Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
TYLER – Tyler’s Luby’s Restaurant on Roseland Boulevard is closed. There appears to be some question if the closing is temporary or permanent. The sign on the door says they are closed for construction. The construction is said to concern structural problems with the building. The company says they haven’t even started looking at designs, but they want to remain in Tyler. However some Luby’s employees have told our news partner KETK that they were told the cafeteria is closed permanently and they no longer had jobs. The general manager for Luby’s in Longview told KETK the store had foundation issues and, as of today, the business is closed permanently. Luby’s has been in Tyler for 55 years. It remains to be seen if it will reopen.
EAST TEXAS — A Collin County jury is hearing testimony in the murder-for-hire trial of a Longview man. Police connected the dots in a love triangle to bring the case before a jury. Ronald Rosser is accused of taking more than $5,000 to kill McKinney businessman Richard Moore. The 66-year old was shot five times in the head with a handgun four years ago. Court records say McKinney Police believe Rosser was hired by Moore’s estranged wife, Chansamorn Pokai, and her lover Stephen Brockway. They say they found text messages and documents that led them to Rosser, a convicted felon. He is the first of the three to stand trial with Brockway and Pokai still in jail.
TYLER — A Tyler murder trial has been postponed until May. According to our news partner KETK, Christopher Hardy, 24, Tyler, is accused of killing Darryl Washington during a 2017 shooting at Chelsea Creek Apartments in Tyler. Two other men were also injured during that shooting. Investigators determined the incident was drug related.
VAN — Van ISD announced on its Facebook page that the district is mourning a student who died following a car crash. According to the post, Fernando Vela, an 8th-grade student at Van Junior High School, died from injuries sustained in a single-car crash Saturday night. “Fernando had a lot of friends and students looked up to him,” said Van Junior High Principal Richard Pride. “He was a leader among his peers. He was energetic, athletic, respectful, and had a great love for his family. This is a sad day for the Van Junior High School family. Fernando will be greatly missed.” Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body found in a wooded area off Highway 69 and I-20. The unidentified body was located around 2:20 Saturday afternoon by some kids playing in the woods. The body was sent to Dallas for autopsy. Additional details were not available.
SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has released the names of a mother and daughter who died in a house fire last week. Alejandra Mayorga Chavez, 66 and Herlinda Beltran, 35, died the Tuesday, February 12. Smith County Assistant Fire Marshal Chad Hogue said there was no foul play suspected and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Chapel Hill, Jackson Heights, Winona and Red Springs Fire Departments all responded to the scene.
HENDERSON – A suspect has been arrested in a fatal shooting in Henderson. The Longview News Journal reports Randy Buford Wynn, 63, was arrested in Louisiana. The arrest followed a Sunday night shooting at the Oak Manor Apartments on South Van Buren Street. Killed were Justin Smith, 31 and Holly Jones, 37. The ijured, who are said to be in stable condition, are Billie Pyers, 65, and Cassandra Shaffer, 26. Wynn is facing two capital murder charges in Henderson. What led to the shooting has not been released.
TYLER — Tyler police are searching for an aggravated robbery suspect that held-up a gas station Thursday night. It happened around 10:35 at the Metro Food Mart on W. Gentry Parkway. Officers said the suspect pointed the handgun at the clerk, demanded money and ran off with an undisclosed amount of cash. He’s described as a black male, early 30s, 180 lbs, wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. He also had a bandana covering his face. No injuries were reported.
SMITH COUNTY — A Mineola man wanted for aggravated assault and burglary has been arrested. Dustin Dwayne Radney, 28, was accused of forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend’s home north of Lindale. He is said to have stolen a handgun and then physically assaulted the ex-girlfriend. Radney has been charged with with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary with intent to commit assault and theft of a firearm. He was booked into the Smith County Jail with bond set at $100,000.
SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County Jury Wednesday sentenced Yoerlan Suarez-Corrales, 39, to life in prison for engaging in organized criminal activity involving gas pump skimmers. Suarez-Corrales, along with two other suspects, were arrested in June after they were caught on video attempting to steal information from skimmers they had installed. The three suspects were also caught on video at the Sam’s Club in Tyler using victim’s identifying information on re-encoded credit cards that had been stolen from gas pumps by skimming devices across Texas. Suarez-Corrales had been on probation for credit card skimming in Louisiana for three months when he committed the offense. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years.
EAST TEXAS — A bill has been introduced in the Texas House that would help students who have seizures. Sheri Dudo, founder of the non-profit Purple Warriors says this affects many kids. Sam’s Law would mandate all school employees watch a video on seizure recognition and first aid, school nurses will watch a much longer video and the child’s neurologist and parents will give the school a form detailing what to do if that child has a seizure in school. She says children worry about having a seizure in front of their classmates and how people will respond, and this training will make them safer. The bill is named for Samantha Watkins, an 18 year old Kilgore High School student, who died after a massive seizure at home in December of 2016. She’d been showing signs of the epilepsy a few months before.
GREGG COUNTY — Longview police have arrested a juvenile student in connection with recent threats made against another student at Judson STEAM Academy. Police reported in a social media post Tuesday that the juvenile was arrested on a charge of terroristic threat and taken to the Gregg County Juvenile Detention Center. Police have not released that person’s name. According to our news partner KETK and the Longview News Journal, police were on the campus north of Longview this week to probe what Longview ISD had described in a Sunday night Facebook post as a “vague threat†from a source claiming to be a student there. Longview police Lt. Shane McCarter said police were following up on texts that had been sent and were conducting interviews to determine the person who first sent the texts. McCarter said the Judson threats were directed toward a student.
GREGG COUNTY — The mother of an East Texas toddler has been charged in connection to the child’s death. According to our news partner KETK, Daylain Anisse Jones, 24, was arrested Saturday for making a firearm available to a child. The charge is a misdemeanor, according to Officer Shane McCarter of the Longview Police Department. The death of 3-year-old Geneva August occurred June 14, 2018. Although the cause of death was an accidental self-inflicted gun shot wound, Jones is now facing charges. At the time of the shooting, LPD issued a statement saying: “Make every effort to child-proof your home and make it a safe and enjoyable place for them to grow up.”
ATHENS — Athens ISD has announced the time and place of the funeral for Christopher Bonilla. Christopher, 13, died Friday when his school bus was hit by a train in Athens. According to our news partner KETK, his funeral has been scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. in the Athens High School gymnasium. Ahens ISD also has announced that classes at all campuses have been canceled for that day. Christopher was a student at Athens Middle School. Another student on board, Bonilla’s cousin, is still in critical condition at Children’s Hospital in Dallas. The school bus driver involved in the crash, John Stevens, was released from the hospital Monday. Toni Clay with the district says he had a clean record and had been a bus driver for more than a decade. Police say they’re still investigating and haven’t said whether Stevens will face charges.
ATHENS — Hundreds of students across the state show support for a school district in East Texas. They showed up for class Monday morning wearing maroon, one of the Athens school district’s colors. Athens lost a student Friday when a bus collided with a train. A second student was hurt and continues to recover at a hospital in Dallas. Counselors were also called in at the schools Monday. Union Pacific says its data show the train was sounding its horn for 30 seconds before the crash. Video of the incident has been turned over to police.
KILGORE — A trial date has been set for the woman accused in the 2016 kidnapping of a Kilgore College Rangerette. According to our news partner KETK and the Longview News Journal, Nancy Alice Motes, 59, is scheduled to go to trial April 15 on two charges of aggravated kidnapping stemming from incidents said to have occurred Dec. 29, 2016. Motes allegedly visited the residence of Dana Blair, longtime Rangerette director, and her daughter Alexa. Motes reportedly drew a firearm, forced her way into the home and kidnapped Alexa. Motes was indicted in June 2017 by a Gregg County grand jury. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — Longview police are investigating a “vague threat” towards Judson STEAM Academy, according to the Longview ISD website. The website goes on to say that the threat was “determined to be unsubstantiated rumors”. According to our news partner KETK, the school district tweeted about the threat on their school account but it has since been deleted. The threat was said to have been made in a series of text messages by someone claiming to be a Judson STEAM Academy student. Despite being ruled unsubstantiated, Longview police will increase police presence around the school as the investigation continues.
LONGVIEW — Longview police are looking for a truck involved in a fatal accident on Tuesday. Killed as he was directing traffic around a previous accident was George Earnest Melton, 59, of Longview. it occurred on Loop 281 at Birdsong Street around 5:45 Tuesday morning. It began when a motorist fell asleep and hit another vehicle head-on. The vehicle that hit Melton is believed to be a 2003 to 2006 silver or gray Lincoln Navigator. It should have damage to the front driver’s side and be missing the front portion of the fender and a head light.
GREGG COUNTY — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a death after responding to a disturbance call. According to our news partner KETK, deputies found a person in need of medical help on Rabbit Creek Circle around 2:30 Thursday afternoon. The unnamed person was taken to the hospital where they later died. Officials said they are not investigating the case as a homicide. The body has been sent for autopsy.
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) – Federal prosecutors in central Illinois say a Texas man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for child pornography charges involving more than 40 girls in eight states. Prosecutors said Tuesday that a federal judge sentenced 36-year-old Mark P. Barnwell of Whitehouse, Texas, on Jan. 9. Authorities say he used false Facebook profiles to contact girls and advertise modeling opportunities. Prosecutors say Barnwell directed the girls to send him sexually explicit photos and threatened to post the nude photos online if they failed to send more. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The TSA pre-check mobile enrollment will begin Jan. 21 at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. Initially, the enrollment site was scheduled to be in Tyler through Jan. 25. Because the response was so great, the mobile enrollment center has been extended another week from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1. The TSA pre-check mobile enrollment center will be in the commercial terminal building at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. The mobile enrollment center will be near the baggage claim area. Signage is present to provide location information inside the terminal. Officials said they anticipate no delays as a result of the federal government shutdown. Go to the TSA Website at http://www.tsa.gov for full details to enroll.
RUSK COUNTY — A Texas appeals court has delayed this week’s scheduled execution of a man convicted of killing his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter during what the couple had said was part of an “exorcism” in Rusk County. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Monday granted the stay for Blaine Milam. His execution was slated for Tuesday. Milam’s attorneys say his conviction was based on “now discredited” bite mark evidence. They also argue he is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for execution. The 29-year-old Milam would have been the first inmate put to death this year both in the U.S. and in Texas. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A fatal Tyler accident remains under investigation. It happened just before midnight on Wednesday on South Broadway near Amherst. Killed was Anthony Gonzalez, 26, of Tyler. His motorcycle was slowing or had stopped for the red light when it was struck from behind by a pickup truck. The truck then hit a power pole and was engulfed in flames. The truck’s driver and his passenger were treated and released from a Tyler Hospital. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the blood of the pick-up’s driver and it was submitted to the Department of Public Safety Lab for testing. The accident had traffic in the area shut down for hours.
SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County man has been killed and his son has been charged with the murder. Booked into jail early Tuesday morning was was Tony Terrell Chase, 32, of Tyler. He called the sheriff’s department around 8:30 Monday night, saying he had just shot his father, Edward Rolando Blaylock, 51. The shooting is said to have followed a family dispute at a home on County Road 129, southwest of Whitehouse. Investigators say Chase offered no resistance when he was arrested. He has now been charged with murder and is being held in the Smith County Jail under a $750,000 bond.
EAST TEXAS — TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district through Jan. 7, 2019. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.
TYLER — Turn Lanes Project: The contractor is scheduled to continue concrete work on Rice Rd. at Broadway Ave. The project is removing the existing medians to extend the turn lanes and adding right turn lanes to various intersections in Tyler. Work locations include US 69, Cumberland Rd., Independence, South Donnybrook, Rice Rd., South Town and Grande Blvd. and Old Jacksonville Highway. Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY — A weather balloon caught on fire Saturday after it crashed in Upshur County. According to our news partner KETK, the crash happened west of Gilmer, near Lookout Lane. Gilmer Fire Department and Upshur County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and found inflamed lithium batteries inside of the balloon. The Upshur County Fire Department say the flames started because of the batteries. The owner of the balloon have not been identified and there are no reports of injuries.
CHEROKEE COUNTY — Two people are jailed following a wild traffic stop in Cherokee County early Saturday morning. According to the Sheriff’s Department, a deputy was attempting to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle for failure to maintain a single in the Jacksonville area. The deputy said he smelled an alcohol odor coming from the driver, identified as Cristian Diaz, 25, of Longview. Diaz attempted to run and was caught a short time later when the passenger, Corina Castaneda, 30, of Jacksonville, caught up with them and grabbed the deputy’s neck from behind. Diaz again ran off and was caught a second time when Castaneda again grabbed the deputy. Pepper spray was dispensed and Diaz was held by several passing motorists. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — The trial for an East Texas mother found competent has been moved. According to our news partner KETK, Sarah Nicole Henderson, 29, will now stand before a jury April 1. A pretrial hearing was originally scheduled for Thursday, January 3, but was canceled and moved to the 17th. She is charged with capital murder after the deaths of her daughters, KayLee Danielle, and Kenlie in November 2017. Henderson had been ordered to go under a psychiatric evaluation in April. The notice of insanity defense was given August 22, 2018. A competency hearing was held the following day where she was found competent to stand trial.
SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County District Attorney has dropped the capital murder charge against the father who was arrested along with his son for the beating death of a Tyler woman. According to our news partner KETK, back in July, Bullard police arrested Charles Edward Lennon III, 29, and Charles Edward Lennon, Jr., 56, for the death of Rachel Lynn Jackson, 31. According to J. Brett Harrison, the attorney for Charles Edward Lennon, Jr, the D.A. declined the capital murder charge prior to Tuesday’s motion hearing. On Tuesday, Lennon Jr. was released on a bond after a judge set conditions of release during a motion hearing. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler Police responded to a reported shooting just after 4:00 Sunday evening at the Westwood Shopping Center on Loop 323 and Chandler Highway. Witnesses were able to give a suspect and vehicle description, leading to the arrest of one suspect. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is in critical condition. Identities have not been released. Crime Scene personnel searched neighborhoods along Greenbrier Road, between Highways 31 and 64, for evidence involved in the assault. Investigators are asking citizens or businesses in the area with surveillance video showing a silver Toyota Avalon in the area between 4:15 and 4:40 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16 to contact Tyler PD at (903) 531-1000. Police are also searching for a red bandana or hand gun in that area. Citizens are asked not to touch any of the potential evidence.