Today is
Sunday June 14, 2026
GREGG COUNTY — AEP Southwestern Electric Power Co. and other utility companies are warning residents of scams from fake sweepstakes to people claiming to be police, according to the Longview News-Journal. “Scammers are targeting local businesses, senior citizens and customers whose native language is not English,” said Brett Mason, SWEPCO’s director of customer service and marketing. SWEPCO teamed with other electric, water and natural gas utilities and trade associations this past week in support of Utilities United Against Scams, a weeklong advocacy and awareness campaign. Scammers pose as electric, water, or natural gas company employees, and they threaten a customer’s services will be disconnected or shut off if immediate payment isn’t made — typically using a prepaid card or other non-traceable form of payment, according to SWEPCO. Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man accused of capital murder beat an 11-month-old toddler to death, an indictment shows. According to the Longview News-Journal, Javarrious Troy Kimeyan Dixon, 22, of Gilmer remained jailed Monday in Upshur County on $5 million bond, charged with capital murder in the March 2 death of Armani Troy Berrospe. A grand jury indictment obtained Monday says that Dixon “intentionally or knowingly” caused 11-month-old Armani’s death by “striking him on or about the head, face and neck with the hands, fists, arms or feet” or with an unknown object. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said in March that deputies responded to a 911 call March 2 to FM 2088 near Bettie in reference to an injured child. The child was taken to East Texas Medical Center-Pittsburg, where he later died from the injury. A preliminary autopsy released in March showed that Armani died of “blunt force injury to the head” with the manner of death believed to be homicide. Longview police arrested Dixon Friday on an Upshur County warrant and booked him into the Gregg County Jail. He was transferred from Gregg County to Upshur County.
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — The Nacogdoches Sheriff’s Office is searching for a woman who authorities say escaped a high-speed chase and subsequent manhunt. According to KETK, Terran Speaker, 32, of Huntington, is being sought in connection with the incident on November 19 when the sheriff’s office received a call from a homeowner reporting a theft in progress. When deputies arrived on the scene, they saw a vehicle with three adults leaving the area. After a high-speed chase along Highway 59, the car pulled into a residence on CR 250 and the three suspects ran away. Deputies were able to catch Julie Saxon, 33, of Corrigan, and Travis Wilbanks, 33, of Hudson, after a short chase. Both were taken to the Nacogdoches County Jail, where they were charged with theft of a firearm and evading arrest. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office at 936-560-7794.
MARSHALL — A Harrison County grand jury has indicted a 24-year-old Hallsville man on a charge of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in connection with the death this summer of a Gladewater teen. According to the Longview News-Journal, Melvin Brandon Bradshaw also was indicted on a charge of intoxication assault with a vehicle, causing serious bodily injury. According to the indictment, on June 29, Bradshaw, “operated a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated, causing the death of 17-year-old Bobbie Renee Burke, by accident or mistake, by operating the vehicle at an unsafe speed causing the vehicle to leave the roadway, resulting in a collision.” According to Texas Department of Public Safety officials, the one-vehicle wreck occurred west of Harleton in Harrison County. Burke was one of three passengers in the vehicle driven by Bradshaw that crashed.
MINEOLA — Tammy Stanford was inside her home on Friday. She was getting ready to go into town when her cell phone began ringing, “ADT, the alarm people called and said you have a fire.” According to KETK, Stanford says she ran out of her bedroom to see her house up in flames. “I didn’t just want to run out and save myself. I love my bird and I wasn’t going out let nothing else die in my house. I started dragging the cage, I kept tugging it and that’s when I fell down and got trapped under the cage.” She was at home, all alone with no one there to help her. “I was just yelling and yelling because I couldn’t move my body and then this guy came,” said Stanford. Mike Nance, a neighbor who lives, “probably 200 yards” away from Stanford’s home heard noise and he came running. “If he wouldn’t have gotten here with five more minutes we would have been dead,” said Stanford.
UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man was arrested Friday on charges of capital murder of a person under 10, according to Gregg and Upshur County Jail records. KETK reports, Javarrious Troikimeyan Dixon, 22, was arrested by Longview police on an Upshur County warrant in connection to the March 2 death of an 11 month old. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail Friday night. Dixon has been transferred to the Upshur County Jail, records show, with his bond set at $5 million.
GREGG COUNTY — A Gladewater man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to a 2015 sexual assault. According to the Longview News-Journal, Shanon Carroll Wiess, 48, displayed a pocketknife before repeatedly raping a Gladewater woman Aug. 28, 2015. Wiess and the woman were friends who met through a recovery group, and Wiess offered to drive her home. After multiple assaults, he dropped her off at Warren City City Hall on George Richey Road. Wiess will not be able to appeal his sentence as part of his plea and must complete at least one half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
SMITH COUNTY — Three men have been indicted on charges arising from the use of credit card skimmers in the Tyler area. According to KETK, Yoslays Garcia-Torres (pictured), 34, Daykel Madruga-Cartaya, 24, and Nelson Lemus-Torres, 24, were indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity by a Smith County Grand Jury November 9. Madruga-Cartaya also was indicted on a charge of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. All three are in the Smith County Jail, with bonds for Garcia-Torres and Lemus-Torres at $1.5 million each and for Madruga-Cartaya at $2.5 million. Read the rest of this entry »
BULLARD — A Bullard man is behind bars on one count of sexual assault. According to KETK, Smith County online judicial records show Jeffrey Deane Hayden, 51, was arrested by the Bullard Police Department on Tuesday for sexual assault. Hayden has been booked into the Smith County Jail on $200,000 bond.
LONGVIEW — A Longview woman has been indicted on several felony family violence charges, including injury to a child. According to KETK, Brittney Nicole Fitts, 25, has been charged with injury to a child/elderly/disabled person with intentional bodily injury, assault of a family/household member impeding breath or circulation and continuous violence against the family. Longview police arrested Fitts on those charges, as well as a DWI charge, on Nov. 10. She remains in the Gregg County Jail, with bond set at $92,500. Fitts is accused of assaulting a person by “applying pressure to the throat or neck and blocking the nose or mouth” and “striking and pulling” in an incident on April 17, and incident on April 19 when Fitts struck the same person with her hand.
TYLER – Tyler police continue their probe of a Monday night shooting. It occurred at the Chelsea Creek Apartments on Thistle Drive. Dead at the scene was Darryl Dewayne Washington Jr., 25. In stable condition with multiple gunshot wound is Terry Demond Rogers, 23. In good condition is Nadarius Houston, 18. All three are from Tyler. Investigators say the shooting stems from narcotic activity. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler Police continue to ask for the public’s help in finding a Tyler man reported missing. Brandon Harward was reported missing by his family October 23. Police said he left his Shiloh Road apartment without any belongings. A search party scoured the area of Shiloh Road with no luck. Harward is said to suffer mental illness and might not be able to find his way home. He’s 32 years old, 5’8†tall, 130 pounds and has blonde hair with blue eyes. Anyone with information related to his disappearance is urged to contact Detective Andy Erbaugh at 903-531-1099 or Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000.
ANGELINA COUNTY — An East Texas police officer has been arrested for sexual assault of a child. According to KETK, Angelina County judicial records show Billy Joe Murphy was arrested by Texas Rangers Friday on one count of child sexual assault. He was booked into the Angelina County Jail on $75,000 bond. Murphy is an officer with the Jasper Police Department. He previously worked as deputy for the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office.
WOOD COUNTY — A Harmony ISD school bus was involved in a wreck just before 7:30 this morning. According to the Department of Public Safety report, the school bus was stopped on Hwy 154 at Private Road 7573 when it was struck from behind by a woman in a Ford Mustang. There were 26 kids on the bus at the time and no injuries were reported. The driver of the Mustang was not injured. Troopers are investigating.
MARSHALL — An East Texas man was arrested on Wednesday by Marshall Police Department on allegations of aggravated sexual assault of a disabled or elderly person. According to KETK and the Marshall News Messenger, Larry Carlisle, 39, of Marshall, was jailed with bond set at $50,000.