them. That person was taken to a local hospital where their condition is unknown. No law enforcement official was injured in the shooting. The investigation has been turned over to the Texas Rangers.
SMITH COUNTY — An East Texas man has been arrested for murder. According to KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office arrested Colton Wade Tate, 21, of Tyler. He was booked into the Smith County Jail around 1:30 a.m., on Friday and later released on $50,000 bond. Tate was arrested in connection with the 2017 shooting death of Andrew Carpenter. Around 1:15 a.m. November 5, the SCSO received a 911 call reporting a shooting at a residence on Deerwood Drive. Carpenter, 19, of Tyler, was found inside the residence with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at a Tyler hospital. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — A Longview woman is arrested on charges related to sex trafficking a runaway 14-year-old girl. According to the Longview News-Journal, Chelsey Rae Penney, 32, is charged with compelling prostitution under age 18, trafficking of a person and engaging in organized criminal activity. Her bond was set at $150,000. Police said Penney drove the girl to different cities, including Tyler, paid for hotel rooms and placed online ads for the girl to be prostituted. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – The body of an East Texas drowning victim has been found. Around 1:00 Monday afternoon, searchers recovered the body of John Mitchell, 50, of Marshall at Lake O’ the Pines. He turned 51 on Friday and, his family told KETK News that he wanted to spend his birthday fishing with his friend, Keefer Boyd. Their overturned boat was found Friday afternoon. Boyd was released from Christus Good Shepherd in Marshall Sunday morning.
HENDERSON COUNTY — A man wanted for a parole violation is arrested near Chandler Monday. Henderson County Deputies were conducting a traffic stop when they discovered David Thomsen, 51, was wanted on an outstanding parole violation warrant. The deputies also found methamphetamines in his vehicle. Thomsen was booked into the Henderson County Jail.